There’s something about this song that is really sad to me. It’s about a broken relationship with the hope of making things right. The guy isn’t walking away and giving up, he wants her in his life more than anything. Take these broken wings, you got to learn to fly, learn to live and love so free. When we hear the voices sing, the book of love will open up for us and let us in. How beautiful is that? I think it’s really the music that evokes sad emotions, it reminds me of running against time. Do or die, now or never. I’ve always loved the guitar around 4:09.
Broken Wings was released as a single in September of 1985 from the band’s second album, Welcome to the Real World. It went to #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 that December and stayed there for two weeks. It also took the #1 spot in Canada.
The lyrics were co-written by John Lang who was inspired by a book of the same name by Lebanese poet-philosopher Kahlil Gibran. The line “Take these broken wings and learn to fly” was also used in ‘Blackbird‘ by The Beatles as Paul and John were also inspired by Gibran’s work.
