The Break Up Song
Greg Kihn Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

We had broken up for good just an hour before
Uh uh uh, uh uh uh uh uh
Now I'm staring at the bodies as there's dancin' 'cross the floor
Uh uh uh, uh uh uh uh uh
And then the band slowed the tempo and the music gets me down
Uh uh uh, uh uh uh uh uh
It was the same old song with the melancholy sound
Uh uh uh, uh uh uh uh uh

They don't write 'em like that anymore
They just don't write 'em like that anymore

We'd been living together for a million years
Uh uh uh, uh uh uh uh uh
But now it feel so strange (out in the atmospheres?)
Uh uh uh, uh uh uh uh uh
And then the jukebox plays a song I used to know
Uh uh uh, uh uh uh uh uh
Now I'm staring at the bodies as they dancin' so slow
Uh uh uh, uh uh uh uh uh

They don't write 'em like that anymore
They just don't write 'em like that anymore

Now I wind up staring at an empty glass
Uh uh uh, uh uh uh uh uh
Cause its so easy to say that you'll forget your past
Uh uh uh, uh uh uh uh uh

They don't write 'em like that anymore, no!
They just don't write 'em like that anymore





They don't write 'em like that anymore
They just don't write 'em like that anymore

Overall Meaning

In Greg Kihn’s song The Break Up Song, he sings about the aftermath of a recent break up. He describes how just an hour before, his relationship ended for good. He looks around and sees people dancing and having fun, but he is unable to join in on the celebration. The band slows down the tempo, and Kihn is reminded of the same old song with a melancholic sound. He realizes that they just don’t write songs like that anymore.


As the night progress, Kihn reflects on the time he spent living with his ex-girlfriend for a million years. He feels strange being out in the atmosphere without her. When the jukebox plays a song he used to know, he can’t help but stare at the bodies moving slowly on the dance floor. He then winds up staring at an empty glass, realizing that it’s not easy to forget the past.


Overall, The Break Up Song is an honest and raw portrayal of the emotions one feels after a break-up. The song taps into the universal experience of heartbreak and the difficulties of moving on.


Line by Line Meaning

We had broken up for good just an hour before
It has only been an hour since our breakup which was the final one.


Now I'm staring at the bodies as there's dancin' 'cross the floor
I am watching people dance after the break up.


And then the band slowed the tempo and the music gets me down
The slowing down of the music at that moment makes me feel low and sad.


It was the same old song with the melancholy sound
The song playing on the band has a depressing tune and is very similar to the old songs.


They don't write 'em like that anymore
Nowadays, no one writes music like the old days'


They just don't write 'em like that anymore
The old style of music is not what the new generation prefers.


We'd been living together for a million years
We were together for a very long time.


But now it feel so strange (out in the atmospheres?)
Being apart from each other feels surreal and uncomfortable.


And then the jukebox plays a song I used to know
The jukebox played a tune that I am familiar with.


Now I'm staring at the bodies as they dancin' so slow
Watching people dance slowly is making me feel empty after the break up.


Now I wind up staring at an empty glass
After everything that has happened, I find myself looking at my empty glass.


Cause it's so easy to say that you'll forget your past
People often say that they can forget their past easily, but it's not as simple as it sounds.


They don't write 'em like that anymore, no!
The song reflects that the old style of music is no longer fashionable.


They just don't write 'em like that anymore
Songwriters and composers today don't create music in the same style as before.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Gary Phillips, Gregory Kihn, Steve Wright

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@stevenguajardo6049

My 20 year old daughter says, " this is better then the shit they play today". Her and her friends play this type of music when they get together. They are the ones keeping this music alive baby. I'm so proud!

@randy5655

Your daughter has good taste.

@lexslate2476

This is a very good song, I'm not surprised she likes it. She might get some fun out of more recent rock and metal, too. Off the top of my head, I'd suggest Ghost, maybe The Mountain Goats.

@jazluvr99

This is the kind of song that gets stuck in my head all day long... and in this case, that is definitely a good thing. LOVE IT!!!

@7KVexus

They just don't write 'em like that anymore.

@TitaniumTurbine

@@lexslate2476 Ghost is metal and hard rock perfection.

8 More Replies...

@bobwirth9256

We don't go looking for old music , we look for the memories they carry with us , music like this has no expiry date 🎸🎸

@johnnyjohnson1326

So well put!

@petervrablik3975

Amw

..

@petervrablik3975

@@johnnyjohnson1326 Amen

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