OldiesButGoodies

Oldies Music

Maurice Gibb on An Audience with Lulu – First Of May

Scottish singer Lulu performs with Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees on the set of a pop music television show in London circa 1969.

Introduction:

There are musical moments that arrive not with spectacle, but with stillness—where time seems to pause, and melody becomes a vessel for memory. Such is the case with Maurice Gibb on An Audience with Lulu – First Of May, a performance that continues to resonate with listeners who appreciate artistry rooted in sincerity, experience, and emotional depth. For many longtime fans, it remains a treasured reminder of a musician whose quiet presence often carried the loudest emotional weight within the Bee Gees’ remarkable legacy.

First of May - Lulu & Maurice Gibb (2002)

Maurice Gibb was never the most public-facing of the Gibb brothers. He did not often seek the spotlight, nor did he rely on grand gestures to communicate his artistry. Instead, his strength lived in subtlety—his melodic intuition, his multi-instrumental brilliance, and his ability to shape emotion into sound. “First of May,” originally released in 1969, exemplifies that sensibility. It is a gentle piece, reflective and beautifully arranged, speaking to the passing of seasons, youth, and the fragile threads that tie past and present together.

Performed on An Audience with Lulu, the song takes on a deeper, almost archival significance. Listeners hear not just a Bee Gees classic, but a conversation between eras—between the optimism of late-1960s pop and the reflective maturity of a musician who had lived through fame, reinvention, heartbreak, and triumph. Maurice’s delivery is unhurried, grounded in lived experience, and marked by an unmistakable tenderness. It invites the audience not to applaud, but to remember.

The performance also reminds us of something easily forgotten in the myth-making of musical history: the Bee Gees were not merely icons of the disco era. Long before the dance floors, mirrored balls, and soaring falsettos, they were songwriters of remarkable emotional intelligence—crafting pieces that explored longing, innocence, and perseverance with remarkable honesty. “First of May” is one of their most evocative examples, and Maurice’s interpretation on Lulu’s stage feels like a gentle act of preservation.

Scottish singer Lulu and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees pictured together after their wedding ceremony at St James's Church in Gerrards Cross,...

For older listeners, the moment carries a rare kind of comfort. It acknowledges that life moves, changes, and sometimes breaks—but music remains. It holds memories safely, even when faces, voices, and places begin to fade. That is the gift Maurice offered in this performance: reassurance through melody, presence through restraint.

Today, revisiting Maurice Gibb on An Audience with Lulu – First Of May is less about nostalgia and more about gratitude—for the craft, the humility, and the emotional intelligence he brought to every note. It is proof that a song does not need to shout to be unforgettable. Sometimes, it only needs to feel true.

Video:

https://youtu.be/9cNWAtgNCWg?si=SFIPu_yTv6JrIZ2o

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