What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted (Alternative Mix)

Song Meaning

Jimmy Ruffin's "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted" (especially this alternative mix) isn't just a lament; it's a stark psychological portrait of grief and the desperate search for solace. The opening lines, initially setting the stage for an idealized love, are immediately subverted. That 'enchanted feeling' is gone, replaced by a stark awareness of loss. The song meaning quickly pivots to the internal landscape of someone navigating the aftermath of heartbreak, a 'land of broken dreams' where happiness is a cruel 'illusion.' The brilliance lies in how Ruffin captures the cyclical nature of despair, the feeling of being trapped in a loop of searching and finding only more emptiness. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of emotional desolation. Phrases like 'roots of love come a tumblin' down' and 'every day heartaches grow a little stronger' aren't just clichés; they're concise articulations of the insidious way grief can take root and flourish. The repeated questioning in the chorus – 'What becomes of the brokenhearted?' – isn't merely rhetorical. It’s a raw, almost childlike plea for understanding and a desperate search for an answer that never comes. The subtle shifts in the chorus, from 'Maybe' to 'Help me please,' reveal a deepening sense of vulnerability and a desperate need for external validation and support. However, the song avoids complete surrender to despair. Despite the overwhelming sadness, there's a persistent undercurrent of hope, however fragile. The repeated assertion in the outro – 'I'll be searching everywhere, I know I'm gonna find a way' – suggests a resilience, a refusal to be entirely consumed by the pain. This 'alternative mix,' perhaps even more than the original, highlights the raw, almost desperate quality of that search. It's a testament to the enduring human capacity for hope, even in the face of profound loss, transforming a simple heartbreak song into a profound statement about the complexities of the human spirit.