♫ Broken Wings ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

I was hoping to play something new, something I hadn’t played yet, but alas … this one crossed my radar and rather hovered there with its wings vibrating, begging to be played yet again.  What was I to do?  So … I hope you enjoy!  I promise something new before the end of the week!

All it takes sometimes is a single word to put a song into my head … are you guys that way?  Anyway, last night I heard mention of a bird with a broken wing, and that was it … immediately this song jumped into my head and refuses to leave until I share it.

Released in 1985, this song was inspired by a book the lyricist John Lang read called The Broken Wings, by the Lebanese poet-philosopher Kahlil Gibran. The book, which was written in 1912, is a story of a love that is doomed by social convention.

Its theme is echoed in this song: picking up the pieces of your life and moving on. There is a note of heartbreak, however, as the singer is asking the girl to spread her wings and fly away, hoping that love will bring her back.

The line, “Take these broken wings and learn to fly” also appears in The Beatles song Blackbird, another of my favourites.

John Lang wrote this song with Mr. Mister frontman Richard Page and guitarist Steve George. According to Page, they were at his home in California when the three of them came up with the song in about 20 minutes and recorded it on Page’s tape machine.  The band, Mr. Mister, is another that I am not very familiar with, couldn’t name another song they have done, but I’ve always liked this one for some reason.

Broken Wings
Mr. Mister

Baby, I don’t understand
Why we can’t just hold on
To each other’s hands
This time will be the last
I fear unless I make it all too clear
I need you so

Take these broken wings
And learn to fly again
And learn to live so free
When we hear the voices sing
The book of love will open up
And let us in
Take these broken wings

Baby, I think tonight
We can take what was wrong
And make it right
Baby, it’s all I know
That you’re half of the flesh
And blood makes me whole
I need you so

So take these broken wings
And learn to fly again
Learn to live so free
When we hear the voices sing
The book of love will open up
And let us in
Take these broken wings

You’ve got to learn to fly, learn to live, love so free
When we hear the voices sing
The book of love will open up and let us in yeah, yeah

Let us in
Let us in

Baby, it’s all I know that you’re half of the flesh
And blood that makes me whole
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah

So take these broken wings
And learn to fly again, learn to live so free
And when we hear the voices sing
The book of love will open up and let us in

Take these broken wings
You got to learn to fly, learn to live and love so free
When we hear the voices sing
The book of love will open up for us and let us in
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Songwriters: John Ross Lang / Richard James Page / Steve George
Broken Wings lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

22 thoughts on “♫ Broken Wings ♫ (Redux)”

  3. Pingback: ♫ Broken Wings ♫ (Redux) — Filosofa’s Word | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  4. I enjoyed the song. It was never on my playlists but I have the CD and heard it many times on the radio while driving. Like you, my neurons have but to hear a word, think a thought, see a view, or enjoy a smell, and click, click, a song associated with one of those things will jump into the mental music stream, and there we go. Hugs and cheers, M

    Liked by 1 person

    • Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it, even if it’s not in your top ten! Yes, that’s the thing about music … it is so powerful that it can bring on memories from half a century ago with just a few notes. It can bring tears or joy, sunlight or darkness. Hugs ‘n cheers to you, dear Michael!

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Beautiful and soaring song. For some reason this equates to me with the some of the more personal songs produced by the Moody Blues.
    I reckon it has the same resonances, heartfelt emotions reaching out across the decades.
    Good music travels down the years.
    Y’know I’m sure you posted up ‘Kyrie’ some time back too Jill.
    Or maybe I’m floating a bit on memories of good music.
    Thanks Jill

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Twice before you have played this and I have not commented. Coincidence, or did I choose to keep my mouth shut. This sounds like a nice song, but I have to disagree with the singer’s stance it is his need that demands the “other” to fix his broken wings. This places a burden on other, an unnecessary weight. He should fix himself so they can fly freely together.

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  7. This made #1 over there, as did the follow up, Kyrie. Both made our top ten, or thereabouts. Standard over-emoted, overblown 80s fodder to me – things had gone downhill from the 60s and 70s!

    Liked by 1 person

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