While Greg Kihn may have found a home for his music when he moved to Berkeley in 1974 and signed on with Beserkley Records, it would take almost a decade to find a successful formula for his music. Winding from Dylanesque folk to merseyesque rock, by the early '80s Kihn and his band found they shared elements of new wave music, and scored their first US hit, "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)." Kihn had a bigger hit the following year with "Jeopardy," which peaked in the States at number 2. "Jeopardy" brought Kihn two of the highest honors an early eighties act could achieve: MTV put the video into heavy rotation, and Weird Al Yankovic recorded a parody. Kihn has been hard at work over the years, hosting a radio show, writing books and coming up with clever album titles (Kihnspiracy, Unkihntrollable). He has kinhtinued recording through it all, though it has proven difficult for Kihn to recapture the successes of 1982 and '83.
(http://www.80smusiclyrics.com/artists/gregkihnband.htm)
Breakup Song
Greg Kihn Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just an hour before
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
And now I'm staring at the bodies
As they're dancing 'cross the floor
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
And then the band slowed the tempo
And the music gets you down
It was the same old song
With a melancholy sound
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
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
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
But now it feels so strange out of the atmospheres
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
And then the jukebox plays a song I used to know
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
And now I'm staring at the bodies
As they're dancing so slow
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, aah
They don't write 'em like that anymore
They don't write 'em like that anymore
Mm, now I wind up staring at an empty glass
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
'Cause it's so easy to say
That she'll forget your past
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, aah
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
They just don't, no, they don't, no no, uh-uh
They just don't write 'em like that anymore
They just don't
The Greg Kihn Band's iconic hit "The Breakup Song" details the aftermath of a recently ended relationship. The lyrics describe the confusion and heartache one experiences when they see their ex-partner out and about with other people. The singer is filled with nostalgia and longing as they reflect on the memories of their relationship. The band slows down the tempo, playing an old song with a melancholy sound that further deepens the pain of the singer. The lyrics offer a commentary on how the songs of the past used to deal with romantic heartbreak and how current songs don't quite capture the same raw emotion.
The singer describes how long they were together, noting that it felt like a million years, before commenting how out of place they feel now the relationship has ended, like they are in a different atmosphere entirely. The singer hears a song from their past relationship on the jukebox, causing them to get lost in thought and stare as the couple dances slowly, reminding them of a time when they were in love. The song's chorus repeats the idea that they just don't write songs like that anymore, suggesting the music landscape is different nowadays.
Overall, the lyrics to "The Breakup Song" detail the struggles of moving on after heartbreak, showcasing the pain and nostalgia that comes with the end of a meaningful relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
We had broken up for good
Just an hour before
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
I recently broke up with my partner and it's still fresh in my mind, the pain is starting to set in
And now I'm staring at the bodies
As they're dancing 'cross the floor
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
I'm at a party but I can't bring myself to join in the fun, I feel like such an outsider
And then the band slowed the tempo
And the music gets you down
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
The music is reflective of my mood, slow and sad, it's only making things worse
It was the same old song
With a melancholy sound
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
The song the band is playing is one I know well, and it's only compounding my sadness
They don't write 'em like that anymore
They just don't write 'em like that anymore
I'm lamenting the fact that music these days can't capture the depth of emotion like this song does
We'd been living together for a million years
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
My ex and I had been together for so long, it feels like forever
But now it feels so strange out of the atmospheres
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
Without my partner, everything feels foreign and unsettling, like I'm in a different world
And then the jukebox plays a song I used to know
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
A familiar song starts playing, one that reminds me of happier times with my ex
And now I'm staring at the bodies
As they're dancing so slow
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, aah
Watching everyone dancing slowly is a painful reminder of what I've lost
Mm, now I wind up staring at an empty glass
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
I'm drowning my sorrows in alcohol, trying to numb the pain
'Cause it's so easy to say
That she'll forget your past
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah, aah
I'm trying to convince myself that my ex will move on and forget about me, but it's easier said than done
No, they just don't write 'em like that anymore
They just don't write 'em like that anymore
They just don't
One last time, I bemoan the fact that modern music just doesn't capture heartbreak like this song does
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GARY PHILLIPS, GREGORY STANLEY KIHN, STEPHEN ALAN WRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@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.
@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