A Broken Wing

The sheet music for the song is in the key of C major, though McBride sings in the key of B major in the studio recording and live performances. It has a ¹²
₈ time signature.^[2] The verses use a chord progression of I–ii–IV–I three times, followed by I–ii⁷–IV–V–I; the refrain uses vi–iii⁷–ii⁷–I followed by I–ii⁷–IV–V–I.^[2] Instrumentally, McBride's 1998 version features acoustic guitar, electric guitar, pedal steel guitar, piano, bass guitar and drums.

In the song, the narrator recounts a young woman escaping from an emotionally abusive relationship.^[3] Regarding the second verse, wherein the husband finds "a note by the window / and the curtains blowin' in the breeze," the authors of the book My Country Roots wrote the song's conclusion could be interpreted to indicate the woman either escaped or committed suicide.^[4]

Producer Paul Worley told Billboard magazine in 1998 the track, except for the backing vocals, was recorded in one day, while other tracks on the album were recorded in pieces over time.^[5]

The music video was directed by Robert Deaton III and George Flanigen IV, also collectively known as Deaton-Flanigen Productions. The video features McBride singing the song at the Croft House in the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. Interspersed throughout the clip is a woman locked in an abusive relationship with her husband. While making dinner, the husband complains about the salad she made for him. Later, when the woman is on the phone, her husband interrupts the call. Eventually, the wife gets up out of the bed and the husband goes upstairs, only to find a note left by the disappeared wife.

It was nominated for Music Video of the Year at the 1998 Country Music Association awards.^[6]

Jordin Sparks covered the song on her 2007 EP Jordin Sparks. Her version of the song made number 66 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"A Broken Wing" debuted on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts dated for September 13, 1997. The song spent twenty-five weeks on that chart,^[1] peaking at number one on the charts dated for January 10, 1998.