About the song
“A Broken Wing”. Released in September 1997 as the second single from her hugely successful album Evolution, this track quickly ascended to the top of the charts, becoming her second number-one hit and cementing her status as a formidable voice in country music. But beyond its commercial success, the song resonated deeply for its poignant and subtly unsettling narrative.
“A Broken Wing” tells the story of a woman trapped in an emotionally abusive relationship, where her spirit is constantly undermined by a controlling partner. The brilliance of the song, penned by James House, Sam Hogin, and Phil Barnhart, lies in its delicate balance between despair and eventual triumph. The lyrics describe how the abusive partner “would break her spirit down, then come lovin’ up on her,” a stark portrayal of the insidious cycle of control. He dismisses her dreams, telling her, “You’re crazy for believing, you’ll never leave the ground / Only angels know how to fly.” Yet, the chorus delivers the powerful counter-narrative: “And with a broken wing / She still sings / She keeps an eye on the sky / With a broken wing / She carries her dreams / Man, you ought to see her fly.”
For our discerning, older audience, this song speaks volumes about perseverance, inner strength, and the courage it takes to escape oppressive situations. It’s a nuanced portrayal of a painful reality, yet it offers a glimmer of hope and defiant liberation. The ambiguity of the ending, with the note by the window and the blowing curtains, adds to its lasting power, leaving the listener to ponder whether she literally escaped or found freedom in another way. McBride’s vocal performance is simply masterful, delivering the vulnerability, the quiet strength, and ultimately, the soaring declaration of self-preservation with breathtaking conviction. It’s a song that reminds us that even when life clips our wings, the human spirit’s capacity to sing and dream remains, a testament to resilience that resonates deeply with those who have weathered life’s storms.
Video
Lyrics
She loved him like he was
The last man on Earth
Gave him everything she ever had
He’d break her spirit down
Then come lovin’ up on her
Give a little and take it back
She’d tell him ’bout her dreams
He’d just shoot ’em down
Lord, he loved to make her cry
“You’re crazy for believin’
You’ll never leave the ground”
He said, “Only angels know how to fly”
And with a broken wing
She still sings
She keeps an eye on the sky
With a broken wing
She carries her dreams
Man, you ought to see her fly
One Sunday morning
She didn’t go to church
He wondered why she didn’t leave
He went up to the bedroom
Found a note by the window
With the curtains blowin’ in the breeze
And with a broken wing
She still sings
She keeps an eye on the sky
With a broken wing
She carries her dreams
Man, you ought to see her fly
with a broken wing
She carries her dreams
Then you ought to see her fly (with a broken wing)
