The Greatest Oldies Music

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Jimmy Ruffin – “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted”

Jimmy Ruffin - Classic Motown

About the Song

In the realm of soul music, few artists have captured the essence of heartbreak and longing quite like Jimmy Ruffin. With his emotive vocals and poignant delivery, Ruffin’s music has resonated with listeners for decades, transcending generations and cultural boundaries. His 1966 single, What Becomes of the Brokenhearted, stands as a timeless masterpiece, a soul ballad that lays bare the raw emotions of love lost.

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted opens with a melancholic piano melody, setting the stage for Ruffin’s heartfelt vocals. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a love that has crumbled, leaving the protagonist grappling with the aftermath. Ruffin’s voice cracks with emotion as he sings of the lingering pain, the unanswered questions, and the overwhelming emptiness that follows a broken heart.

The song’s chorus is a poignant plea, a desperate cry for solace amidst the ruins of a shattered relationship. “What becomes of the brokenhearted? Do they just sit around and cry?” Ruffin asks, his voice echoing the despair of countless individuals who have experienced the anguish of love’s demise.

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted is more than just a song about heartbreak; it’s an exploration of the human condition, a testament to the resilience of the spirit in the face of adversity. Ruffin’s vocals convey a profound understanding of the pain of loss, yet they also offer a glimmer of hope, suggesting that even in the darkest of times, love can find a way to mend the broken pieces.

The song’s enduring popularity is a testament to its power to connect with listeners on an emotional level. What Becomes of the Brokenhearted has been covered by numerous artists, each bringing their own interpretation to the song’s timeless message. Ruffin’s original version, however, remains the definitive, capturing the essence of heartbreak with an authenticity that few can match.

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted is a soul ballad that speaks to the universal human experience of love and loss. With its poignant lyrics, emotive vocals, and timeless melody, the song continues to touch the hearts of listeners worldwide, offering solace and understanding in the face of heartbreak.

Jimmy Ruffin, Motown's Underrated Soul Singer, Dies - ABC News

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Lyrics: What Becomes of the Brokenhearted

As I walk this land with broken dreamsI have visions of many thingsBut happiness is just an illusionFilled with sadness and confusionWhat becomes of the broken-heartedWho had love that’s now departed?I know I’ve got to findSome kind of peace of mindMaybe
The roots of love grow all aroundBut for me they come a-tumblin’ downEvery day heartaches grow a little strongerI can’t stand this pain much longerI walk in shadowsm searching for lightCold and alone, no comfort in sightHoping and praying for someone to careAlways moving and goin’ nowhereWhat becomes of the broken-heartedWho had love that’s now departed?I know I’ve got to findSome kind of peace of mindHelp me
I’m searching, though I don’t succeedBut someone look, there’s a growing needOh, he is lost, there’s no place for beginningAll that’s left is an unhappy endingNow, becomes of the broken-heartedWho had love that’s now departed?I know I’ve got to findSome kind of peace of mind
I’ll be searching everywhereJust to find someone to careI’ll be looking everyday, I know I’m gonna find a wayNothing’s gonna stop me nowI’ll find a way somehowAnd I’ll be searching everywhereI know I gotta find a wayI’ll be looking

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What if the true miracle of Elvis Presley was never his dazzling face, his electric swagger, or the crown that history pressed upon his head? What if his greatest gift was something entirely unseen, living solely in the sound of his breath against a microphone? He possessed a voice of astonishing alchemy—capable of whipping an arena into a frenzy of wild, delirious joy one moment, only to strip a room down to absolute, breathless silence with a single, heartbreaking note. It was an instrument that carried the full spectrum of human endurance: the raw ache of loneliness, the quiet devotion of faith, the fever of first love, and the heavy sorrow of a broken heart, all articulated in ways mere language could never touch. Nearly half a century after his voice fell silent, millions still turn to his records and feel a strange, profound stirring they can’t quite name. Because when Elvis sang, he wasn’t just entertaining a crowd. He possessed the rare, uncanny magic of a soul looking straight into yours—making you feel, with every syllable, that he understood the deepest, quietest corners of your heart.

What cosmic alchemy creates a face so striking that, nearly half a century after he drew his last breath, strangers can still look at an old portrait and feel their hearts instantly surrender? Elvis Presley possessed a rare, breathtaking symmetry that defied mere description—anchored by those unforgettable blue eyes, faultless bone structure, and a smile that could disarm a room in a heartbeat. He held a paradoxical grace, effortlessly projecting both commanding power and profound vulnerability all at once. Yet his true magnetism lay far beyond the physical. Beneath the legendary looks lived an aching, radiant warmth—a quiet tenderness shadowing his confidence, and a subtle, lingering melancholy that often lingered in his eyes even when his lips were smiling. He looked like a dream the world had conjured, yet his deep, unmistakably human fragility made you feel as though he wasn’t just an icon to be admired from afar, but someone your soul already knew and deeply loved.

How does a man who laid down his microphone nearly half a century ago continue to claim the hearts of generations born decades after his final curtain? Elvis Presley drew his last breath on August 16, 1977, at only forty-two, yet his story refused to end with a gravestone in the Meditation Garden. Instead, something miraculous happened in his absence: the myth deepened, the music found new sanctuaries, and millions of souls who never lived a single day under his living sun learned to love him with a fierce, personal devotion. Every year, modern pilgrims still trace their way to the gates of Graceland, leaving flowers, letters, and tears on stone, while his voice continues to drift from bedroom turntables and digital screens into the ears of youth who weren’t even glimmers in their parents’ eyes when he passed. Yet perhaps the most poignant, quiet tragedy of all is that Elvis never knew. In his loneliest hours, wrestling with the crushing weight of fame and a life slipping through his fingers, he could never have imagined that long after he was gone, unborn generations would still be whispering his name, aching for a man they never touched, and keeping his brilliant, immortal spirit alive.

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