"I Can't Break It to My Heart" is the fourth single from Delta Goodrem

Delta Goodrem

Delta Lea Goodrem is an Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress. Signed to Sony at the age of 15, Goodrem rose to prominence in 2002, starring in the Australian soap opera Neighbours as Nina Tucker. Goodrem has achieved eight number-one singles and three number-one albums in her home...

's third studio album Delta

Delta (album)

Delta is the third studio album by Australian singer Delta Goodrem. It was released in Australia on 20 October 2007 through Daylight Records. Goodrem began work on the album in 2006 and collaborated with several writers including Vince Pizzinga, Tommy Lee James, Jörgen Elofsson, Richard Marx,...

. It was released to radio on 12 July 2008. Goodrem confirmed the single in an article in the Australian issue of Cosmopolitan.

Critical reception

Bill Brothetorn from Boston Herald

Boston Herald

The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...

 said that: "Her strong, soaring soprano impresses throughout, especially on piano ballads “I Can’t Break It to My Heart."

Music video

Goodrem claimed on radio that the music video would be of Behind The Scenes footage most likely from the intimate concert, 'A Night With Delta Goodrem'. The music video debuted on Sunrise on 17 July 2008 and features various behind the scenes clips of Goodrem from the past few months, including photo shoots for the Australian release of Delta, travelling around Japan and the USA, and many candid moments which, as her official site explains, "captures Delta out of the limelight as her natural, gorgeous self". These are all intertwined with a performance of "I Can't Break It To My Heart" from her show 'A Night With Delta Goodrem'.

Performance and production

Both the CD single and the iTunes EP went on sale on Saturday 16 August. The single received heavy promotion (a marked change from the previous single) in the form of three instore performances and signings, and appearances on morning programme Sunrise and interview programme Rove Live. The instore promotion appeared in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. In an out-of-the-ordinary move, the CD single was made available for only $1.99, and the iTunes EP (containing four songs) was sold for $1.69.

Track listing

CD single

1. "I Can't Break It to My Heart" — 4:00
2. "In This Life" (Diamond Cut Mix) — 4:53
3. "Burn for You" (Live at The Chapel) — 3:33

iTunes

ITunes

iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....

 Australia EP

1. "I Can't Break It to My Heart" — 4:00
2. "In This Life" (Diamond Cut Mix) — 4:53
3. "Burn for You" (Live at The Chapel) — 3:33
4. "Edge of Seventeen
   Edge of Seventeen (song)
   "Edge of Seventeen " is a song written and recorded by American singer Stevie Nicks, the third single from her successful 1981 solo debut album Bella Donna...
   
   " (Live Medley) [Seymour Centre] — 3:55

Chart performance

Although reaching number one on the ARIA Physical Singles Chart, on 24 August, the single only debuted at #13 on the Australian Singles Chart.
The following week the song dropped out of the top 40 to #42, making it Goodrem's second least successful single, after her debut single "I Don't Care" which peaked at #64 in 2001. The 29 spot drop was the fifth biggest drop within the top 50 of this decade, after Psycho Teddy's "Psycho Teddy" (No. 5 to No. 70) and Francesca's "Way of the world" (Number 3 to out of chart), Paul "The Chief" Harragon's "That's Gold" (No. 8 - No. 47) and Joel Turner's "Funk U Up" (No. 13 - No. 44). It also dropped from the number one spot in the Physical Singles Chart to #14.

Charts

Chart (2008)	Peak position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	13

End of year charts

Year	Chart	Ranking
2008	ARIA End of Year Australian Singles	46
	ARIA End of Year Australian Singles	56