Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted

Year Released: 1966
Genre: Soul / Motown

Description:

Issued on Soul Records (a Motown subsidiary) in 1966, “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” became Jimmy Ruffin’s signature song — a masterpiece of melancholy wrapped in orchestral elegance. Written by the famed Motown team of Whitfield, Riser, and Weatherspoon, the single pairs Ruffin’s rich, plaintive tenor with sweeping strings, gospel-tinged backing vocals, and a steady, heartbeat rhythm.

Lyrically poetic and emotionally direct, the song captures heartbreak with universal resonance, earning Ruffin a Top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Its balance of sophistication and soul made it a timeless Motown ballad — equally suited for heartbreak playlists and Northern Soul dance floors.