Writing and recording
Barry and Robin Gibb wrote the song in August 1970 with "Lonely Days" when the Gibb brothers had reconvened following a period of break-up and alienation. "Robin came to my place," says Barry,"and that afternoon we wrote 'How Can You Mend a Broken Heart' and that obviously was a link to us coming back together. We called Maurice,finished the song,went to the studio and once again,with only 'Broken Heart' as a basic structure,we went in to the studio with that and an idea for 'Lonely Days',and those two songs were recorded that night".
They originally offered the song to Andy Williams,but ended up recording it themselves,although Williams did later cover the song on his album You've Got a Friend. Barry also explains,"We might imitate a certain group,later on,the group will pick up on the song and say that suits us." [8] Maurice Gibb possibly had a hand in the writing of the song,although it is officially credited to Barry and Robin Gibb alone. The 2009 release Ultimate Bee Gees officially credited Maurice for the first time as co-writer of the song,for both the "Ultimate" CD and DVD,and it was credited to the moniker Barry,Robin and Maurice Gibb. [9]
The single version was recorded on 28 January 1971 in London,the same day as "We Lost the Road","When Do I","If I Were the Sky","Bring Out the Thoughts in Me" and "Ellan Vannin". [9] The group's later song "My World" followed along the same musical ideas on this song. [8] Robin Gibb's remarked on the song,"The whole thing took about an hour to complete. The song reached the number one spot,to our great satisfaction." [1]
Reception
The song was sung live for the first time in 1971,in a performance that was notable as drummer Geoff Bridgford's first appearance with the band. [10] Although failing to chart on the UK Singles Chart,the song became the Bee Gees' first US number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and also reached number four on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 5 song for 1971. Cash Box described the song as being "a slower,almost country-ballad styled performance which links an intricate melody segment with more powerful thrusts to give the track top forty impetus." [11] Record World called it a "lovely tune [that] can't miss." [12] In Spain,it was released under the title "Cómo Puedes Arreglar Un Corazón Destrozado". [13]
Following the release of "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart",the song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo Or Group along with George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" and others. [8] It was performed as part of a medley on The Midnight Special on 10 October 1975,in Japan on the Japanese TV special Love Sounds,and on the Mr. Natural tour in 1974. A live version recorded on November 17 and 18,1989,at the National Tennis Centre,Melbourne,Australia,was used for the benefit album Nobody's Child:Romanian Angel Appeal . Between 1997 and 1999,the song was performed on the One Night Only tour as part of a medley. It was last performed by the Bee Gees in 2001.
Barry Gibb re-recorded the song as a duet with Sheryl Crow for his 2020 solo album, Greenfields:The Gibb Brothers Songbook,Vol. 1.
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