"A Broken Wing"- Martina
Tammie Ekkelboom
Hey guys!
I hope everyones enjoying Martina McBride's latest release, "Evolution".
I also hope you've had the chance to catch the video for "A Broken Wing"
on CMT. It's awsome!
Now...we gotta work a little harder with radio, folks. Pick up that
phone, dial your favorite station, and request "A Broken Wing". This
song is absolutely amazing and deserves to go to number one. Let's make
it happen!!!!! Thanks for reading!
Martina Rules!
Tammie in Cali
"with a broken wing...she carries her dreams...man you oughta see her her
fly!"- martina mcbride 1997
BrianLynn2
It is a great song
When I saw her in concert in June (long before it's release); she got a
standing ovation when she did this new song
Brian (looking forward to seeing her open for Tim Mcgraw in Dec)
gemini
Tammie suggests that we all call our local radio stations and request
it. Nice idea but in todays format it does no good to request anything.
It will be played when it is due to come up in rotation. I agree, it
could be a #1 song-only time will tell. Keep it Country.
Gemini.
Richard Weekly
re; tomu
I heard the song BW for the first time today and was happy for it. I
envisoned a battered wife who finally had enough and left the abuse
behind. I do remember the line about a "the note by the window" and
wondered briefly about it. Maybe she performs these kinds of songs, ID,
to warn women about what situations such as an abusive husband can lead
to if actions aren't taken immediately. She will not reach the abusers
with music, they need more serious help (prison being one along with
spirtual) but she may reach the victims, give them hope.
My thoughts are that music has the power to inspire true winners, but
has no effects on losers.
Just my op.
richard
GLAinc
Tammie wrote:
>I hope everyones enjoying Martina McBride's latest release, >"Evolution".
>I also hope you've had the chance to catch the video for "A >Broken Wing"
>on CMT. It's awsome!
Yes, this is a good song, (though not her best). Her strong ending tends
toward <shouty>. But that's not why I write. I have a question about themes.
A couple years back we had the great, tuneful Independence Day, a song that to
this day stops me whenever I hear it. The music (Gretchen Peters I believe)
and the performance are unsurpassed. I play that album often. Martina is
simply beautiful in many ways, her voice being only one of them. ID showcases
her strong voice better than anything else she has done. I try not to think
about the words though. The idea of a mother killing herself and relegating
her daughter to the county home is ugly. Now, in BW we have a woman who
jumps to her death. In both cases we have a woman who is not strong enough to
go the distance and do something about her plight.
My question then: Why does Martina, who by all accounts is a strong,
independent, intelligent woman, sing songs that glorify women who throw in the
towel and commit suicide? Why not inspiring songs of hope and rebirth for
people caught in bad arrangements?
Anyone?
Rehards,
TomU
TU in VA...
MSJanke
I also enjoy this song very much. The album, Evolution, I was kind of
disappointed in at first, but after a few listens it grew on me to the point
where it is now one of my favorites. I don't think she'll ever top Wild
Angels, but this comes close.
Michael Janke
Cindy Morgan NET
http://members.aol.com/MSJanke/cindy/index.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NP: Behind the Eyes, Amy Grant
Love and Gravity, Blackhawk
Evolution, Martina McBride
"Love Gets Me Every Time," Shania Twain
dx
GLAinc <gla...@aol.com> wrote:
> My question then: Why does Martina, who by all accounts is a strong,
> independent, intelligent woman, sing songs that glorify women who throw
> in the towel and commit suicide?
And how come Patty Loveless sings songs about death, as well? Last year's
"The Trouble With the Truth" ended with "Someday I Will Lead the Parade,"
which appears to be about suicide. At the very least, it's about a funeral
parade. This year's "Long Stretch of Lonesome" ends with the "Where I'm
Bound," which seems to be contemplations of life's end.
Odd.
-dx
--
---
"I don't mind popcorn, or roller-rinks or clotheslines
so much. It's Cinemascope that drags me." --Rod McKuen
Tammie Ekkelboom
>A couple years back we had the great, tuneful Independence Day, a song
that to
> this day stops me whenever I hear it. The music (Gretchen Peters I
believe)
> and the performance are unsurpassed. I play that album often. Martina
is
> simply beautiful in many ways, her voice being only one of them. ID
showcases
> her strong voice better than anything else she has done. I try not to
think
> about the words though. The idea of a mother killing herself and
relegating
> her daughter to the county home is ugly. Now, in BW we have a woman
who
> jumps to her death. In both cases we have a woman who is not strong
enough to
> go the distance and do something about her plight.
>
> independent, intelligent woman, sing songs that glorify women who throw
in the
for
> people caught in bad arrangements?
>
If there's one thing I love about music and songwriting, it's that
everyone who listens interprets things differently. Your intepretation
of "A Broken Wing" greatly differs from mine.
For the record, Martina was asked if the woman in the song committed
suicide and she answered (almost yelling!), "NO!". The idea never even
entered my mind at all. I just envisioned the woman leaving the man
behind, freeing herself from an unhealthy relationship. Not one time did
I think of "a note by the window" as a suicide note, nor did I think that
the woman jumped to her death. Absolutely not! To me, A Broken Wing *is*
inspiring and encouraging. She left him. Decided she didn't want to put
up with him any longer, wrote a note, and left him. That's what I see
when I listen to the song.
As for ID, wow. That's a very controversial song, it always has been.
The full interpretation is decided in the hands of the listener.
And Martina DOES indeed sing songs of hope and rebirth!!!!! Listen to
"The Time Has Come", "Phones Are Ringin All Over Town", "Wrong Again" and
if you want to feel really happy...listen 2 "Happy Girl"!!!!
Martina Rules!
tammie in ca
"ohhh...watch me go! i'm a happy girl...everybody knows..that the
sweetest thing that you'll ever see in the whole wide world is a happy
girl-yea!"
MARTINA McBRIDE 1997
Rithea Hong
In article
<19971005021...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
gla...@aol.com says...
> My question then: Why does Martina, who by all accounts is a strong,
> independent, intelligent woman, sing songs that glorify women who throw in the
> towel and commit suicide? Why not inspiring songs of hope and rebirth for
> people caught in bad arrangements?
These two songs, "Independence Day" and "Broken Wing" are
ambiguous. But, I don't think that the prime
interpretation is suicide in either song. In the case of
"Independence Day", I think she just takes care of the
abusive husband.
In "Broken Wing", I thought of suicide as a possible
interpretation as well. "..(A) note by the window / with
the curtins blowin in the breeze" certainly could suggest
suicide. However, I think it's simply meant as a
metaphor for the freedom of leaving (walking away, rather
than jumping off), like a bird flying away. The rest of
the song has an optimistic feel, "man you oughta see her
fly". So, I think this *is* an ispirational song about
new beginnings and hope.
It's not that Martina is particularly morbid in her song
selection, but that an artist is often defined in terms
of their first really big hit. And Independnce Day was
that hit.
Country Boy
gemini wrote:
>In today's format it does no good to request anything.
This sounds like a defeatest attitude. There are a lot of radio
stations that are very interested in what you think, and have been
playing this song for weeks on the basis of listener requests alone.
As far as the charts are concerned, the song is #27 with a bullet.
Obviously, some one is reaching decision makers. I went to a concert
back in July when she did this song and it got a bigger response than
Independance Day. I suspect I'm not the only one who was impressed.
U8ITISAW
>It is a great song
yes I like it very much too
Thankx
Laura
BrianLynn2
> I try not to think
> about the words though. The idea of a mother killing herself and relegating
> her daughter to the county home is ugly. Now, in BW we have a woman who
> jumps to her death. In both cases we have a woman who is not strong enough
>to
> go the distance and do something about her plight.
Martina said on TNN that she views the open window with the curtains
blowing in the breeze as symbolizing freedom. In her mind the wife has
left the abusive husband and started on her own. Even though she was
emotionaly battered she "keeps her eye on the sky" and eventually leaves
her abuser, even "with a broken wing man you ought to see her fly" This is
a postive song about survival not suicide. She said she strives to be a
positive role model for women.
my opinion
Brian
Tammie Ekkelboom
Most stations are programmed by consultants, not by local program
>directors. Most stations have fixed rotations that the DJs follow
exactly.
>Most stations don't even bother to track requests, and if your request
happens
>to play, it's most likely because it was coming up in the rotation
anyway.
>It's a great illusion, isn't it?
I was a guest DJ at my local station about a month ago. We took a lot of
requests that night and didn't follow the playlist completely. We played
Wild Angels immediately when I got there and A Broken Wing about an hour
later. Requesting does indeed help....
Martina Rules!
tammie
Country Boy
d...@netcom.com wrote:
>Most playlists are built on market research, telephoning
>people in their homes, playing them snippets of songs
>and asking them to rate them.
My point is that radio stations respond to the public. Either by
listeners calling in or the radio stations calling out. The radio
stations that matter (the ones that make up the chart) listen to
their audience.
GLAinc
d...@netcom.com (dx) wrote:
>>GLAinc <gla...@aol.com> wrote:
>> My question then: Why does Martina, who by all accounts is a strong,
>> independent, intelligent woman, sing songs that glorify women who throw
>> in the towel and commit suicide?
>And how come Patty Loveless sings songs about death, as >well? Last year's
>"The Trouble With the Truth" ended with "Someday I Will Lead >the Parade,"
>which appears to be about suicide. At the very least, it's about >a funeral
>parade. This year's "Long Stretch of Lonesome" ends with the >"Where I'm
>Bound," which seems to be contemplations of life's end.
That's not the nature of my question. Composer's have for years written about
death, one of the most beautiful compositions being Strauss' Four Last Songs
(which I hope someone will play for me when I'm ready to go).
Tom u
GLAinc
RJWE...@webtv.net (Richard Weekly) wrote:
>I heard the song BW for the first time today and was happy for >it. I
>envisoned a battered wife who finally had enough and left the >abuse
>behind. I do remember the line about a "the note by the >window" and
>wondered briefly about it. Maybe she performs these kinds of >songs, ID,
>to warn women about what situations such as an abusive >husband can lead
>to if actions aren't taken immediately. She will not reach the >abusers
>with music, they need more serious help (prison being one >along with
>spirtual) but she may reach the victims, give them hope.
<snip>
>Just my op.
>richard
You may be onto somethiing there. Maybe it will be a message to someone that
these things can come to no good, and the only way is to get out of the
arrangement NOW.
I do think Martina (Gretchen) hits the nail on the head when, in ID, she says
about the townfolk "but everybody looked the other way". I see that as a
messgae to US to do someting if we know about the bad scene.
Thank you for a reasoned reply.
Tom
TU in VA...
x
In <19971006044...@ladder02.news.aol.com> gla...@aol.com
(GLAinc) writes:
>
>You may be onto somethiing there. Maybe it will be a message to
someone that these things can come to no good, and the only way is to
get out of the arrangement NOW.
>
>I do think Martina (Gretchen) hits the nail on the head when, in ID,
she says about the townfolk "but everybody looked the other way". I
see that as a messgae to US to do someting if we know about the bad
scene.
"A Broken Wing" is just a bad song. The lyrics are manipulative and
moralizing. Written in the third person, it looks on from afar and
paints the man as dark and the woman as pure, without story telling
nuance or drama. The song allows Martina to appear to have an
"Independence Day" follow-up without that song's stark in-your-face
spouse abuse, which the cartel wouldn't allow today. There's not even
smoking-gun abuse in this song. She's just had her dreams broken, and
nobody in a long-term marriage, male or female, hasn't felt that at
times. She married the wrong guy. So what?
A broken wing isn't exactly a great symbol for a strong, determined
woman, by the way.
She doesn't commit suicide at the end of the song. She just leaves a
note. Song flops. Martina flops. No guts. No glory.
Stella
dx
Country Boy <UDL...@prodigy.com> wrote:
> My point is that radio stations respond to the public. Either by
> listeners calling in or the radio stations calling out. The radio
> stations that matter (the ones that make up the chart) listen to
> their audience.
But they don't listen to the pro-active listeners who phone on the request
lines. There are a number of reasons for this: first, as I pointed out, the
playlists are generally fixed in advance, and 98% of the time, the requests
that come in are for songs that are already coming up. Second, those who
call in requests are not a representitive sample of the entire listening
population. They're a skewed sample.
More to the point, the stations don't so much care what you want to hear as
they care which songs will keep you from changing the station. The game is
ratings, quarter-hour cumes, and the trick is to keep you from punching out
for just another 15 minutes.