How Can You Mend a Broken Heart - wikipedia How Can You Mend a Broken Heart `` How Can You Mend a Broken Heart '' Single by Bee Gees from the album Trafalgar B - side `` Country Woman '' Released 28 May 1971 Format 7 ``, 45 rpm Recorded 28 January 1971 IBC Studios, London Length 3 : 57 Label Polydor Atco ( United States, Canada ) Songwriter ( s ) Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb Producer ( s ) Robert Stigwood, Bee Gees Bee Gees singles chronology `` Lonely Days '' ( 1970 ) `` How Can You Mend a Broken Heart '' ( 1971 ) `` Do n't Wanna Live Inside Myself '' ( 1971 ) `` Lonely Days '' ( 1970 ) `` How Can You Mend a Broken Heart '' ( 1971 ) `` Do n't Wanna Live Inside Myself '' ( 1971 ) `` How Can You Mend a Broken Heart '' is a song released by the Bee Gees in 1971. It was written mainly by Barry and Robin Gibb and was the lead and first single on the group 's 1971 album Trafalgar. It was their first US No. 1 single and also reached No. 1 in Cashbox magazine for two weeks. In the US Atco Records issued both mono and stereo versions of the song on each side as a promo single. The B - side was a Maurice Gibb composition `` Country Woman ''. The song appears in the 2013 film American Hustle and on its soundtrack. Contents 1 Writing and recording 2 Reception 3 Personnel 4 Charts 4.1 Weekly charts 4.2 Year - end charts 5 Cover versions 6 References 6.1 Literature 7 External links Writing and recording `` How Can You Mend a Broken Heart '' An excerpt from the first chorus Problems playing this file ? See media help. 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. Barry also explains, `` We might imitate a certain group, later on, the group will pick up on the song and say that suits us. '' 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 co-writer of the song, for both the `` Ultimate '' CD and DVD, and it was credited to the moniker Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb. The song was recorded on 28 January 1971 in London same day as `` We Lost the Road '', `` When Do I '', `` If I Were the Sky '', `` Bring Out the Thoughts in Me '' and `` Ellan Vannin ''. The group 's later song `` My World '' followed along the same musical ideas on this song. 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. '' 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. 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. In Spain, it was released under the title `` Cómo Puedes Arreglar Un Corazón Destrozada ''. Following the release of `` How Can You Mend a Broken Heart '', the song had a Grammy nomination for Best Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus among George Harrison 's `` My Sweet Lord '' and others. It was performed as part of a medley in The Midnight Special in 1975, in Japan on the Japanese TV special Love Sounds, and on the Mr. Natural tour in 1974. A live version recorded on 17 -- 18 Nov 1989 at the National Tennis Centre, Melbourne, Australia was used for the benefit album Nobody 's Child : Romanian Angel Appeal. In 1997 - 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. Personnel Barry Gibb -- lead and harmony vocals, acoustic guitar Robin Gibb -- lead and harmony vocals Maurice Gibb -- harmony vocals, bass guitar, piano, acoustic guitar, organ Geoff Bridgeford -- drums Bill Shepherd -- orchestral and strings arrangement Charts Weekly charts Chart ( 1971 ) Peak position Australia ( Go - Set ) Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 ) 21 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) Chile Italy ( FIMI ) 24 Malaysia Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 16 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 6 South Africa ( Springbok Radio ) 7 US Billboard Adult Contemporary US Billboard Hot 100 US Cash Box US Record World Year - end charts Chart ( 1971 ) Position Australia ( Go - Set ) 37 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 ) 29 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 23 Cover versions 1970s 1971 : Johnny Mathis recorded a version of this song on his LP You 've Got a Friend. 1972 : Al Green covered the track on his album Let 's Stay Together, which also made the soundtrack to 1997 's Good Will Hunting, 1999 's The Virgin Suicides, 1999 's Notting Hill and 2010 's The Book of Eli. Green 's version was released as a single in France on Cream Records. In 2008, Green 's version was remade into a duet with Joss Stone for the soundtrack to the film adaptation of Sex and the City, with her vocals overdubbed onto the track. 1973 : Singer - actress Cher covered the song in her 1973 album Half - Breed. 1977 : Florence Henderson performed the song during a medley on an episode of The Brady Bunch Variety Hour. 1990s 1991 : Teddy Pendergrass recorded a version of this song on his LP Truly Blessed. 2000s 2003 : Michael Bublé recorded this song, with Barry Gibb performing backup vocals, on his self - titled album. Bublé 's version reached number twenty - two on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It was Buble 's first single. 2003 : American Idol 's second winner Ruben Studdard covered the song on his debut album Soulful. 2005 : Steve Brookstein recorded it on his number - one album Heart and Soul. 2007 : Barry Manilow 's version appears on his album The Greatest Songs of the Seventies. 2009 : Jazz singer - pianist Diana Krall covered this song on her album Quiet Nights. 2009 : Rod Stewart recorded a version for his album Soulbook, though it was left off the final track listing. 2010s 2014 : Eef Barzelay recorded a version for a fundraising CD titled More Super Hits Of The Seventies for freeform radio station WFMU. References Jump up ^ `` Cashbox Top Singles - 1971 ''. Cashbox Archives. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` The Bee Gees - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart ''. 45cat. Retrieved 26 January 2015. ^ Jump up to : Hughes, Andrew. The Bee Gees - Tales of the Brothers Gibb. Retrieved 25 January 2015. ^ Jump up to : Brennan, Joseph. `` Gibb Songs : 1971 ''. Retrieved 13 January 2014. Jump up ^ Janovitz, Bill. `` Bee Gees - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart ''. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Bee Gees - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart ( Live 1971 ) ''. YouTube. Retrieved 12 January 2014. Jump up ^ Billboard Year - End Hot 100 singles of 1971 Jump up ^ How Can You Mend a Broken Heart at Discogs Jump up ^ `` Go - Set Australian Charts ''. poparchives.com. 11 September 1971. Retrieved 26 January 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Billboard : Hits of the World ''. Billboard. 18 September 1971. Retrieved 26 January 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Bee Gees - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart ''. ultratop.be. Retrieved 26 January 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Songs Written by the Gibb Family on the International Charts - Part 2 '' ( PDF ). brothersgibb.org. Retrieved 26 January 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Bee Gees - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart ''. dutchcharts.com. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Songs from the year 1971 ''. tsort.info. Retrieved 26 January 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Bee Gees Top Songs Discography ''. musicvf.com. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Cash Box Top 100 ''. Cashbox Archives. 21 August 1971. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Go - Set Australian Charts ''. Pop Archives. 30 October 1971. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Johnny Mathis - You 've Got a Friend ''. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Al Green - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart ''. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Al Green on Sex and the City ''. Demon Music Group. 14 May 2008. Archived from the original on 12 July 2008. Retrieved 7 July 2008. Jump up ^ `` Joss Stone - Al Green - How Can You Mend A BrokenHeart ''. YouTube. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Cher - Half - Breed ''. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` The Brady Bunch Variety Hour - Soundtrack ''. IMDb. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Teddy Pendergrass - Truly Blessed ''. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Michael Buble - Michael Buble ''. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Entertainment Album success for X Factor winner ''. BBC News. 2005 - 05 - 15. Retrieved 2014 - 04 - 12. Jump up ^ `` New Barry Manilow Album, THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE SEVENTIES, Arrives in Stores September 18th on Arista Records '' Archived 26 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine., PRNewswire, 10 July 2007. Jump up ^ `` Diana Krall - Quiet Nights ''. Discogs. Retrieved 26 January 2015. 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 Allmusic entry Superseventies.com entry Gibb Songs Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Preceded by `` You 've Got a Friend '' by James Taylor U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number - one single 7 - 28 August 1971 Succeeded by `` Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey '' by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney Preceded by `` You 've Got a Friend '' by James Taylor Cash Box Top 100 number - one single 14 - 28 August 1971 Succeeded by `` Take Me Home, Country Roads '' by John Denver Preceded by `` Do n't Pull Your Love '' by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds Canadian RPM number - one single 28 August - 4 September 1971 Succeeded by `` Sweet Hitch - Hiker '' by Creedence Clearwater Revival Bee Gees Barry Gibb Robin Gibb Maurice Gibb Colin Petersen Vince Melouney Alan Kendall Dennis Bryon Blue Weaver Studio albums The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs Spicks and Specks Bee Gees ' 1st Horizontal Idea Odessa Cucumber Castle 2 Years On Trafalgar To Whom It May Concern Life in a Tin Can Mr. Natural Main Course Children of the World Spirits Having Flown Living Eyes E.S.P. One High Civilization Size Is n't Everything Still Waters This Is Where I Came In Extended plays The Bee Gees New York Mining Disaster 1941 Soundtracks Melody Saturday Night Fever Live albums Here at Last... Bee Gees... Live One Night Only Compilation albums Turn Around, Look at Us Rare, Precious and Beautiful Rare, Precious and Beautiful, Volume 2 Best of Bee Gees Inception / Nostalgia Best of Bee Gees, Volume 2 Bee Gees Gold Bee Gees Greatest Tales from the Brothers Gibb The Very Best of the Bee Gees Their Greatest Hits : The Record Number Ones Love Songs The Ultimate Bee Gees Mythology Timeless : The All - Time Greatest Hits Videography Idea Cucumber Castle The Bee Gees Special One for All Tour One Night Only The Ultimate Bee Gees In Our Own Time Tours The Bee Gees ' concerts in 1967 and 1968 Spirits Having Flown Tour Articles Discography List of songs recorded List of unreleased material A Kick in the Head Is Worth Eight in the Pants The Barry Gibb Talk Show IBC Studios Hither Green rail crash Bands The Rattlesnakes Humpy Bong The Fut The Bloomfields Tin Tin The Groove Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs Toe Fat Amen Corner One World Project People Hugh Gibb Andy Gibb Steve Gibb Spencer Gibb Robert Stigwood Arif Mardin Ossie Byrne Steve Kipner Albhy Galuten Book Bee Gees singles discography 1960s 1963 `` The Battle of the Blue and the Grey '' / `` The Three Kisses of Love '' `` Timber ! '' / `` Take Hold of That Star '' 1964 `` Peace of Mind '' / `` Do n't Say Goodbye '' `` Claustrophobia '' / `` Could It Be '' `` Turn Around, Look at Me '' / `` ( Theme From ) The Travels of Jamie McPheeters '' 1965 `` Every Day I Have to Cry '' / `` You Would n't Know '' `` Wine and Women '' / `` Follow the Wind '' `` I Was A Lover, A Leader of Men '' / `` And the Children Laughing '' 1966 `` I Want Home '' / `` Cherry Red '' `` Monday 's Rain '' / `` All of My Life '' `` Spicks and Specks '' / `` I Am the World '' 1967 `` Born a Man '' / `` Big Chance '' `` New York Mining Disaster 1941 '' / `` I Ca n't See Nobody '' `` To Love Somebody '' / `` Close Another Door '' `` Holiday '' / `` Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You '' `` Massachusetts '' / `` Barker of the UFO '' `` World '' / `` Sir Geoffrey Saved the World '' 1968 `` Words '' / `` Sinking Ships '' `` Jumbo '' / `` The Singer Sang His Song '' `` I 've Gotta Get a Message to You '' / `` Kitty Can '' `` I Started a Joke '' / `` Kilburn Towers '' 1969 `` First of May '' / `` Lamplight '' `` Tomorrow Tomorrow '' / `` Sun in My Morning '' `` Do n't Forget to Remember '' / `` The Lord '' 1970s 1970 `` If Only I Had My Mind on Something Else '' / `` Sweetheart '' ( US ) `` I.O.I.O. '' / `` Sweetheart '' `` Lonely Days '' / `` Man for All Seasons '' 1971 `` How Can You Mend a Broken Heart '' / `` Country Woman '' `` Do n't Wanna Live Inside Myself '' / `` Walking Back to Waterloo '' 1972 `` My World '' / `` On Time '' `` Run to Me '' / `` Road to Alaska '' `` Alive '' / Paper Mache, Cabbages and Kings '' 1973 `` Saw a New Morning '' / `` My Life Has Been a Song '' `` Would n't I Be Someone '' / `` Elisa '' `` Mr. Natural '' / `` It Does n't Matter Much to Me '' `` Throw a Penny '' / `` I Ca n't Let You Go '' `` Charade '' / `` Heavy Breathing '' `` Jive Talkin ' '' / `` Wind of Change '' `` Nights on Broadway '' / `` Edge of the Universe '' 1976 `` Fanny ( Be Tender with My Love ) '' / `` Country Lanes '' `` You Should Be Dancing '' / `` Subway '' `` Love So Right '' / `` You Stepped Into My Life '' 1977 `` Boogie Child '' / `` Lovers '' `` Edge of the Universe ( live ) '' / `` Words ( live ) '' `` How Deep Is Your Love '' / `` Ca n't Keep a Good Man Down '' ( live ) `` Stayin ' Alive '' / `` If I Ca n't Have You '' 1978 `` Night Fever '' / `` Down the Road ( live ) '' `` Too Much Heaven '' / `` Rest Your Love on Me '' 1979 `` Tragedy '' / `` Until '' `` Love You Inside Out '' / `` I 'm Satisfied '' 1980s 1981 `` He 's a Liar '' `` Living Eyes '' / `` I Still Love You '' `` The Woman in You '' / `` Stayin ' Alive '' `` Someone Belonging to Someone '' / `` I Love You Too Much '' ( instrumental ) `` You Win Again '' / `` Backtafunk '' `` E.S.P. '' / `` Overnight '' `` Ordinary Lives '' / `` Wing and a Prayer '' `` One '' / `` Flesh and Blood '' 1990s `` Bodyguard '' / `` Will You Ever Let Me '' 1991 `` Secret Love '' / `` Party with No Name '' `` When He 's Gone '' / `` True Confessions '' `` The Only Love '' / `` You Win Again '' ( live ) `` Happy Ever After '' / `` Evolution '' `` Paying the Price of Love '' / `` My Destiny '' `` For Whom the Bell Tolls '' / `` Decadance '' `` How to Fall in Love, Part 1 '' / `` Fallen Angel '' `` Kiss of Life '' / `` 855 - 7019 '' `` Alone '' / `` Rings Around the Moon '' `` I Could Not Love You More '' / `` Love Never Dies '' ( EUR ) `` Still Waters ( Run Deep ) '' / `` Love Never Dies '' 2000s `` This Is Where I Came In '' / `` Just in Case '' Other countries 1968 `` And the Sun Will Shine '' / `` Really and Sincerely '' ( France ) 1970 `` Let There Be Love '' / `` Really and Sincerely '' ( Netherlands ) 1971 `` When the Swallows Fly '' / `` Give Your Best '' ( Netherlands ) `` Morning of my Life '' / `` To Love Somebody '' 1972 `` Israel '' / `` Dearest '' ( Netherlands ) `` Sea of Smiling Faces '' / `` Please Do n't Turn Out the Lights '' 1977 `` Children of the World '' / `` Boogie Child '' ( Australia ) `` Crazy for Your Love '' / `` You Win Again ( Remix ) '' `` Angela '' / `` You Win Again ( Remix ) '' ( Germany, Netherlands ) Michael Bublé Discography Studio albums BaBalu ( 2001 ) Dream ( 2002 ) Michael Bublé ( 2003 ) It 's Time ( 2005 ) Call Me Irresponsible ( 2007 ) Crazy Love ( 2009 ) Christmas ( 2011 ) To Be Loved ( 2013 ) Nobody but Me ( 2016 ) Live albums Come Fly with Me ( 2004 ) Caught in the Act ( 2005 ) Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden ( 2009 ) Extended plays First Dance ( 1995 ) Totally Bublé ( 2003 ) Let It Snow ( 2003 ) More ( 2005 ) With Love ( 2006 ) A Taste of Bublé ( 2008 ) Special Delivery ( 2010 ) A Holiday Gift for You ( 2010 ) Singles `` How Can You Mend a Broken Heart '' `` Kissing a Fool '' `` Sway '' `` Spider - Man Theme '' `` Feeling Good '' `` Home '' `` Save the Last Dance for Me '' `` Everything '' `` Me and Mrs. Jones '' `` Lost '' `` It Had Better Be Tonight '' `` Comin ' Home Baby '' `` Have n't Met You Yet '' `` Hold On '' `` Baby ( You 've Got What It Takes ) '' `` Cry Me a River '' `` Crazy Love '' `` Hollywood '' `` Georgia on My Mind '' `` Do n't Get Around Much Anymore '' `` All I Want for Christmas Is You '' `` It 's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas '' / `` Jingle Bells '' `` White Christmas '' `` Nobody but Me '' Concert tours Crazy Love Tour ( 2010 -- 12 ) To Be Loved Tour ( 2013 -- 14 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=How_Can_You_Mend_a_Broken_Heart&oldid=815200956 '' Categories : 1971 singles 1971 songs Atco Records singles Polydor Records singles Songs written by Barry Gibb Songs written by Robin Gibb Bee Gees songs Al Green songs Diana Krall songs Joss Stone songs Michael Bublé songs Cher songs Andy Williams songs Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Song recordings produced by Robert Stigwood Song recordings produced by Barry Gibb Song recordings produced by Robin Gibb Song recordings produced by Maurice Gibb Songs written for films Songs about loneliness Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Use British English from January 2012 Use dmy dates from June 2012 Articles with hAudio microformats Talk More Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Español Italiano Português Tiếng Việt Edit links This page was last edited on 13 December 2017, at 11 : 02. 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Question: who wrote how to mend a broken heart
Answer: Barry Gibb