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Post by BiteUrLip on Feb 26, 2020 18:28:41 GMT
Music: Elton John
Lyrics: Bernie Taupin
They used to say that boys are tough as nails
In every way he keeps his heart as guarded as a jail
Now things have changed, I feel so old
Like any girl could drag my heart across the coals
I was always there in the thick of things
I always had the heart of every woman on a string
The danger zone shone from my eyes
It seemed like every inch I gained became a mile
It's not the night reaching in and touching me
It's just that breaking hearts ain't what it used to be
It seems that time has killed that cruel streak in me
And breaking hearts ain't what it used to be
It's not the light shining in and catching me
It's just that breaking hearts ain't what it used to be
But time has come and cast a spell on me
And breaking hearts ain't what it used to be
And now I know what lonely means
I used to give so little and gain everything
The darkest part of every day
Is the shadow of another girl as she turns and walks away
Can't say I blame them all for being hurt
After all I treated each and every one like dirt
Who wants a heart that's never home
I face the facts and lock myself into a life alone
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Post by BiteUrLip on Feb 26, 2020 18:29:10 GMT
One of the bests from the album. Has grown on me pretty much since the beginning.
5 stars.
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Post by dougs on Feb 27, 2020 0:28:41 GMT
"Breaking Hearts (Ain't What It Used To Be)" - released as a single and on BREAKING HEARTS:
Elton and Bernie followed up the big global success of 1983's TOO LOW FOR ZERO with BREAKING HEARTS in 1984; both recorded at Air Studios, Montserrat and produced by Chris Thomas, both with Bernie back as the full-time lyricist and Nigel, Dee, and Davey fully entrenched as the band. Fred Mandel on keyboards and guitars joined the band at this point. "Breaking Hearts (Ain't What It Used To Be)" was actually the 5th single from BREAKING HEARTS and was released on Valentine's Day 1985. It didn't generate much excitement only reaching #59 on the UK charts. The song never found itself in the setlist during the lengthy 1984 tour.
The song is led by an expressive vocal from Elton singing another Bernie lyric about break-up and sadness over a bed of backing vocals and gentle piano. Unlike the rest of the album it is just Elton, his voice, and his piano that are the focus. Not a song that I play very often or at all for that matter but still a good song with some emotion to it.
The album was initially to be titled RESTLESS after its powerful rocking opening track but was changed late in the game to BREAKING HEARTS.
Rating: 4 to 4 1/2 stars
Doug
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Post by nix on Feb 27, 2020 8:27:13 GMT
5 Chopin-like atmosphere. Brilliant, gentle and beautiful.
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Post by Commodore Orpington on Feb 27, 2020 14:02:46 GMT
Nice unsettled mood... Bernie questions himself...
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Post by newloneranger on Feb 28, 2020 20:13:15 GMT
I don't think this was released as a single in the USA. Nice lyrics but probably my least favorite on the album. Still pretty good.
4 stars
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Post by Commodore Orpington on Feb 29, 2020 5:59:01 GMT
In UK, Sad Songs/Who Wears These Shoes/Passengers/Breaking Hearts
In US, Sad Songs/Who Wears These Shoes/In Neon
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Post by rocketman on Feb 29, 2020 20:16:11 GMT
4 stars...Piano and vocal only, a nice departure from the norm, though Elton has had his share of piano-only songs throughout his career. To me, this one rates around the middle of that pack. It's good, fairly expressive, but slightly underwhelming. The entire album, with strong exceptions such as 'Shoes', Burning Buildings (a near-classic), and In Neon, mostly gathers dust in my collection.
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