How Can You Mend a Broken Heart

Infobox Single
Name = How Can You Mend a Broken Heart

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Artist = Bee Gees
Album = Trafalgar
Released = 1971
B-side = "Country Woman"
Format = 7" single
Recorded = January 28, 1971
IBC Studios, London
Genre = Pop
Length =
Label = Polydor (UK)
Atco (U.S., Canada)
Writer = Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb
Producer = Robert Stigwood, Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
Last single = "Lonely Days"
(1970)
This single = "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"
(1971)
Next single = "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself"
(1971)Infobox Song
Name = How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
Artist = Al Green
Album = Let's Stay Together
Released = 1972
track_no = 7
Recorded =
Genre = R&B, soul
Length = 6:22
Writer = Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb
Label = Hi
Producer = Willie Mitchell
Tracks =
# "Let's Stay Together"
# "La-La for You"
# "So You're Leaving"
# "What Is This Feeling?"
# "Old Time Lovin'"
# "I've Never Found a Girl (Who Loves Me Like You Do)"
# "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"
# "Judy"
# "It Ain't No Fun to Me"Infobox Song
Name = How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
Artist = Al Green featuring Joss Stone
Album =
Released = May 27 2008
track_no = 12
Recorded =
Genre = R&B, soul
Length = 7:00
Writer = Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb
Label = New Line
Producer = Salaam Remi
prev = "Kissing" by Bliss
prev_no = 11
next = "Walk This Way" by Run-D.M.C. featuring Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith
next_no = 13

"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" is a song released by the Bee Gees in 1971. The song had been written by Barry and Robin Gibb in August 1970, when the Gibb brothers had reconvened following a period of break-up and alienation. They said that they originally offered it to Andy Williams, but ultimately the Bee Gees recorded it themselves and included it on their 1971 album, "Trafalgar".

The song was recorded on January 28 1971 in London. The instrumental track is: Barry Gibb (guitar), Maurice Gibb (guitar, piano, bass guitar), possibly Alan Kendall (guitar), and Geoff Bridgeford (drums), with strings and woodwinds arranged and conducted by Bill Shepherd. The vocals are by Robin (solo in the opening verse), Barry (solo in choruses and second verse), and Maurice (joins Barry and Robin in harmony on choruses). It was released as a single in May 1971 ahead of the album. The B side was a non-album song "Country Woman", written by Maurice Gibb, recorded on April 6 by Maurice (guitar, piano, bass guitar), Kendall (guitar), Bridgeford (drums), and Shepherd (string and horn arrangement).

Although failing to chart on the UK Singles Chart, the song became the Bee Gees' first U.S. number one on the "Billboard" Hot 100 and also reached number four on the "Billboard" Adult Contemporary chart.

Cover versions

Al Green covered the track on his 1972 album "Let's Stay Together", which also made the soundtrack to 1999's "Notting Hill". In 2008, Green's version was remade into a duet with Joss Stone for the to "", with her vocals overdubbed onto the track. [cite web |url=http://www.demonmusicgroup.co.uk/NewsArticles.aspx#News10620 |title=Al Green on Sex and the City |accessdate=2008-07-07 |date=May 14 2008 |work=Demon Music Group] Teddy Pendergrass recorded a version of this song on his 1991 LP "Truly Blessed" and Steve Brookstein on his 2005 number-one album "Heart and Soul". The song was also covered by Michael Bublé in 2003, with Barry Gibb performing backup vocals, on his self-titled album "Michael Bublé". Bublé's version reached number twenty-two on the "Billboard" Adult Contemporary chart. Jazz singer-pianist Diana Krall has not recorded this song, but has been performing it as an encore during her 2007 tour.

Alternate versions

An alternate version appeared on the first UK pressing of the 2001 compilation "". It has different vocal, piano, and bass guitar tracks. It is very noticeable that Barry, not Robin, sings the first verse, and that Barry's sigh does not appear before each chorus. This was a tape library mistake, both this and the correct reel being marked as best. The differences illustrate how the Bee Gees built up a recording track by track. These unsatisfactory vocal, piano, and bass tracks would be re-done to make the officially released version.Fact|date=February 2007

References

Literature

*Melinda Bilyeu, Hector Cook, and Andrew Môn Hughes, with Joseph Brennan and Mark Crohan. "The Ultimate Biography of the Bee Gees". London: Omnibus, 2001.
*Unpublished list of tape reels, Universal/Polygram, viewed in 2000 by Joseph Brennan.

External links

* [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:pfrvad5kq8x3 Allmusic entry]
* [http://www.superseventies.com/1971_3singles.html Superseventies.com entry]
* [http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/beegees Gibb Songs]