How Can You Mend a Broken Heart

"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" is an adult contemporary ballad 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. Maurice Gibb possibly had a hand in the writing of "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" although the song is officially credited to Barry and Robin Gibb. The 2009 release "Ultimate Bee Gees" officially credited Maurice for the first time as cowriter of the song, for both the "Ultimate" CD and DVD.
The song was recorded on 28 January 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 6 April 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.
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