Breakin' Dishes

Album

Good Girl Gone Bad

Label

Def Jam Recordings

Genre

Rhythm & Blues

Composer(s)

Christopher A. Stewart;Terius Gesteelde-diamant

Entered Chart

Sep 27, 2025

Peak Date

Oct 11, 2025

Released

May 31, 2007

Recorded

2007 Studio Triangle Sound, Atlanta Pacifique Recording Studio, Hollywood Westlake Recording Studio

In this song, Rihanna's man has been spending too many nights on the town without her, and she's fed up with it. She's ready to make a scene by breaking dishes and burning his clothes - he won't make this mistake again. The song was written by Tricky Stewart and Terius "Dream" Nash, who also worked on her hit "Umbrella." Nash produced it with Kuk Harrell. "Breakin' Dishes" is part of Rihanna's third album, Good Girl Gone Bad. She was just 19 when it was released but was already a star thanks to hits like "Pon De Replay" and "SOS." The album launched her to the next level with tracks like "Umbrella," "Shut Up And Drive," and "Don't Stop the Music." Two years after Rihanna released this song, one of its lyrics, "I ain't gon' stop until I see police lights, I'm a fight a man tonight," sadly proved prophetic when her boyfriend Chris Brown attacked her in his car in February 2009. The two singers started arguing after leaving a pre-Grammy party and after Rihanna threw Brown's car keys out the window, he launched into her, leaving her bruised and battered. "Breakin' Dishes" experienced a viral resurgence on TikTok in early 2025, inspiring three distinct trends. One trend involved creative edits where users incorporated the song into videos featuring their favorite characters from popular media, such as Squid Game and various Disney films. Another trend saw users showcasing their boyfriends' strength by having them lift them up on one shoulder during the song's iconic "A man, a man, a ma-e-a-a-an" refrain. Finally, a significant portion of TikTok users employed "Breakin' Dishes" sounds to convey a different interpretation of the song, arguing that it's an anthem of female rage and empowerment rather than a typical love song. "Breakin' Dishes" was never released as a single during its original album run but charted worldwide when it exploded on TikTok two decades later. In the UK, it belatedly became Rihanna's ninth Top 40 hit from Good Girl Gone Bad.

Ow-ow (ow-ow)
Ow-ow (ow-ow)
Ow-ow (ow-ow-ow)
I don't know who you think I am
I don't know who you think I am
I don't know who you think I am
I don't know who you think I am, am, am, am, am, am, am, am, am (ow)
He been gone (g-g-gone) since 3:30 (3:30)
Been comin' home lately at 3:30 (3:30)
I'm super cool, I've been a fool
But now I'm hot and baby, you gon' get it
Now I ain't trippin', I, I ain't twisted, I
I ain't demented, huh, well, just a lil' bit, huh
I'm kickin'-, I'm takin' names
I'm on flame, don't come home, babe
I'm breakin' dishes up in here, all night (uh-huh)
I ain't gon' stop until I see police lights (uh-huh)
I'ma fight a man tonight, I'ma fight a man tonight
I'ma fight a man, a man, a ma-e-a-a-an
A man, a man, a ma-e-a-a-an, oh
I'm still waitin', come through the door
I'm killin' time, you know, bleachin' your clothes
I'm roastin' marshmallows on the fire
And what I'm burnin', ah, is your attire
I'm gettin' restless, I'm gettin' tested
And I can't believe he's always out every night and never checks in
Is he cheatin'? Man, I don't know
I'm lookin' 'round for somethin' else to throw
I'm breakin' dishes up in here, all night (uh-huh)
I ain't gon' stop until I see police lights (uh-huh)
I'ma fight a man tonight, I'ma fight a man tonight
I'ma fight a man, a man, a ma-e-a-a-an
A man, a man, a ma-e-a-a-an, oh
But I really don't give a damn right now
(Ah) if you don't come, I'ma huff and puff
And blow this, blow this, oh, blow this, blow this
I'ma blow this, blow this, oh, blow this, blow this
I'ma blow this, blow this, oh, blow this house, house down
Dishes, breakin' dishes, breakin' dishes
I'm breakin' dishes up in here, all night (uh-huh)
I ain't gon' stop until I see police lights (uh-huh)
I'ma fight a man tonight, I'ma fight a man tonight
I'ma fight a man, a man, a ma-e-a-a-an
A man, a man, a ma-e-a-a-an
Fight a man, a man, a ma-e-a-a-an
A man, a man, a ma-e-a-a-an
Breakin', breakin', breakin', breakin' (dishes, dishes, dishes)
Breakin', breakin', breakin', breakin' (dishes, dishes, dishes)
Breakin', breakin', breakin', breakin' (dishes, dishes, dishes)
Breakin', breakin', breakin', breakin' (dishes, dishes, dishes)