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 from the album: the US #5 hit "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" and the UK No. 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 both piano and keyboards in the studio by himself. 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 or horn section on any track. This is one of only two albums with John's classic band in which Ray Cooper was not part of the line-up, 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.
Contents[]
Track listing[edit][]
All songs written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, except where noted.
Side one[edit][]
- "Restless" – 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[edit][]
- "Passengers" (John, Taupin, Davey Johnstone, Phineas McHize) – 3:24
- "In Neon" – 4:19
- "Burning Buildings" – 4:02
- "Did He Shoot Her?" – 3:21
- "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" – 4:55
Personnel[edit][]
- Elton John: keyboards, lead vocals
- Davey Johnstone: guitar, vocals
- Dee Murray: bass guitar, vocals
- Nigel Olsson: drums, vocals
- Andrew Thompson: saxophone on "Li'l 'Frigerator"
Miscellaneous[edit][]
- Produced by Chris Thomas
- Recorded by Renate Blauel
- Mastered by Tim Young
- Recorded at Air Studios, Montserrat
- Overdubs at 301 Studios, Sydney, Australia
- Mixed at Air Studios, London, England
B-sides[edit][]
| Song | Format |
|---|---|
| "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! sessions. In 2003, Mercury Universal and The Rocket Record Company 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.
Charts[edit][]
Chart positions[edit][]
|
Year-end charts[edit][]
Certifications[edit][]
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| Preceded by | Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
9–29 July 1984 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by
Footloose (soundtrack) by Various artists |
Swiss Music Chart number-one album
15 July 1984 |
Succeeded by
Footloose (soundtrack) by Various artists |