“What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” (Jimmy Ruffin/Paul Young/Joan Osborne)

Today’s classic song of the day packs a true emotional punch. I’m talking about “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted,” originally a hit for Motown artist Jimmy Ruffin in the 1960s, then a hit for Brit singer Paul Young in the 1990s, but perhaps performed best by Joan Osborne with Motown’s Funk Brothers in 2002. It’s such a perfect song that it sounds great no matter who’s singing it.

“What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” was written by William Weatherspoon, Paul Riser, and James Dean. Weatherspoon and Dean were minor songwriters in the Motown pantheon, while Riser was better known as an arranger for the label. They came together for this one, however, and made Motown magic.

The song is a perfect combination of heart-tugging lyrics and emotionally wrenching music. The words tell the story of someone who is despondent and sees no hope, only sadness:

As I walk this land with broken dreams
I have visions of many things
But happiness is just an illusion
Filled with sadness and confusion
What becomes of the broken-hearted
Who had love that’s now departed?
I know I’ve got to find
Some kind of peace of mind
Maybe

The music reinforces the hopelessness of the lyrics. The verse is in the key of A, with simple chords that, for whatever reason, pack a particular punch in that key: I – iii – vi – IV – V (that’s A – C#m – F#m – D – E). Then it moves to the chorus and modulates up a step to the key of B with similar, still powerful chords: I – iii – vi – IV (that’s B – D#m – G#m – E). Then, to get back down to A for the next verse, there’s a neat little turnaround that goes D# (major) – E – D -E, and we’re back to the A chord.

There’s just something about those chords in those keys that tug at your heartstrings. If you ever want to write a powerful song about heartbreak, write it in A and use the I, iii, vi, IV, and V chords. Nothing fancier is needed.

Weatherspoon, Riser, and Dean initially intended the song for the Spinners, who were then on the Motown label and hadn’t yet had any big hits. Jimmy Ruffin, the older brother of the Temptations’ lead singer, David Ruffin, heard the tune and persuaded them to let him record it. He did, giving an emotional and soulful performance, and the rest is history. The song, released in June of 1966, went to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #6 on Billboard’s R&B Singles chart. You know it because it’s become a standard.

Two and a half decades later, British singer Paul Young recorded a cover of the tune with more modern instrumentation. (At the time, that meant lots of synths and drum machines.) Young’s version, released in January of 1992, only hit #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 but went all the way to #1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. It was a pretty good performance of a really great song—not quite as soulful as the original, but not bad.

My favorite version, however, comes from the 2002 documentary, Standing in the Shadows of Motown. The doc, based on the book of the same name (which was kind of a music instruction book, written by Allan Slutsky, that focused on Motown bassist James Jamerson), was a love letter to the studio players behind all the great Motown hits. That group of cats, dubbed the Funk Brothers, made Motown what it is today and the film told their story and celebrated their legacy.

The climax of the documentary was a new concert featuring all the remaining Funk Brothers backing a bevy of contemporary singers. Many, including bass legend James Jamerson and compatriot drummer Benny Benjamin, had already passed, but there were still quite a few old men still around in 2002. The guest vocalists included Bootsy Collins, Ben Harper, Me’shell Ndegeocello, Gerald Levert, Chaka Khan, Montell Jordan, and Joan Osborne.

All the younger singers, backed by the Funk Brothers, treated the classic material with the deserved respect, but it was Joan Osborne who blew the roof off the joint. Her live version of “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” was electric, with Ms. Osborne pulling out all the emotional stops and reaching heights heretofore unthought of. Wait till the end where she brings it down to a low simmer before drummer Pistol Allen bursts out with some dynamic fills that kick it up even higher, then higher, then higher. It is such a perfect musical moment that it never fails to bring tears of joy to my eyes. It is one of the best performances of any song I’ve ever experienced. You have to watch it—then go back and watch the entire documentary to learn more about those legendary Funk Brothers.

Who were the musicians they called the Funk Brothers? Like I said, some had already passed before they filmed the documentary, and many more have left us since then. But the Funk Brothers who were alive in 2002 and accompanying Ms. Osborne and the others included Joe Hunter (keyboards), Joe Messina (guitar), Eddie Willis (guitar), Bob Babbitt (bass), Jack Ashford (percussion), Uriel Jones (drums), and Richard “Pistol” Allen (drums). Look for them and listen to them play—they were the mighty men behind the Motown sound.