It also provided the title to director Frank Marshall's 2020 documentary film The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.

"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.

[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".

"[1] 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.

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.

[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.

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.