Bless the Broken Road

Country band, Rascal Flatts is known for their heartwarming and soothing music. The band is made up of lead vocalist, Gary LeVox and guitarists, Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus. Along with their five albums, Rascal Flatts has recorded cover songs. Some to name are The Beatles' "Revolution" and Tom Cochrane's "Life is a Highway". Their fourth CD, Me and My Gang, sold more than 721,000 copies in its first week. Rascal Flatts was the top-selling artist of 2006 in all genres of music and they scanned five million units, meaning that 1 of every 14 country CDs sold last year was one of their records. Gary, Joe Don, and Jay have scaled unbelievable heights in the eight years since their debut. Many people would say Rascal Flatts has many inspiration songs that most everyone can relate to. One song included would be "Bless the Broken Road" off of the CD "Feels like Today". This song won a Grammy for Country Song of the Year in 2005.

Ultimately, "Bless the Broken Road" can be seen as a metaphor for finding true love. "I set out on a narrow way many years ago. Hoping I would find true love along the broken road," indicates that this narrator went looking for love a long time ago. The "broken road" is a symbol for life, and how sometimes its not perfect and it can be "broken." This can also stand as a metaphor. In the lines, "But I got lost a time or two, wiped my brow and kept pushing through," means that sometimes things in life don't turn out the way you planned it, but you can get through it and move on, or "push through." Getting lost on the "broken road" is like getting lost in life, or not having something go your way. "I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you," indicates that the narrator was not aware that this person in his life was going to be the love of his life. It took him getting lost to figure that what he really wanted and needed was right in front of him. Part of the chorus, "Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars. Pointing me on my way into your loving arms," signifies that all the people who broke this person's heart helped in a way to find his true love. A simile is used to compare these people to Northern stars. They lit the way to show him what he truly wanted. At the end of the chorus, the narrator tells the listener that they do not know many things, but there is one thing they are sure of. It is shown in the lines, "This much I know is true, that God blessed the broken road, that led me straight to you." The road that he or she "walked" was blessed by God in a way that fixed their broken life and pointed them in the right direction. It is displayed in the lyrics, "I think about the years I spent just passing through. I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you," that the narrator wishes they found what they wanted sooner, and at this time wishes that all the time wasted could have been spent with this person. It is revealed in the lines, "But you just smile and take my hand,
you've been there you understand," that this person is very understanding of the narrator's past because they too had walked a "broken road." It is clearly seen, that sometimes in order to find what is truly important, you do have to walk a "broken path."

"Bless the Broken Road" spent five weeks at #1 on the Billboard Charts, thanks to Rascal Flatts' fans. This song has inspired many people that sometimes you will wonder down the "wrong" or "broken" road, but in some cases that is what you need. Rascal Flatts has recorded many inspirational songs, but "Bless the Broken Road," is the one that made them famous.




Lyrics:
"Bless The Broken Road"

I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you

[Chorus:]
Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true

[Chorus]

Now I'm just rolling home
Into my lover's arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you.