A Broken Wing

"A Broken Wing"
Single by Martina McBride
from the album Evolution
B-side	"Valentine"[1]
Released	September 8, 1997
Format	CD single
Genre	Country
Length	3:35
Label	RCA
Writer(s)	Phil Barnhart, Sam Hogin, James House
Producer	Paul Worley, Ed Seay
Martina McBride singles chronology
"Still Holding On" (1997) "A Broken Wing" (1997) "Valentine" (1997)
Music video "A Broken Wing" at CMT.com

"A Broken Wing" is a song recorded by American country music singer Martina McBride, written by Phil Barnhart, Sam Hogin and James House. It appears on McBride's 1997 album Evolution, from which it was released as the second single. In January 1998, "A Broken Wing" became McBride's second Number One single.

Content

"A Broken Wing" is set at a moderate tempo, in the key of B major and a 12/8 time signature.^[2] The verses use a chord pattern of B-C♯m7-E-B three times, followed by B-C♯m7-E-F♯-B; the refrain uses G♯m-D♯m7-C♯m7-B followed by B-C♯m7-E-F♯-B.^[2] McBride's vocal ranges two octaves, from F♯3 to F♯5.^[2]

In the storyline, a female character escapes from an emotionally abusive relationship.^[3] Regarding the second verse, wherein the husband finds "a note by the window / and the curtains blowin' in the breeze," the authors of the book My Country Roots wrote that the song's conclusion could be interpreted to indicate that the woman has committed suicide or that she has escaped.^[4]

Paul Worley told Billboard magazine in 1998 that the entirety of the track, except for the backing vocals, was recorded in one day, while other tracks on the album were recorded in pieces over time.^[5]

Music video

Deaton-Flanigen Productions directed the song's music video. It was nominated for Music Video of the Year at the 1998 Country Music Association awards.^[6]

Chart positions

"A Broken Wing" debuted on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts dated for September 13, 1997. The song spent twenty-five weeks on that chart,^[1] peaking at number one on the charts dated for January 10, 1998.

References