You know that feeling when a song starts with a synthesizer line so moody it basically teleports you back to 1985? That is "Broken Wings" by Mr. Mister. It’s a staple of soft rock radio, but the take these broken wings lyrics are actually way deeper than your average eighties pop ballad. Most people just hum along to the chorus while stuck in traffic. Honestly, though? If you look at what Richard Page and his co-writers were actually trying to say, it’s a song about the gritty, painful process of personal resurrection. It isn't just a breakup song. It’s a "fix your life" anthem.
The track hit Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1985. It stayed there for two weeks. It’s easy to dismiss it as just another piece of polished "yacht rock" or New Wave fluff, but there is a specific philosophical weight here that most of its contemporaries lacked.
The Surprising Connection to Lebanese Poetry
Most fans have no idea that the core of the song is a literary shout-out. When Richard Page, Steve George, and John Lang sat down to write it, they weren't just pulling metaphors out of thin air. They were directly inspired by Khalil Gibran’s book The Broken Wings.
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Gibran was a Lebanese-American poet, most famous for The Prophet. His 1912 novel The Broken Wings is a tragic story of a love that can't be realized because of social conventions and corruption. It's heavy stuff. John Lang, who was the band’s primary lyricist and Richard Page's childhood friend, was deeply into Gibran’s work. He wanted to take that high-level poetic imagery and shove it into a pop song. It worked.
The lyrics "take these broken wings and learn to fly again" are a direct nod to the idea that suffering isn't the end of the road. It’s the starting point. It’s about the "book of love" mentioned in the second verse. That's not a Hallmark card reference. It’s a reference to the collective human experience of trying, failing, and trying again.
Breaking Down the Take These Broken Wings Lyrics
The opening lines set a very specific scene. "Baby, I can see the look in your eyes / Gazing at the shoreline from afar." It’s a metaphor for being stuck. You're looking at where you want to be—the shore—but you're drifting. You're lost.
Then we get to the heart of it.
"Take these broken wings
And learn to fly again, learn to live so free"
There is a desperation in Richard Page’s delivery that makes it feel like a prayer. It’s a plea for grace. When we talk about the take these broken wings lyrics, we have to talk about the concept of "freedom" in the eighties. Back then, pop music was obsessed with liberty, but usually in a political or rebellious sense. Mr. Mister made it internal. They made it about the freedom from your own past mistakes.
The second verse mentions "the book of love."
- "In the book of love, my boy, we've come this far"
- "And you know that's where we are"
This part is often misheard. Some people think it’s just filler. It’s not. It’s acknowledging that we are all characters in a much larger story. We don't have total control, but we have the agency to "learn to fly again." It’s an active verb. You don't just wake up and fly. You learn it. It’s a skill. It’s work.
The Sound of 1985 and the Pat Mastelotto Factor
You can't separate the lyrics from the atmosphere of the track. The bass line is iconic. Richard Page played it himself on a fretless bass, which gives it that sliding, slightly mournful "mwah" sound. It mimics the feeling of being unsettled.
Then you have Pat Mastelotto on drums. Before he became a prog-rock legend with King Crimson, he was the engine behind Mr. Mister. The drums on "Broken Wings" aren't flashy, but they are incredibly steady. They provide the heartbeat that the "broken wings" need to start flapping. If the lyrics are the soul, the percussion is the bone structure.
Why Does It Sound Like Other Songs?
If you feel like you’ve heard these lyrics elsewhere, you aren't crazy. The phrase "take these broken wings" is one of the most famous "stolen" lines in music history.
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- The Beatles: Paul McCartney used "Take these broken wings and learn to fly" in "Blackbird" back in 1968. He was inspired by the civil rights movement.
- Owl City: Adam Young used the line in "Honey and the Bee."
- Alter Bridge: They have a song literally titled "Broken Wings" with similar themes.
But Mr. Mister’s version is the one that really leaned into the spiritual, almost religious aspect of the phrase. They took a line that was already famous and turned it into a massive, arena-sized mantra. It’s the version that people play when they are going through a divorce or recovering from an addiction. It has that "survivor" energy.
The "Middle-of-the-Road" Stigma
For a long time, Mr. Mister was grouped in with bands like Toto or Starship—bands that were "too perfect" or "too corporate." Critics in the late eighties hated how clean the production was. They thought it lacked "soul."
Looking back now, that seems like a weird take. The take these broken wings lyrics are deeply soulful. They deal with the universal human condition of feeling damaged. Just because the synthesizers are crisp and the vocals are in tune doesn't mean the emotion isn't real. In fact, the contrast between the polished music and the raw lyrics is what makes it interesting. It’s like a person who looks totally put together on the outside but is falling apart internally.
Misconceptions About the Meaning
Some people think "Broken Wings" is a song about a literal bird. I've actually seen forum posts where people argue it’s an environmental anthem. It’s definitely not.
Others think it’s a Christian rock song. While Richard Page has talked about his spiritual leanings, and the song definitely has a "hymn-like" quality, it wasn't written for the CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) market. It was written for the world. It’s secular spirituality. It’s the idea that we all have a "higher self" that can overcome the "broken" parts of our psyche.
How to Apply the Lyrics to Your Life Right Now
If you're actually looking up the take these broken wings lyrics, chances are you're looking for some kind of inspiration. Maybe you're feeling a bit stuck. The song offers a pretty clear three-step philosophy if you read between the lines.
First, you have to acknowledge the damage. You can't fly if you're pretending your wings are fine. "Take these broken wings" is an admission of weakness. Second, you have to realize that the "book of love" is still being written. Your current chapter isn't the ending. Finally, you have to accept that "learning to fly" is a process. It’s not an overnight transformation.
Actionable Steps for the "Broken Wings" Mindset
If the message of the song resonates with you, don't just leave it at the lyrics. Use the themes to actually change your perspective.
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- Audit Your "Broken" Areas: Write down three things that feel like they are holding you back right now. Is it a relationship? A job? A habit? Identify the "break."
- Find Your "Shoreline": The song mentions gazing at the shoreline. What is your shoreline? Define what "flying again" actually looks like for you in measurable terms.
- Listen to the Full Album: To get the full context, listen to the album Welcome to the Real World. It’s a concept-heavy record that explores themes of identity and reality in a way most eighties pop didn't dare to.
- Read Gibran: Pick up a copy of The Broken Wings by Khalil Gibran. Seeing the source material will give you a much deeper appreciation for why these specific words were chosen for a pop hit.
The song is forty years old, but the need to "learn to live so free" never goes out of style. Whether you’re a fan of the eighties aesthetic or just someone looking for a bit of lyrical depth, Mr. Mister’s biggest hit remains a masterclass in how to turn poetry into a chart-topping powerhouse.