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Breaking Hearts

For the Chara song, see Breaking Hearts (song).

Breaking Hearts is the eighteenth studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1984. It features the quartet of John, Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson. There were four top-40 singles from the album: "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (US #5/UK #7), "Who Wears These Shoes" (US #16), "In Neon" (US #38), and the UK No. 5 hit "Passengers".

Breaking Hearts
Studio album by
Elton John
Released18 June 1984[1]
RecordedDecember 1983 – April 1984
StudioAIR, Montserrat
GenrePop rock
Length40:43
LabelGeffen (US), Rocket (UK)
ProducerChris Thomas
Elton John chronology
Too Low for Zero
(1983) 		Breaking Hearts
(1984) 		Ice on Fire
(1985)
Singles from Breaking Hearts
  1. "Sad Songs (Say So Much)"
    Released: May 1984
  2. "Passengers"
    Released: August 1984
  3. "Who Wears These Shoes?"
    Released: October 1984[2]
  4. "In Neon"
    Released: November 1984 (US)
  5. "Breaking Hearts"
    Released: February 1985
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[4]
Record Mirror[5]
Smash Hits3/10[6]
Sounds[7]

Background

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This album would be the last to feature all (core) members of the classic "Elton John Band" lineup playing their instruments (although they would reunite to provide backing vocals on John's Reg Strikes Back album). It was the last of John's studio albums to feature bass from Murray, who would die in 1992 of skin cancer, and it was the last studio album until 2001's Songs from the West Coast that would feature Olsson on drums. It was also the last recorded album in which John played both piano and keyboards in the studio by himself.

Breaking Hearts was also the first album since Victim of Love to not feature a string or horn section on any track. This is one of only two albums with John's classic band to which (unofficial member) Ray Cooper did not contribute at all, the other being 1973's Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player. Shortly after the tour, the band line-up would change and Gus Dudgeon, John's former producer, would produce the next two albums. In the US, it was certified gold in September 1984 and platinum in August 1998 by the RIAA.

John has continued performing "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" as of 2022, as he included the song in his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour setlist. Apart from the 1984 Breaking Hearts Tour (both the European and the North American leg), no other songs from the album have been performed live except "Restless" and "Passengers", on the following 1985–1986 Ice on Fire World Tour (the latter song only performed on the UK leg).

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Restless"5:17
2."Slow Down Georgie (She's Poison)"4:10
3."Who Wears These Shoes?"4:04
4."Breaking Hearts (Ain't What It Used to Be)"3:34
5."Li'l 'Frigerator"3:37
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Passengers" (John, Taupin, Davey Johnstone, Phineas Mkhize)3:24
2."In Neon"4:19
3."Burning Buildings"4:02
4."Did He Shoot Her?"3:21
5."Sad Songs (Say So Much)"4:55
Total length:40:43
  • Sides one and two were combined as tracks 1–10 on CD reissues.

Personnel

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Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.

Musicians

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  • Elton John – lead and backing vocals, synthesizers (tracks 1–3, 5–7, 9, 10), pianos (tracks 3–5, 7–10), Hammond organ (track 5), Fender Rhodes (track 7), clavinet (track 10)
  • Davey Johnstone – backing vocals (tracks 1–4, 6–10), electric guitar (tracks 1–3, 5, 7–9), acoustic guitar (tracks 2, 6–8, 10), sitar (track 9)
  • Dee Murray – bass guitar (tracks 1–3, 5–10), backing vocals (tracks 1–4, 6–10)
  • Nigel Olsson – drums (tracks 1–3, 5–10), backing vocals (tracks 1–4, 6–10)
  • Andrew Thompson – saxophone (track 5)

Production

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Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for Breaking Hearts
Region Certification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[26] Platinum 15,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[16] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[27] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[28] Gold 240,000[25]
United States (RIAA)[29] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 33.
  2. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 50.
  3. ^ "Breaking Hearts". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  4. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "John, Elton". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). London: Omnibus Press. p. 2,003. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
  5. ^ Smith, Robin (23 June 1984). "Albums". Record Mirror. p. 18. ISSN 0144-5804.
  6. ^ Hibbert, Tom (5–18 July 1984). "Album Reviews". Smash Hits. 6 (14): 21.
  7. ^ Black, Bill (30 June 1984). "The Big Match". Sounds. p. 37.
  8. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Elton John – Breaking Hearts" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5268". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John – Breaking Hearts" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John – Breaking Hearts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  13. ^ a b Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  14. ^ "Charts.nz – Elton John – Breaking Hearts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Elton John – Breaking Hearts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  16. ^ a b Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  17. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Elton John – Breaking Hearts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Elton John – Breaking Hearts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Jahreshitparade 1984" (in German). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  22. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 9642". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  23. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1984 – The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  24. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1984" (in German). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  25. ^ a b "Complete UK Year-End Albums Chart – 1984". Chart Heaven. Archived from the original on 19 May 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  26. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Elton John – Breaking Hearts". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 6 February 2021.[dead link‍]
  27. ^ "Elton on Fire" (PDF). Music & Media. World Radio History. 3 May 1986. p. 3. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  28. ^ "British album certifications – Elton John – Breaking Hearts". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  29. ^ "American album certifications – Elton John – Breaking Hearts". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
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