Posted on

My Gen X Playlist: What Becomes of the Brokenhearted – Joan Osborne

Scroll down to see more content

I saw a movie the other night that showed a short clip of La Tomatina in Spain. Whoa. What the hell? I immediately added it to my bucket list.

A small Spanish town with its streets running red with tomato pulp, and thousands of people joyfully taking part in the world’s biggest food fight. It sounds completely mad, and honestly, it is – but in the best possible way. This is La Tomatina, a festival that turns a small Valencian town into a sea of red for one glorious, chaotic hour each August. It’s one of those properly surreal, bucket-list experiences you’ll talk about for years

Idealista

I know it sounds insane – a huge food fight in the streets, throwing tomato’s without abandon. This totally sounded up my alley.

Until…

I looked it up on YouTube. OK, the clip they showed in the movie didn’t resemble this chaos. The movie portrayed a fun food fight, not this insanity. Twenty-something me would have looked up flights and accommodations. Fifty-something me can’t imagine the squish of tomatoes sauce inside my shorts and shoes. Ew. No thank you. Bucket lists evolve with the seasons and this acknowledgment reminded me I’m no longer young and adventurous. With heavy heart, I erased this from my fifty-something list.

Finding a song about tomatoes is tough. I went a little off-trail for this next one. I remember watching the movie Fried Green Tomatoes in the 90’s. Total chick-flick and I probably made fun of it. For some odd reason, I watched it again over a decade later. My expectations must have been at ground level because I recall saying to myself, Not bad. Not great, but not bad. Ask me about the plot only if you are looking for a blank stare. I don’t have the faintest idea. I don’t even know how tomatoes factor into the storyline. But for the purpose of today, I’m going to say thank you for lending me the soundtrack to find a song.

I found Paul Young’s What Becomes of the Brokenhearted on the soundtrack. Apparently, this was the most popular version of this song. Just like the movie, Not bad. I also searched for other artists who sang it. It turns out it was covered by Bruce Springsteen, Joe Cocker, Boy George and Tom Jones. The original by Jimmy Ruffin is a classic. I do like that one. But to bring it into my genre of music, here is Joan Osborne’s cover. I didn’t know she was this soulful. I do like the rasp in her voice towards the end.

Interesting fact:

The theme song from the 1992 Whitney Houston film The Bodyguard was Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” but according to her leading man Kevin Costner speaking at her funeral in February 2012, the first choice was this song, which ended up being used in Fried Green Tomatoes.

Songfacts

I think they got it right with Whitney Houston. I can’t imagine The Bodyguard with any other song. Somehow the universe knew this and put each song where it needed to be.

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

As I walk this land with broken dreams
I have visions of many things
But happiness is just an illusion
Filled with sadness and confusion
What becomes of the broken-hearted
Who had love that's now departed?
I know I've got to find
Some kind of peace of mind
Maybe

The roots of love grow all around
But for me they come a-tumblin' down
Every day heartaches grow a little stronger
I can't stand this pain much longer
I walk in shadowsm searching for light
Cold and alone, no comfort in sight
Hoping and praying for someone to care
Always moving and goin' nowhere
What becomes of the broken-hearted
Who had love that's now departed?
I know I've got to find
Some kind of peace of mind
Help me

I'm searching, though I don't succeed
But someone look, there's a growing need
Oh, he is lost, there's no place for beginning
All that's left is an unhappy ending
Now, becomes of the broken-hearted
Who had love that's now departed?
I know I've got to find
Some kind of peace of mind

I'll be searching everywhere
Just to find someone to care
I'll be looking everyday, I know I'm gonna find a way
Nothing's gonna stop me now
I'll find a way somehow
And I'll be searching everywhere
I know I gotta find a way
I'll be looking

26 thoughts on “My Gen X Playlist: What Becomes of the Brokenhearted – Joan Osborne”

  1. Yes! My husband and I just watched that same movie…”Heads of State?” I also thought the opening scene of flinging tomatoes looked fun. I like how you found today’s song. I can’t imagine there are very many songs about tomatoes. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I was trying to remember the movie name and was having a senior moment. Yes! That’s the one! My wife and I thought it was a fun movie. No expectations for Oscar quality acting. Once you throw that aside, it’s opens the path to sit back and even joy it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. There’s nothing more enjoyable than smashing a tomato on someone’s face. 😂 I got the “Ooookay you are weird” face expression from my family when I told them about the festival. So, I’ll go to Spain/the festival in summer 2027 hopefully. I’ll share some photos. 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  3. “Bucket lists evolve with the seasons and this acknowledgment reminded me I’m no longer young and adventurous.”

    Haha I feel this quote. I have my more adventurous days, but am increasingly content to stay home with pets and family.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. First of all, I’ve never heard of this guy, but I loved it! I listened to a few other songs and was expecting similar funny performances. Instead I was pleasantly surprised with a few live performances. This dude can really sing. Thanks for always throwing in your two cents. I enjoy them and also learning about new artists.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      2. Whoops I’m wrong – One web site said John Denver wrote it and every other one said Guy Clark did – that’s what I get for not triple checking – you can’t believe everything you read on the internet.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. I don’t think I ever saw that movie, but I definitely remember reading the book by Fannie Flagg and really wanting to try a fried green tomato. They sounded so good in the book!
    Great cover of that classic song.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  7. The version I’m most familiar with is Paul Young’s and I dare say Joan Osborne and the big backing band and singers have given him a run for his money.

    I think I’d skip that tomato fight, too.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. This is a real find!

    I watched Fried Green Tomatoes at the guidance of my high school school drama teacher, after I told her that I couldn’t relate to her appreciation of another film that came out at that time, Grand Canyon.

    She was right, speaking to an out-of-placeness I was experiencing. Although much that she was trying to communicate went over my head at the time, when I watched it again years later I heard and appreciated her very clearly.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I watched Grand Canyon and remembered enjoying it. I only remember my reaction and not the storyline. I may have to watch that again. I’m sure I’ll have a completely different reaction now that I’m older.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I don’t remember what I disliked about it at all, nor what it was about. Not sure it makes the list of films to watch again, which in itself is funny, something one only says when of a certain age. :))

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment