Breaking Hearts

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title: "Breaking Hearts" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["elton-john-albums", "1984-albums", "albums-produced-by-chris-thomas-(record-producer)", "geffen-records-albums", "the-rocket-record-company-albums", "albums-recorded-at-air-studios"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaking_Hearts" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]

FieldValue
nameBreaking Hearts
typestudio
artistElton John
coverBreaking hearts.JPG
released18 June 1984
recordedDecember 1983 – April 1984
studioAIR, Montserrat
genrePop rock
length40:43
labelGeffen (US), Rocket (UK)
producerChris Thomas
prev_titleToo Low for Zero
prev_year1983
next_titleIce on Fire
next_year1985
misc{{Singles
nameBreaking Hearts
typestudio
single1Sad Songs (Say So Much)
single1dateMay 1984
single2Passengers
single2dateAugust 1984
single3Who Wears These Shoes?
single3dateOctober 1984
single4In Neon
single4dateNovember 1984
single5Breaking Hearts
single5dateFebruary 1985
::

| name = Breaking Hearts | type = studio | artist = Elton John | cover = Breaking hearts.JPG | alt = | released = 18 June 1984 | recorded = December 1983 – April 1984 | studio = AIR, Montserrat | genre = Pop rock | length = 40:43 | label = Geffen (US), Rocket (UK) | producer = Chris Thomas | prev_title = Too Low for Zero | prev_year = 1983 | next_title = Ice on Fire | next_year = 1985 | misc = {{Singles | name = Breaking Hearts | type = studio | single1 = Sad Songs (Say So Much) | single1date = May 1984 | single2 = Passengers | single2date = August 1984 | single3 = Who Wears These Shoes? | single3date = October 1984 | single4 = In Neon | single4date = November 1984 | single5 = Breaking Hearts | single5date = February 1985 | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = | rev2 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | rev2score = | rev3 = Record Mirror | rev3score = | rev4 = Smash Hits | rev4score = 3/10 | rev5 = Sounds | rev5Score = | noprose = yes

Breaking Hearts is the eighteenth studio album by British musician Elton John. It was released on 18 June 1984 through John's Rocket label in the UK and Geffen Records in the US. Like the preceding Too Low for Zero (1983), the album was produced by Chris Thomas and features the classic Elton John Band lineup of Davey Johnstone on guitar, Dee Murray on bass, and Nigel Olsson on drums.

Upon release, Breaking Hearts was a commercial success, peaking at number two in the UK and number 20 in the US. "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" was released as the album's lead single and reached number five in the US and number seven in the UK. Four further singles were released, including "Passengers", which reached number five in the UK, as well as "Who Wears These Shoes?" and "In Neon", both of which reached the top 40 in the US.

Background

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 Elton John's studio albums to feature bass from Dee 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 Nigel 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 2023, 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

| all_writing = Elton John and Bernie Taupin, except where noted | headline = Side one | title1 = Restless | length1 = 5:17 | title2 = Slow Down Georgie (She's Poison) | length2 = 4:10 | title3 = Who Wears These Shoes? | length3 = 4:04 | title4 = Breaking Hearts (Ain't What It Used to Be) | length4 = 3:34 | title5 = Li'l 'Frigerator | length5 = 3:37

| headline = Side two | title1 = Passengers | note1 = John, Taupin, Davey Johnstone, Phineas Mkhize | length1 = 3:24 | title2 = In Neon | length2 = 4:19 | title3 = Burning Buildings | length3 = 4:02 | title4 = Did He Shoot Her? | length4 = 3:21 | title5 = Sad Songs (Say So Much) | length5 = 4:55 | total_length = 40:43

  • Sides one and two were combined as tracks 1–10 on CD reissues.

Personnel

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

Musicians

  • 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

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table title="Weekly chart performance for ''Breaking Hearts''"] | Chart (1984–1985) | Peak position | Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) | Japanese Albums (Oricon) | Spanish Albums (AFYVE) | |---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | | | | | | 54 | | | | | | 5 | | | | | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table title="Year-end chart performance for ''Breaking Hearts''"]

Chart (1984)PositionAustralian Albums (Kent Music Report)Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)Japanese Albums (Oricon)New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)Swiss Albums (Swiss Hitparade)UK Albums (OCC)
16
26
98
46
11
33
::

Certifications

References

References

  1. "Music Week".
  2. "Music Week".
  3. "''Breaking Hearts''". [[AllMusic]].
  4. Larkin, Colin. (2011). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". Omnibus Press.
  5. Smith, Robin. (23 June 1984). "Albums".
  6. Hibbert, Tom. (5–18 July 1984). "Album Reviews". [[Smash Hits]].
  7. Black, Bill. (30 June 1984). "The Big Match".
  8. Kent, David. (1993). "[[Kent Music Report". Australian Chart Book.
  9. (2006). "Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005". Oricon Entertainment.
  10. Salaverri, Fernando. (September 2005). "Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002". Fundación Autor-SGAE.
  11. "Jahreshitparade 1984". Hung Medien.
  12. "Top Selling Albums of 1984 – The Official New Zealand Music Chart". [[Recorded Music New Zealand]].
  13. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1984". Hung Medien.
  14. "Complete UK Year-End Albums Chart – 1984". Chart Heaven.
  15. (3 May 1986). "Elton on Fire". World Radio History.

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