"Break It Down Again" is a song by British band

Tears for Fears Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath, England, in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the new w ...

, released as the first single from their fourth studio album, ''

Elemental An elemental is a mythic being that is described in occult and alchemical works from around the time of the European Renaissance, and particularly elaborated in the 16th century works of Paracelsus. According to Paracelsus and his subsequent fol ...

'' (1993). It is one of the band's later songs with the typical late 1980s sound, using synthesizers. The song was the second single released after the departure of

Curt Smith Curt Smith (born 24 June 1961) is a British singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and co-founding member of the pop rock band Tears for Fears along with childhood friend Roland Orzabal. Smith plays bass guitar, has co-written severa ...

from the band (after "

Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down) "Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)" is a song by British band Tears for Fears. It was released as a single in 1992 to coincide with the release of the band's greatest hits album '' Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92)''. As Curt Smith had alr ...

" in 1992). The song reached number 20 in the United Kingdom, number 25 in the United States, and the top 40 in several other countries. It topped the US ''Billboard''

Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...

chart and was particularly successful in Canada and Iceland, reaching numbers four and two respectively.

Background

As with the ''Elemental'' album, the song featured

Roland Orzabal Roland Orzabal (born Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana; 22 August 1961) is a British musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, and author. He is best known as a co-founder of Tears for Fears, of which he is the main songwriter and joint v ...

with peripheral Tears for Fears band members Alan Griffiths and

Tim Palmer Timothy J. Palmer (born 4 October 1962, in North Shields) is an English record producer, audio engineer, guitarist and songwriter of rock and alternative music. He mixed Pearl Jam's debut album ''Ten'' (1991) and tracks on U2's album ''All Tha ...

, plus backing vocals by ex- Graduate bandmate John Baker. "Break It Down Again" is the only song that has regularly remained in live setlists following Smith's return.

B-sides

The CD single included two non-album

B-sides The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

, of which "Schrodinger's Cat", the first in a number of songs by Orzabal dealing with modern physics, has acquired a cult status. In addition to the mentioned references, the song also quotes the guitar riff from "

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' is the eighth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. Released on 26May 1967, ''Sgt. Pepper'' is regarded by musicologists as an early concept album that advanced the roles of sound composi ...

". The chorus line was already hinted at in the Tears for Fears cover of " Ashes to Ashes". The sample of a train announcer saying "Last train to Norwich" that runs through "Schrodinger's Cat" appeared again on the song " Master Plan". The song "Bloodletting Go" is one of the first songs written by Orzabal and Griffiths. Both songs were later included on the B-sides compilation ''

Saturnine Martial & Lunatic ''Saturnine Martial & Lunatic'' is a compilation album by the British pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 3 June 1996. It is a collection of B-sides and rare tracks, spanning some ten years of recording from the band's era signed to Mercur ...

''.

Music video

The music video shows Orzabal, Griffiths, and

Gail Ann Dorsey Gail Ann Dorsey (born November 20, 1962) is an American musician. With a long career as a session musician mainly on bass guitar, she is perhaps best known for her lengthy residency in David Bowie's band, from 1995 to Bowie's death in 2016. Asid ...

(who joined Tears for Fears as a touring member) performing the song on the desert

El Mirage Lake El Mirage Lake is a dry lake bed in the northwestern Victor Valley of the central Mojave Desert, within San Bernardino County, California. The lake is located about west-northwest of the town of Adelanto and north of Highway 18 in San Bernar ...

, California, where the "Break It Down Again" single and the ''Elemental'' album covers were taken. The video was directed by

Dani Jacobs Dani Jacobs (born April 16, 1963) is a British music video director and editor. Background Jacobs was born in London, United Kingdom. He went to University of Manchester to study physics but left to pursue his interests in film. He worked at ...

Track listings

7-inch single # "Break It Down Again" # "Bloodletting Go" (Roland Orzabal, Alan Griffiths) UK CD single # "Break It Down Again" # "Bloodletting Go" (Orzabal, Griffiths) # "Schrodinger's Cat" (Orzabal, Griffiths) # "Break It Down Again" (karaoke version)

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{Authority control Tears for Fears songs 1993 singles 1993 songs Mercury Records singles Songs written by Roland Orzabal