Introduction
Written by Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, “How Deep Is Your Love” was composed in the spring of 1977, reportedly during marathon writing sessions at Château d’Hérouville in France before final recording at Miami’s Criteria Studios. Barry Gibb collaborated with keyboardist Blue Weaver, seeking “the most beautiful chord” Weaver knew, crafting the song’s distinctive piano-driven harmonic foundation—though Weaver was not officially credited as a songwriter.
Originally written with Yvonne Elliman in mind, the Bee Gees intended to pass the track to her; instead, their manager Robert Stigwood insisted they record it themselves for the upcoming Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. The track blends soft rock and contemporary R&B with lush orchestration and the trademark Bee Gees harmonies, produced by the group alongside Karl Richardson and Albhy Galuten .
Released as a single in September 1977, it quickly became integral to the disco era’s defining film. In the UK, it reached No. 3, while in the U.S. it climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 by 25 December 1977, remaining in the Top 10 for a then‑record 17 weeks, and spending six weeks atop the Adult Contemporary chart . It later ranked among the all‑time top songs on Billboard and landed at No. 375 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time .
The song also inspired a high‑profile legal case: in 1983, songwriter Ronald Selle sued the Bee Gees, alleging that “How Deep Is Your Love” was copied from his unpublished composition. Although a jury initially ruled in Selle’s favor, the verdict was later overturned, with judges ruling Selle had failed to prove the Bee Gees had prior access to his song .
Since then, “How Deep Is Your Love” has been covered by numerous artists—including Take That, whose 1996 version topped UK charts for three weeks—and remains one of the most beloved and enduring love ballads ever recorded .