"Words" was the Bee Gees third UK top 10 hit, reaching number 8, and in a UK television special on ITV in December 2011 it was voted fourth in "The Nation's Favourite Bee Gees Song". The song has been recorded by many other artists., including hit versions by Rita Coolidge in 1978 and Boyzone in 1996. This was Boyzone's fifth single and their first number one hit in the UK.

Barry Gibb explains:

'Words' was written by me at Adams Row when I was staying at Robert [Stigwood]'s place, A lot of people began to cover that song, so over the years it's become a bit like 'To Love Somebody'. I didn't know it wasn’t on an album — that’s strange how it used to work in those days. We used to bang singles out one after another.

Robin Gibb: "'Words' reflects a mood, It was written after an argument. Barry had been arguing with someone, I had been arguing with someone, and happened to be in the same mood. [The arguments were] about absolutely nothing. They were just words. That is what the song is all about; words can make you happy or words can make you sad".

Barry said in 1996 on the VH1 Storytellers television show that it was written for their manager, Robert Stigwood.

Words was recorded on 3 October 1967 along with "World" and the unreleased track "Maccleby's Secret" at the IBC Studios in London. The song featured vocals from only Barry and became his solo spot in concert for the remainder of the Bee Gees' career.

The recording sessions for "Words" were especially memorable for two members of the group, Barry explained:

"I remember the [first] session so clearly. Robin and I were in the studios at 9'o'clock in the morning, and Robin kept on falling asleep over the piano. I wanted him to write the piano part of the song and play it because I'm not much of a pianist, but he just couldn't keep his eyes open, so I ended up doing it myself".

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