How Can You Mend A Broken Heart

Okay, so here's the thing.

We always assume we've got it all figured out. It's cute, really, that human beings think that way.

But I think I'm finally starting to figure out that I have nothing figured out.

And the reason?

Mistah asked me, "Wait. You and your sisters never listened to the BeeGees?"

Nope.

Not me at least.

I mean, Show Tunes and Female Vocalists Belting It Out? And Simon & Garfunkel CSNY Motown The Beatles Bob Marley The Grateful Dead David Bowie and all those rock-'n'-roll superstars?

Yes. YES.

But I always dismissed the BeeGees. Beneath me, dude.

Then last weekend Mistah spun vinyl for me and the third side of the BeeGees live album? It's kind of crazy great. And not just in the SNL of making fun of them -- because MAN that is easy and fun to do. No, I am talking about the harmony. And the stinking horns. And the harmony.

Billy played me -- in addition to "You Don't Know What's It's Like", which slayed me -- he played me "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" and it was one of those moments when I -- we -- were right in the moment with no phones and no computers and I was listening to those boys harmonize and it amazeballed me out of my seat. I mean my couch.

(But I still stayed on the couch.)

It was kind of the best thing ever in the history of all the things.

And then? Fast Forward. Friday night. The Mavericks! Right here in our own little home town. We bought the tickets months ago the second they went on sale because The Mavericks! One of my all-time-faves. Right here in New London. 

Everything you ever want to know about how awesome the Mavericks are is illustrated in this photo they took that night at the Garde . . .

Right??

(Plus you can see us if you look really really hard.)*

*(we've looked really hard and can't find ourselves.)

Anyway.

Raul Malo is a Presence. With a capital P. He is front and center and has a sly sexy smile and a voice straight from the angels and I feel like he's not just one of the world's best singer songwriters, but he's also my bff. Well, I guess *everybody's* bff. Man, is that guy good.

And the band is off-the-charts awesome. That horn section? And by horn section I mean bongo/horns/random instruments/accordion section? And that accordion? Holy Moses.

But by GOD I'm trying to tell a story here.

So in the second half the boys start playing not only their own tunes that we were going bananas over -- like "O What a Thrill" and "Two Three Four" (more popularly know as -- well, and actually *called* -- "All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down") but some of our other all-time faves like “Before the Next Tear Drop Falls" (and ohmygod Raul Malo singing those Spanish parts) . . . 

. . .  but I'm trying to tell a story here.

Halfway through the second set, Raul Malo and the boys started playing a tune and Mistah and I looked at eachother in unabashed amazement. We clenched eachother. We could not believe our ears.

Raul Malo dedicated the song to those who lost their lives in the absurd, ridiculous, heartbreaking, and ubiquitous shootings in this country, and he started singing . . .

How can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?

No, I never had before embraced those Bee of the Gees. And frankly, I'm not necessarily fully embracing; I may still be all about only that one third side of that one live record.

But still. Still. This I do know.

 I love them.

And I love Raul Malo.

How can a loser ever win? 
Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again.