When you see Bee Gees icon Barry Gibb getting misty-eyed and singing along as you sing his own hit, you know you’ve hit the mark. Michael Bublé had that honor when he got to sing Barry’s most heartbreaking hit for the legendary frontman at the latter’s Kennedy Center Honors. Michael had covered the Bee Gees’ ‘71 number one hit “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” before in the studio, so it was a natural choice to sing it for Barry himself at the Honors. You can see Barry singing along, clearly quite touched, at 0:56.
Sadly, Barry’s brothers Robin, Maurice, and Andy had passed by this point, but you could see as Barry sang along to the ballad, he was remembering all the good times they had together. It wasn’t just an emotional moment for Barry, but also for Michael, as he sang the song straight to his hero, clearly showing what an incredible honor it was for him to do so. We have to say that this touching performance is more proof that Michael can do anything, and his voice certainly sounds golden on this 1971 classic.
After The Kennedy Center uploaded Michael’s performance, fans gave it up for the Canadian star’s tasteful and original spin on the song. Fans showed their appreciation with comments such as “I so wish Barry’s brothers were with him to hear this. For whatever reason, the loss of them hit harder than most, especially for people I have never met, but I suppose it’s because they were the soundtrack of my youth” and “Michael sang that song with such genuine emotion. You could tell that Barry really appreciated it.”
“How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” was long a highpoint in Bee Gees live sets. The group delivered a touching rendition of the ballad for their One Night Only concert in 1997 in Las Vegas. All three Bee Gees Gibb brothers sang during the performance, and who doesn’t love that unforgettable vocal trio? Their voices were just made to sing together, and we have to say, we’re sure lucky to have heard them.
The Bee Gees released “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” on May 28, 1971, as the lead single from their ninth studio album Trafalgar. Barry and Robin penned the song together over the course of an afternoon, with the collaboration marking the end of a strained period of hiatus in the band. The ballad became their first US number one hit, and also hit the top spot in Canada and Malaysia.
