A Broken Wing: Difference between revisions

| B-side = Valentine"<ref name="whitburn">{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc|year=2008|page=262|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}}</ref>

| genre = {{hlist|[[Country music|Country]]|[[Gospel music|Gospel]]}}

| misc = {{External music video|"[https://web.archive.org/web/20071012190847/http://www.cmt.com/videos/martina-mcbride/32541/a-broken-wing.jhtml A Broken Wing]" at CMT.com}}

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

WrittenThe sheet music for the song is in the key of [[BC major]], withthough aMcBride vocalsings rangein the key of twoB [[octave]]smajor fromin E3the tostudio E5,recording "Aand Brokenlive Wing"performances. It has a {{music|time|12|8}} [[time signature]].<ref name="sheet"/> The verses use a chord progression of I–ii–IV–I three times, followed by I–ii⁷–IV–V–I; the [[refrain]] uses vi–iii⁷–ii⁷–I followed by I–ii⁷–IV–V–I.<ref name="sheet">{{cite book|title=Contemporary Country|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|year=1999|edition=1|pages=26–30|isbn=0-634-01594-X}} The [[sheet music]] is in [[C major]], with a note that the song is recorded a [[semitone]] lower than written.</ref> Instrumentally, McBride's 1998 version features acoustic guitar, electric guitar, pedal steel guitar, piano, bass guitar and drums.

In the song, the narrator recounts a young woman escaping from an emotionally abusive relationship.<ref>{{cite book|last=Fillingim|first=David|title=Redneck liberation: country music as theology|publisher=Mercer University Press|year=2003|pages=129|isbn=0-86554-841-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M0HCuH9vVzUC&pg=PA129&dqq=%22martina+mcbride%22+%22a+broken+wing&lrpg=&cd=12#v=onepage&q=%22martina%20mcbride%22%20%22a%20broken%20wing&f=falsePA129}}</ref> 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 the song's conclusion could be interpreted to indicate the woman iseither aescaped or committed [[suicide]] or escaped.<ref>{{cite book|last=Randall|first=Alice|author2=Carter Little|author3=Courtney Little|title=My Country Roots: The Ultimate MP3 Guide to America's Original Outsider Music|publisher=Thomas Nelson, Inc.|year=2006|pages=[https://archive.org/details/mycountryroots00alic/page/92 92]|isbn=1-59555-860-8|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/mycountryroots00alic/page/92}}</ref>

Producer [[Paul Worley]] told ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' magazine in 1998 the track, except for the [[backing vocalist|backing vocals]], was recorded in one day, while other tracks on the album were recorded in pieces over time.<ref>{{cite journalmagazine|last=Cromer|first=Ben|date=18 April 1998|title=Of His Many Hats, Producer/Exec Paul Worley Prefers His Guitarist Cap|journalmagazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mQ4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA33&dqq=%22martina+mcbride%22+%22a+broken+wing&cdpg=1#v=onepage&q=%22martina%20mcbride%22%20%22a%20broken%20wing&f=falsePA33}}</ref>

The [[music video]] was directed by Robert Deaton III and George Flanigen IV, also collectively known as [[Deaton-Flanigen Productions]]. The video features McBride emotivelysinging lip-syncingthe song at the Croft House in the [[Nashville Zoo at Grassmere]]. Interspersed throughout the clip is a wifewoman locked in an abusive relationship with her husband. While making dinner, the husband askscomplains about theirthe salad she made for him. Later, whilewhen the woman is on the landline telephonephone, her husband gently interrupts themthe call. Eventually, the wife gets up out of the bed and the husband goes upstairs, only to find a note left by his wife. After the husbanddisappeared looks out of the window, he discovers she quit her vowswife.

It was nominated for Music Video of the Year at the 1998 [[Country Music Association]] awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/34423591.html?dids=34423591:34423591&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Sep+21%2C+1998&author=Jack+Hurst%2C+Tribune+Country+Music+Writer.&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=COUNTRY+PICKS+PREDICTING+THE+OUTCOME+OF+WEDNESDAY+NIGHT%27S+CMA+AWARDS&pqatl=google|title=COUNTRY PICKS PREDICTING THE OUTCOME OF WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S CMA AWARD|last=Hurst|first=Jack|date=21 September 1998|work=Chicago Tribune|accessdateaccess-date=13 April 2010|archive-date=16 July 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716105514/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/34423591.html?dids=34423591:34423591&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Sep+21,+1998&author=Jack+Hurst,+Tribune+Country+Music+Writer.&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=COUNTRY+PICKS+PREDICTING+THE+OUTCOME+OF+WEDNESDAY+NIGHT'S+CMA+AWARDS&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref>

| US [[Hot Country Songs|Country Songs]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref>{{Cite webmagazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1998/hot-country-songs| title=Best of 1998: Country Songs | workmagazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]] | date=1998| accessdateaccess-date=July 14, 2013}}</ref>