Released in December 1968, “I Started a Joke” is a pivotal song by the Bee Gees, featured on their album Idea.
Written by Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, and produced with Robert Stigwood, the track stands as one of the most emotionally raw and beautifully melodic pieces in their catalog.
Lead vocal by Robin Gibb gives the song its timeless, fragile edge — part confession, part lament, and wholly haunting.
Bee Gees – I Started A Joke
“I Started a Joke” was recorded on 20 June 1968 at IBC Studios in London.
According to Robin, the melody was inspired by the droning sound of an airplane engine — transforming a mundane sound into a song of emotional magnitude.
Musically, the track features soft rock and pop elements infused with melancholic strings and harmonies, anchored by Robin’s lead vocal. The lyrics evoke feelings of regret and isolation:
“I started a joke, which started the whole world crying…”
It’s less about literal jokes and more a poetic metaphor for unintended consequences and the burdens we carry.
The song wasn’t released as a single in the UK, though it became internationally successful.
It reached #1 in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and charted top 10 in the U.S. Cash Box and Record World charts.
It was the last Bee Gees single to feature guitarist Vince Melouney before he left the band.
A memorable promotional video directed by Jean-Christophe Averty was filmed in Brussels and features floating question-marks while Robin sings.
Over the years the song has been cover-recorded by many artists, including Faith No More, showing its enduring influence.
“I Started a Joke” remains a profound example of how the Bee Gees could combine melody, harmony and deep emotion into a song that transcends time. It’s not just a pop hit—it’s a reflection on guilt, on change, on what happens when a “joke” becomes something much larger. Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or the hundredth, its impact is undiminished.
