Breaking Hearts
Encyclopedia
Breaking Hearts is the eighteenth studio album
by British singer/songwriter Elton John
, released in 1984. It features the quartet of John, Davey Johnstone
, Dee Murray
and Nigel Olsson
. There were two hit singles on this album, the U.S. number 5 hit "Sad Songs (Say So Much)
" and the UK number 5 hit "Passengers".
This was the last studio album until 2001's Songs from the West Coast
that would feature Olsson on drums. It was also the last in which John played all keyboards in the studio. There would be a backup keyboardist for every album moving forward.
Breaking Hearts was also the first album since Victim of Love
to not feature a string section or horn section on any track. This is one of only two albums with Elton John's classic band in which Ray Cooper
was not part of the lineup, the other being 1973's Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
. This would be the last album Dee Murray would play bass for before his death in 1992. Shortly after the tour, the band lineup would change and Gus Dudgeon, John's old producer, would produce the next two albums. In the U.S. it was certified Gold on 9/12/1984 and
Platinum on 8/28/1998 by the R.I.A.A.
"A Simple Man" was recorded in 1981 during the Jump Up!
-sessions. In 2003, Mercury Universal and Rocket Records re-released the album, which was remastered by Gary Moore. As did "21 at 33," "The Fox" and "Jump Up," it contained no bonus tracks.
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Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by British singer/songwriter Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, released in 1984. It features the quartet of John, Davey Johnstone
Davey Johnstone
Davey Johnstone , is a Scottish rock guitarist and vocalist, best known for his work with Elton John.-Career:...
, Dee Murray
Dee Murray
Dee Murray was an English bassist, best known as a member of Elton John's original rock band.-Biography:Murray was born David Murray Oates in Southgate, London in 1946...
and Nigel Olsson
Nigel Olsson
Nigel Olsson is an English rock drummer, who is best known for his work with Elton John. Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as one of the first members of John's band, on drums, percussion and backing vocals. When not working with Elton, Olsson has taken up the role of a session musician...
. There were two hit singles on this album, the U.S. number 5 hit "Sad Songs (Say So Much)
Sad Songs (Say So Much)
"Sad Songs " is a song by Elton John from the 1984 album Breaking Hearts. It is the closing track. It reached the number 5 position on the U.S. chart. The lyrics describe how you sometimes need to listen to old radio blues classics when you're feeling down, or when someone beloved has left you...
" and the UK number 5 hit "Passengers".
This was the last studio album until 2001's Songs from the West Coast
Songs from the West Coast
Songs from the West Coast is the twenty-seventh studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released worldwide on 1 October 2001. Many critics have said that this album brought John back to his piano-based musical roots. He once again collaborated with long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin....
that would feature Olsson on drums. It was also the last in which John played all keyboards in the studio. There would be a backup keyboardist for every album moving forward.
Breaking Hearts was also the first album since Victim of Love
Victim of Love (album)
Victim of Love is the thirteenth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1979. Recorded at Musicland, Munich and Rusk Sound Studios, Hollywood, it was not critically or commercially well-received, and is his second lowest charting album to date. This is also the shortest...
to not feature a string section or horn section on any track. This is one of only two albums with Elton John's classic band in which Ray Cooper
Ray Cooper
Ray Cooper is an English musician. He is a session and road-tour percussionist, and occasional actor, who has worked with several musically diverse bands and artists including George Harrison, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, and Elton John. Cooper is commonly regarded by music fans, critics and fellow...
was not part of the lineup, the other being 1973's Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player is the sixth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John. It was released by DJM Records....
. This would be the last album Dee Murray would play bass for before his death in 1992. Shortly after the tour, the band lineup would change and Gus Dudgeon, John's old producer, would produce the next two albums. In the U.S. it was certified Gold on 9/12/1984 and
Platinum on 8/28/1998 by the R.I.A.A.
Side one
- "RestlessRestless (Elton John song)"Restless" is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It was the opening track off his 1984 album, Breaking Hearts.-Musical structure:...
" – 5:17 - "Slow Down Georgie (She's Poison)" – 4:10
- "Who Wears These Shoes?" – 4:04
- "Breaking Hearts (Ain't What It Used to Be)" – 3:34
- "Li'l 'Frigerator" – 3:37
Side two
- "Passengers" (John, Taupin, Davey JohnstoneDavey JohnstoneDavey Johnstone , is a Scottish rock guitarist and vocalist, best known for his work with Elton John.-Career:...
, Phineas McHize) – 3:24 - "In Neon" – 4:19
- "Burning Buildings" – 4:02
- "Did He Shoot Her?" – 3:21
- "Sad Songs (Say So Much)Sad Songs (Say So Much)"Sad Songs " is a song by Elton John from the 1984 album Breaking Hearts. It is the closing track. It reached the number 5 position on the U.S. chart. The lyrics describe how you sometimes need to listen to old radio blues classics when you're feeling down, or when someone beloved has left you...
" – 4:55
Personnel
- Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
: Keyboards, Lead Vocals - Davey JohnstoneDavey JohnstoneDavey Johnstone , is a Scottish rock guitarist and vocalist, best known for his work with Elton John.-Career:...
: Guitar, Vocals - Dee MurrayDee MurrayDee Murray was an English bassist, best known as a member of Elton John's original rock band.-Biography:Murray was born David Murray Oates in Southgate, London in 1946...
: Bass, Vocals - Nigel OlssonNigel OlssonNigel Olsson is an English rock drummer, who is best known for his work with Elton John. Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as one of the first members of John's band, on drums, percussion and backing vocals. When not working with Elton, Olsson has taken up the role of a session musician...
: Drums, Vocals - Andrew Thompson: Saxophone on "Li'l 'Frigerator"
Miscellaneous
- Produced by Chris ThomasChris Thomas (record producer)Chris Thomas is an English record producer who has worked extensively with The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Badfinger, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Pulp and The Pretenders. He has also produced breakthrough albums for The Sex Pistols and INXS.Thomas is quoted as saying -Early life:Thomas was...
- Recorded by Renate BlauelRenate BlauelRenate Ruth Margot John is a German music engineer.-Career:Already a sound engineer, she had engineered albums including Hysteria for the Human League and Croatia Records. She met Elton John whilst she was working as a recording engineer on his 1983 album Too Low for Zero in Sydney, Australia...
(Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's ex-wife) - Mastered by Tim YoungTim YoungTimothy or Tim Young may refer to:*Tim Young *Tim Young *Tim Young *Tim Young *Tim Young *Timothy R. Young, U.S. representative from Illinois*Timothy Young , a character in the Saw films...
- Recorded at Air Studios, Monserrat
- Overdubs at 301 Studios, Sydney, Australia
- Mixed at Air Studios, London, England
B-sides
| Song | Format |
|---|---|
| "Sad Songs (Say So Much) (Special Radio Mix)" | Sad Songs (Say So Much) 7" (US) |
| "A Simple Man" | Sad Songs (Say So Much) 7" (US/UK), 12" (UK) |
| "Lonely Boy" | Who Wears These Shoes 7" (US) / Passengers 7"/12" (UK) |
| "Tactics" | In Neon 7" (US) |
| "Tortured" | Who Wears These Shoes 7"/12" (UK) |
| "Passengers (Extended Mix)" | Passengers 12" (UK) |
| "Who Wears These Shoes (Extended Version)" | Who Wears These Shoes 12" (UK) |
| "I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Live)" | Who Wears These Shoes 12" (UK) |
"A Simple Man" was recorded in 1981 during the Jump Up!
Jump Up!
Jump Up! is the 16th studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1982 on Rocket Records except in the US and Canada, where it was released on Geffen Records. It features such songs as "Empty Garden ", a tribute to John Lennon...
-sessions. In 2003, Mercury Universal and Rocket Records re-released the album, which was remastered by Gary Moore. As did "21 at 33," "The Fox" and "Jump Up," it contained no bonus tracks.
Chart positions
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... |
1 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 4 |
| Canadian RPM Albums Chart RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
10 |
| Dutch Mega Albums Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
41 |
| Japanese Oricon Albums Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
54 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart | 2 |
| Norwegian VG-lista Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
7 |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 11 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 1 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
20 |
| West German Media Control Albums Chart | 5 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1984) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart | 16 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 26 |
| Canadian Albums Chart RPM Year-End RPM Year-End charts are a cumulative measure of a single or album's performance in Canada, based upon the RPM magazine charts during any given chart year.-RPM year-end number ones:... |
42 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 11 |
| UK Albums Chart | 33 |
Certifications
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