What Becomes of the Brokenhearted#Covers
{{Short description|1966 single}}
{{other uses}}
{{Infobox song
| name = What Becomes of the Brokenhearted
| cover = What_Becomes_of_the_Brokenhearted_-_Jimmy_Ruffin.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Cover of the single released in the Netherlands
| type = single
| artist = Jimmy Ruffin
| album = Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten
| B-side = Baby, I've Got It
| released = June 3, 1966
| recorded = February 1966
| studio = Hitsville USA (Studio A)
| genre = Soul
| length = 3:00
| label = Soul
S 35022
| writer = {{hlist|William Weatherspoon|Paul Riser|James Dean}}
| producer = {{hlist|William Weatherspoon|William "Mickey" Stevenson}}
| prev_title = As Long as There Is L-O-V-E
| prev_year = 1965
| next_title = I've Passed This Way Before
| next_year = 1966
}}
"What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" is a hit single recorded by Jimmy Ruffin and released on Motown Records' Soul label in the summer of 1966. It is a ballad, with lead singer Jimmy Ruffin recalling the pain that befalls the broken-hearted who had love that's now departed.
The tune was written by William Weatherspoon, Paul Riser, and James Dean, and the recording was produced by Weatherspoon and William "Mickey" Stevenson. "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" remains one of the most-revived of Motown's hits.
Composers Weatherspoon and Riser and lyricist Dean had originally written "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" with the intention of having the Spinners, then an act on Motown's V.I.P. label, record it. Jimmy Ruffin, older brother of Temptations lead singer David Ruffin, persuaded Dean to let him do the tune, as its anguished lyric about a man lost in the misery of heartbreak resonated with the singer.
Ruffin's lead vocal is augmented by the instrumentation of Motown's in-house studio band, the Funk Brothers, and the joint backing vocals of Motown session singers the Originals and the Andantes. "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 6 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart, as well as No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart. Eight years later, the song was reissued (with a B-side of Ruffin's minor US hit "Don't You Miss Me a Little Bit Baby"), and surpassed its original UK chart position, reaching No. 4, and thus making it his highest-placed chart single in the UK.
The song originally featured a spoken introduction by Ruffin, similar in style to many of Lou Rawls' performances at the time. The spoken verse was removed from the final mix, hence the unusually long instrumental intro on the released version. The spoken verse is present on the alternative mix from the UK 2003 release Jimmy Ruffin – The Ultimate Motown Collection, and as a new stereo extended mix on the 2005 anthology, The Motown Box:
:A world filled with love is a wonderful sight.
:Being in love is one's heart's delight.
:But that look of love isn't on my face.
:That enchanted feeling has been replaced.
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Jimmy Ruffin
- Background vocals by the Originals (Freddie Gorman, Walter Gaines, Hank Dixon, C.P. Spencer) and the Andantes (Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, Louvain Demps)
- Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers
- String arrangements by Paul RiserThe Complete Motown Singles Vol. 6: 1966 [liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records
Charts
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=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+1966 weekly chart performance for "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" !scope="col"|Chart (1966) !scope="col"|Peak |
| scope="row"|Canada RPM'' Top Singles
| style="text-align:center;"|18 |
|---|
| scope="row"|France
| style="text-align:center;"|2 |
| scope="row"|UK Singles Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|8 |
| scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100
| style="text-align:center;"|7 |
| scope="row"|US Billboard R&B
| style="text-align:center;"|6 |
| scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100
| style="text-align:center;"|9 |
| scope="row"|US Record World
| style="text-align:center;"|7 |
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+1974 weekly chart performance for "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" !scope="col"|Chart (1974) !scope="col"|Peak |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|20|song=What Becomes of the Brokenhearted|rowheader=true|access-date=March 10, 2018}} |
| scope="row"|UK
| style="text-align:center;"|4 |
|---|
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+1966 year-end chart performance for "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" !scope="col"|Chart (1966) !scope="col"|Rank |
| scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1966.htm|title=Top 100 Hits of 1966/Top 100 Songs of 1966|work=musicoutfitters.com|access-date=24 September 2016}}
| style="text-align:center;"|14 |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100
| style="text-align:center;"|36 |
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+1974 year-end chart performance for "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" !scope="col"|Chart (1974) !scope="col"|Rank |
| scope="row"|UK{{cite web|url=http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/top-100-1974.shtml|title=Top 100 1974 - UK Music Charts|work=top-source.info|access-date=24 September 2016}}
| style="text-align:center;"|44 |
|---|
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Jimmy Ruffin|title=What Becomes of the Broken Hearted|award=Gold|relyear=2004|certyear=2024|id=8140-1087-1|access-date=September 27, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Licensed uses
=Film and television=
In 1990, the song was used in The Wonder Years Season 3 episode "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre", where Kevin Arnold picks up a Valentine's Day card meant for Winnie Cooper and realises he has genuine feelings for her.
In the military procedural series JAG (Season 3, Episode 15 – February 1998) this song was used at the end of the episode, as Mac, Harm and Bud all sing it together at a pub.
In 2009, the song was used during the closing credits of the French film La Famille Wolberg.
In 2019 HBO's Big Little Lies used the song in the first episode of the second season.{{cite web|url=https://www.what-song.com/Tvshow/100207/Big-Little-Lies/e/114699 |title=Big Little Lies Soundtrack |website=/www.what-song.com |access-date=October 22, 2021}}
In 2019 Apple TV+’s For All Mankind used the song during the first episode of the first season.{{cite web |url=https://www.tunefind.com/show/for-all-mankind/season-1/92291 |title=For All Mankind Soundtrack |website=tunefind |access-date=January 13, 2021}}
Paul Young version
{{Infobox song
| name = What Becomes of the Brokenhearted
| cover = What becomes of the broken hearted by paul young US retail cassette.png
| alt =
| caption = US retail cassette single; the US CD release was promo-only
| type = single
| artist = Paul Young
| album = Fried Green Tomatoes Soundtrack
| B-side = Ghost Train (Main Title)
| released = {{Start date|1992|01||df=yes}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop, blue-eyed soul
| length =
| label = MCA
| writer = William Weatherspoon
Paul Riser
James Dean
| producer =
| prev_title = Oh Girl
| prev_year = 1990
| next_title = Now I Know What Made Otis Blue
| next_year = 1993
}}
A 1991 cover by Paul Young was featured in the film Fried Green Tomatoes. During the winter of 1992, his version reached No. 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 8 Cash Box,{{Cite web |url=http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/popmusichistory/Charts/Cash%20Box%201990s%20(By%20Artist).pdf |title=U.S. Cash Box Chart Entries – 1990 – 1996 |access-date=2018-05-31 |archive-date=2018-07-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722235226/http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/popmusichistory/Charts/Cash%20Box%201990s%20(By%20Artist).pdf |url-status=dead }} becoming Young's third No. 1 song on the US adult contemporary chart (following "Everytime You Go Away" and "Oh Girl").{{cite book |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2002 |publisher=Record Research |page=264}} It was a bigger hit in Canada, reaching No. 6 pop{{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.7741&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.7741.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.7741|title=Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=1992-03-28 |access-date=2018-05-31}} and No. 1 Adult Contemporary.{{cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=1254&|title=Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=1992-03-07 |access-date=2018-05-31}}
=Chart history=
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==Weekly charts==
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1992)
!Peak |
|---|
| Canada RPM Adult Contemporary
| style="text-align:center;"|1 |
| Canada RPM Top Singles
| style="text-align:center;"|6 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ)
| style="text-align:center;"|46 |
| US Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - {{ISBN|0-89820-089-X}}
| style="text-align:center;"|22 |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary
| style="text-align:center;"|1 |
| US Cash Box Top 100
|align="center"|8 |
{{col-2}}
==Year-end charts==
| class="wikitable" |
| Chart (1992)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank |
|---|
| Canada RPM-100 Singles {{Cite web|url=https://musiccanada.wordpress.com/2016/03/24/top-100-singles-of-1992-in-canada/|title=Top 100 Singles of 1992 in Canada|website=Musiccanada.wordpress.com|date=24 March 2016|access-date=22 April 2021}}
| style="text-align:center;"|65 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1992/Billboard-1992-12-26.pdf|title=1992 The Year in Music|magazine=Billboard|volume=104|issue=52|page=YE-38|date=December 26, 1992|access-date=August 13, 2021}}
| style="text-align:center;"|18 |
| US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual) {{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |date=1999 |title=Pop Annual |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |publisher=Record Research Inc. |isbn=0-89820-142-X}}
| style="text-align:center;"|114 |
{{col-end}}
Other versions
{{more citations needed|section|date=January 2018}}
- Tom Jones recorded the song for his 1979 album Rescue Me
- Ruffin recorded an Italian version of the song, titled "Se decidi così" ("If You Decide So").{{Cite web |title=Cover versions of What Becomes of the Brokenhearted written by James A. Dean, Paul Riser, William Weatherspoon {{!}} SecondHandSongs |url=https://secondhandsongs.com/work/405/versions#nav-entity |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=secondhandsongs.com}}
- A 1980 version by Dave Stewart on synth and vocals by Zombies singer Colin Blunstone on Stiff reached No. 13 in the UK.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}
- Robson & Jerome's version spent two weeks at number-one on the UK Singles Chart in 1996.{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited| location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| pages= 599–600}}
- Westlife also covered the song. It was released as the B-side of the single "What Makes a Man" in December 2000.
- Joan Osborne recorded the song with the Funk Brothers for the soundtrack of the 2002 film Standing in the Shadows of Motown. The track also appeared on Osborne's 2007 album Breakfast in Bed.{{Cite web |title=What Becomes of the Brokenhearted by Joan Osborne starring The Funk Brothers |url=https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/48402 |website=SecondHandSongs}}
- Frankie Valli recorded and released his version of the song on his 2007 album Romancing the 60s.
- Bruce Springsteen recorded the song for his 2022 album, Only the Strong Survive.
References
{{Reflist|30em|
|refs=
}}
- Ritz, David (1992). "Jimmy Ruffin". Liner notes from Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection: 1959 - 1971. Motown Record Company, L.P./PolyGram.
External links
- {{YouTube|WhcaGFBp0sc|Jimmy Ruffin – What Becomes of the Brokenhearted}}
- {{YouTube|FGDJSTwU4U8|Paul Young – What Becomes of the Brokenhearted}}
- {{YouTube|NAcGUpQJsjQ|Robson & Jerome – What Becomes of the Brokenhearted}}
- {{YouTube|RfXrQR7gFvw|Westlife – What Becomes of the Brokenhearted (Live)}}
- [https://secondhandsongs.com/work/405/versions List of cover versions of "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted"] at SecondHandSongs.com
{{Jimmy Ruffin|state=expanded}}
{{Paul Young}}
{{Bruce Springsteen songs}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Dave Stewart (musician, born 1950) songs
Category:Colin Blunstone songs
Category:Robson & Jerome songs
Category:Bruce Springsteen songs
Category:UK singles chart number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in Scotland
Category:Song recordings produced by William "Mickey" Stevenson
Category:Songs written by James Dean (songwriter)