Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1966


What Becomes of the Brokenhearted

Buy What Becomes of the Brokenhearted now from Amazon

First, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.

Wikipedia article




"'What Becomes of the Brokenhearted'" is a hit single recorded by Jimmy Ruffin and released on Motown Records' Soul label in the summer of 1966. It is a ballad, with lead singer Jimmy Ruffin recalling the pain that befalls the 'brokenhearted', who had love that's now 'departed'. The song essentially deals with the struggle to overcome sadness while seeking a new relationship after a breakup.

The tune was written by William Weatherspoon, Paul Riser, and James Dean, and the recording was produced by Weatherspoon and William "Mickey" Stevenson. "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" remains one of the most-revived of Motown's hits.

Composers Weatherspoon and Riser and lyricist Dean had originally written "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" with the intention of having the Spinners, then an act on Motown's V.I.P. label, record it. Jimmy Ruffin, older brother of Temptations lead singer David Ruffin, persuaded Dean to let him do the tune, as its anguished lyric about a man lost in the misery of heartbreak resonated with the singer.

Ruffin's lead vocal is augmented by the instrumentation of Motown's in-house studio band, the Funk Brothers, and the joint backing vocals of Motown session singers the Originals and the Andantes. "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" peaked at No. 7 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100, and at No. 6 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart, as well as No. 8 on the UK Chart. Eight years later, the song was reissued (with a B-side of Ruffin's minor US hit "Don't You Miss Me a Little Bit Baby"), and surpassed its original chart position, reaching No. 4, and thus making it his highest-placed chart single in the UK.

The song originally featured a spoken introduction by Ruffin, similar in style to many of Lou Rawls' performances at the time. The spoken verse was removed from the final mix, hence the unusually long instrumental intro on the released version. The spoken verse is present on the alternative mix from the UK 2003 release 'Jimmy Ruffin - The Ultimate Motown Collection', and as a new stereo extended mix on the 2005 anthology, 'The Motown Box':

:A world filled with love is a wonderful sight.

:Being in love is one's heart's delight.

:But that look of love isn't on my face.

:That enchanted feeling has been replaced.

Charts



Weekly charts



Year-end charts



Certifications



Personnel



* Lead vocals by Jimmy Ruffin

* Background vocals by the Originals (Freddie Gorman, Walter Gaines, Hank Dixon, C.P. Spencer) and the Andantes (Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, Louvain Demps)

* Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers

* String arrangements by Paul RiserThe Complete Motown Singles Vol. 6: 1966 [liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records

Licensed uses



Film and television

In 2009, the song was used during the closing credits of the French film "La Famille Wolberg".

In 2019 HBO's "Big Little Lies", used the song in the first episode of the second season.

In 2019 Apple TV+s 'For All Mankind', used the song during the first episode of the first season.

Paul Young version



A 1991 cover by Paul Young was featured in the film 'Fried Green Tomatoes'. During the winter of 1992, his version reached No. 22 on the US 'Billboard' Hot 100 and No. 8 'Cash Box',[http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/popmusichistory/Charts/Cash%20Box%201990s%20(By%20Artist).pdf U.S. Cash Box Chart Entries - 1990 - 1996] becoming Young's third No. 1 song on the US adult contemporary chart (following "Everytime You Go Away" and "Oh Girl"). It was a bigger hit in Canada, reaching No. 6 pop and No. 1 Adult Contemporary.

Chart history



Weekly charts



Year-end charts



Other covers



A 1980 rendition by Dave Stewart on synth and vocals by Zombies singer Colin Blunstone on Stiff. It reached No. 13 in the UK. A 1996 cover version by Robson & Jerome spent two weeks at number-one in the UK Singles Chart.

Joan Osborne recorded the song with the Funk Brothers for the soundtrack of the 2002 film 'Standing in the Shadows of the Motown'. The track also appeared on Osborne's 2007 album Breakfast in Bed.

References



*Ritz, David (1992). "Jimmy Ruffin". Liner notes from 'Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection: 1959 - 1971'. Motown Record Company, L.P./PolyGram.


Buy What Becomes of the Brokenhearted now from Amazon

<-- Return to songs from 1966



This work is released under CC-BY-SA. Some or all of this content attributed to http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1100544082.