A Broken Wing

The song is in the key of B major. It has a {{music|time|12|8}} time signature. 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.{{cite book|title=Contemporary Country|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|year=1999|edition=1|pages=26–30|isbn=0-634-01594-X}} 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.{{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&q=%22martina+mcbride%22+%22a+broken+wing&pg=PA129}} 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 either escaped or committed suicide.{{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}}

Producer Paul Worley told Billboard magazine in 1998 the track, except for the backing vocals, was recorded in one day, while other tracks on the album were recorded in pieces over time.{{cite magazine|last=Cromer|first=Ben|date=18 April 1998|title=Of His Many Hats, Producer/Exec Paul Worley Prefers His Guitarist Cap|magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mQ4EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22martina+mcbride%22+%22a+broken+wing&pg=PA33}}

The music video was directed by Robert Deaton III and George Flanigen IV, also collectively known as Deaton-Flanigen Productions. The video features McBride singing the song at the Croft House in the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. Interspersed throughout the clip is a woman locked in an abusive relationship with her husband. While making dinner, the husband complains about the salad she made for him. Later, when the woman is on the phone, her husband interrupts the call. Eventually, the wife gets up out of the bed and the husband goes upstairs, only to find a note left by the disappeared wife.

It was nominated for Music Video of the Year at the 1998 Country Music Association awards.{{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|access-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}}

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• Bob Bailey – backing vocals
• Joe Chemay – bass guitar
• Dan Dugmore – pedal steel guitar
• Kim Fleming – backing vocals
• Vicki Hampton – backing vocals
• Dann Huff – electric guitar
• Martina McBride – lead and backing vocals, tambourine
• Biff Watson – acoustic guitar
• Billy Joe Walker Jr. – acoustic guitar
• Lonnie Wilson – drums

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Jordin Sparks covered the song on her 2007 EP Jordin Sparks. Her version of the song made number 66 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"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, peaking at number one on the charts dated for January 10, 1998.

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Gold|artist=Martina McBride|title=A Broken Wing|relyear=1997|certyear=2021|access-date=October 12, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true|noshipments=true}}

{{reflist}}

{{Martina McBride singles}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Broken Wing}}

Category:1997 singles

Category:Martina McBride songs

Category:Music videos directed by Deaton-Flanigen Productions

Category:Songs written by James House (singer)

Category:Song recordings produced by Paul Worley

Category:RCA Records Nashville singles

Category:Songs written by Sam Hogin

Category:Songs written by Phil Barnhart (songwriter)

Category:1997 songs

Category:Songs about domestic violence

Category:Songs about suicide