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Breakdown (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers song)

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Released
  
January 1977 (1977-01)

Length
  
2:39

Format
  
7-inch single

B-side
  
"The Wild One, Forever"

Recorded
  
1976 Shelter Studios Hollywood

Genre
  
Heartland rock pop rock

"Breakdown" is the first single by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' self-titled debut album. It became a Top 40 hit in the United States and Canada.

Contents

Played live, Petty sometimes incorporated "Breakdown" with Ray Charles' "Hit the Road Jack". A live recording of this variation appears on The Live Anthology.

Track listings

  • 7" Single (US, 1976)
    • A. "Breakdown" – 2:39 = background vocals were sung by fellow Shelter Records artist Phil Seymour who also sang on American Girl. B. "The Wild One, Forever" – 3:01
  • 7" Single (US, 1977)
    • A. "Breakdown" – 2:39 B. "Fooled Again (I Don't Like It)" – 3:54
  • 7" Single (Germany, 1977)
    • A. "Breakdown" – 2:42 B. "Luna" – 3:59
  • 7" Single (Spain, 1978)
    • A. "Breakdown" – 2:42 B. "Strangered in the Night" – 3:32

    Album appearances

  • Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1976)
  • FM (1978)
  • Pack Up the Plantation: Live! (1985)
  • Greatest Hits (1993)
  • Playback (1995)
  • Anthology: Through the Years (2000)
  • Mojo Tour 2010 (2010)

    • Grace Jones version

    Jamaican singer Grace Jones recorded a reggae re-imagining of the song on her 1980 album Warm Leatherette. For Grace Jones' recording, Petty wrote a third verse: "It's OK if you must go / I'll understand if you don't / You say goodbye right now / I'll still survive somehow / Why should we let this drag on?" The song was edited from its full, 5:30 album version to a 3-minute-long track on single release. It was released as a US-only single in July 1980 but didn't chart.

    Track listing

  • 7" single
    • A. "Breakdown" – 3:00 B. "Warm Leatherette" – 4:24
  • 12" single
    • A. "Breakdown" – 5:30 B1. "Breakdown" (edit) – 3:10 B2. "Warm Leatherette" – 4:24
  • 7" promotional single
    • A. "Breakdown" (stereo edit) – 3:00 B. "Breakdown" (mono edit) – 3:00

    Other cover versions

  • "Breakdown" was covered by Suzi Quatro on her album If You Knew Suzi... (1978).
  • The Replacements on their 1985 live album The Shit Hits the Fans.
  • A live acoustic version of "Breakdown" appeared on Missy Higgins' 2009 More Than This EP featuring Brett Dennen.
  • Flaw performed a live cover of "Breakdown" while touring 2010.
  • The song was performed live by Foo Fighters while on their 2011 Wasting Light World Tour.
  • Christina Perri performed this song on her 2011-2012 Lovestrong Tour.
  • Austin Allsup covered this song on The Voice Season 11.
  • Gary Allan regularly sings this in concert.

    • References

    Breakdown (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers song) Wikipedia
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