Kirk Franklin, Brokenhearted | Music Lifts 🎶 🏋

In the 36th edition of Music Lifts (2024), we’re uplifted by Kirk Franklin performing, “Brokenhearted.”

Welcome to Music Lifts 🎶 🏋, a column highlighting songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs exuding fortitude, positivity, and resolve, even in the face of adversity.  Featured songs aren’t genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better – be LIFTED to new heights!  So, for the 36^th edition of Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 (2024), we highlight “Brokenhearted” by Kirk Franklin featuring Marvin L. Winans.

“Come ye, brokenhearted / Come ye, weary soul / There is healing water / That can make you whole.” What encouraging and hopeful lyrics Kirk Franklin penned on his 2005 gem, “Brokenhearted”.  The gem is the 11^th track from his Grammy-winning, platinum-certified album Hero. Notably, on the encouraging, thoughtful, and uplifting-penned number, Franklin tapped the anointed Marvin L. Winans.  Franklin himself is the encourager and minister, while the choir sings warm, reverent vocals with incredible authenticity. The robust, churchy organ sets the tone of “Brokenhearted.”

Before Marvin L. Winans enters the mix, the choir continues to testify to the wholeness that God can create.  “Come bring tears of sorrow / Come bring years of pain,” they assert in the second verse, adding in the bridge, “And it flows from the veins of Jesus my savior / My healer and redeemer / My lover so true / It has power to heal / All our sin-sick diseases / So come to the throne / Your healing is here.” Amen, amen, amen! Winans enters the mix during the vamp, bringing superb, spiritual vocals.  He begins poised, relatively slow, eventually picking up steam. His riffs ooze with soul, supported by the dynamic vocals of the choir. Things ‘kick up a notch’ when the choir sings, “Joy is here,” with Winans touting “unspeakable joy.” The choir continues to cycle through the greatness of God (grace and love). “Brokenhearted” is nearly two decades old, yet, this remains a powerful and timeless Kirk Franklin classic.  This exemplifies a musical blessing.

Kirk Franklin // Hero // Zomba Gospel LLC // 2005

Kirk Franklin, Brokenhearted: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 No. 36 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Zomba Gospel LLC; Monstera Production, Qamar Rehman, RDNE Stock Project, Thomas Ronveaux, Wolrider YURTSEVEN from Pexels; OpenClipart-Vectors, Quốc Hùng Hầu from Pixabay]