Peak
40
Weeks
17
Score
1,156
Chart Year
1978
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At first, the distinctive guitar lick, courtesy of Heartbreaker Mike Campbell, was only used at the end of the song. A singer named Dwight Twilley came by the studio when Petty was playing it back and suggested they use it throughout the song. Petty liked the idea, and called the band back to the studio in the middle of the night to re-record it. Twilley, who had a hit in 1975 with "I'm On Fire," was signed to the same label as Petty, and was on the same career path for a while. Petty sang on some of Twilley's songs, including his 1984 hit "Girls." Lyrically more sparse than most Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers tracks, "Breakdown" finds Petty ready to end a union that has become toxic. "Go ahead and give it to me," he tells her. When the band first recorded this song, it was 7-minutes long, with an extended guitar solo at the end. The final version clocks in at a tidy 2:43. This was Petty's first single. When it was first released in January 1977 it went nowhere, but after months of touring, it was re-released in October and made it to #40 in the US. This was featured in the 1978 movie FM. About a radio station in California, the movie was the basis for the TV show WKRP in Cincinnati. This was also included on the soundtrack.
It's alright if you love me It's alright if you don't I'm not afraid of you runnin' away, honey I get the feeling you won't There is no sense in pretending Your eyes give you away Something inside you is feeling like I do We said all there is to say Baby, breakdown, go ahead and give it to me Breakdown, honey, take me through the night (baby, baby, breakdown) Breakdown, now I'm standin' here, can't you see? Breakdown, it's all right It's all right It's all right Breakdown, go ahead and give it to me Breakdown, honey, take me through the night (baby, baby, breakdown) Breakdown, now I'm standin' here, can't you see? Breakdown, it's all right It's all right It's all right
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 5, 1977 | 90 | 36 |
| 2 | Nov 12, 1977 | 80 | 46 |
| 3 | Nov 19, 1977 | 70 | 56 |
| 4 | Nov 26, 1977 | 65 | 61 |
| 5 | Dec 3, 1977 | 100 | 26 |
| 6 | Dec 10, 1977 | 89 | 37 |
| 7 | Dec 17, 1977 | 78 | 48 |
| 8 | Dec 24, 1977 | 68 | 58 |
| 9 | Dec 31, 1977 | 68 | 58 |
| 10 | Jan 7, 1978 | 57 | 69 |
| 11 | Jan 14, 1978 | 55 | 71 |
| 12 | Jan 21, 1978 | 53 | 73 |
| 13 | Jan 28, 1978 | 48 | 78 |
| 14 | Feb 4, 1978 | 44 | 82 |
| 15 | Feb 11, 1978 | 42 | 84 |
| 16 | Feb 18, 1978 | 40 | 86 |
| 17 | Feb 25, 1978 | 60 | 66 |