Music Notes

A Touch of Motown

I don't have much Motown on my playlist, but I consider myself relatively familiar with the genre. My Mom used to like a few songs from The Temptations, and the local Goodwill district we shopped at played retro/Motown almost exclusively.

For some reason, I don't remember this particular song from years past; the first I became aware of it was in summer of 2023, on a retro radio station in a thrift store. It does have a certain haunting feeling, as though I've heard it before, and I probably have, but I guess I never gave it any thought. This time, though, the hook caught my attention and wouldn't let go: "I know I've got to find some kind of peace of mind..."

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted is a 1966 single from Jimmy Ruffin, the brother of Temptations lead singer David Ruffin. He asked for this song when it was in the process of being assigned to another artist, because the lyrics resonated with him.

Indeed, they resonate with me as well. There's something vaguely comforting about the slow, steady beat and the poetic, gloomy, soulfully desperate words as he sings about love and loss and searching for renewal. When I found this I had it on repeat for a few days. It felt almost like a track from Imagine Dragons 2015 album Smoke + Mirrors; I have grown so attached to that album, I can quickly identify a "kindred spirit" sort of song.

The words go beyond the triteness of a breakup; it could easily be about grieving the loss of a loved one who has passed away.

According to Wikipedia,   the original intro included a spoken verse, which was later removed. Spoken words in songs make me nervous, so I can do without it.