In July of 1996, under Roadshow Music, the duo released their debut single I Want You. The single was a hit in Australia and became the year's highest-selling by an Australian artist. The success of the single garnered much interest from many U.S. record labels and in September, Columbia Records won the bidding war to sign the band. In November a second single, To The Moon And Back, was released and was another chart hit—reaching No. 1 in January of the following year.
"I Want You" was released in the United States in February 1997, where it peaked at No. 4 and quickly achieved gold status. Truly Madly Deeply, the band's third Australian single, was released in March and reached No. 1 just before "I Want You" was released across Europe in April. The duo’s debut album, Savage Garden, entered the Australian charts at No. 1 in March and remained at that peak for 17 weeks—it was released around the world two weeks later. At the end of May, “To The Moon And Back” became the most played song on U.S. radio.
In June 1997, a fourth single, Break Me, Shake Me was released in Australia as the band's debut album sat at No. 3 on the U.S. charts and was certified gold by the ARIA. By the end of August, the album was seven-times platinum in Australia, triple-platinum in Canada, and double-platinum in New Zealand and Singapore. At the end of August, Savage Garden received a record 13 ARIA awards nominations. The 10 ARIAs won by them in September was also a record, and one that still stands today. Riding this massive wave of popularity was the release of their fifth Australian single, Universe. By November that year, "Truly Madly Deeply" became their third U.S. release, shooting up the charts to blow Elton John’s "Candle In The Wind 1997" out of its 14-week run at the number-one spot. By the end of 1997, Darren and Daniel had become international stars.
In January 1998, All Around Me, a sixth single, was released just as the band kicked off their worldwide tour in Cairns, Australia. By the end of the year, "Truly Madly Deeply" was the most-played song on U.S. radio and the only one-sided single to spend a full year in the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100.
The Animal Song (featured in the Disney film The Other Sister), the first single from the follow-up album Affirmation was released in February 1999 and became a hit in Australia and the US. That September saw the release of a new single previewing their forthcoming album; the smooth, romantic ballad, I Knew I Loved You.
The duo's second album, Affirmation, was released in November 1999 globally. It took a month for it to go platinum in the US, largely due to the success of the single "I Knew I Loved You," which hit #1 on the charts, eventually going platinum and becoming the most-played single on US radio for the year.
Affirmation saw a new turn for Savage Garden; their looks had more similarities to that of mainstream pop and some of their new songs possessed a more adult contemporary sound.
The group finished out the year by winning two Billboard Music Awards: Adult Contemporary Single of the Year and Hot 100 Singles Airplay of the Year.
In February 2000, as Crash and Burn became the third single from their second album, 1997's "Truly Madly Deeply" was amazingly still on the Monitor/Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay Chart, breaking the record for length of time of any single on that chart. It would finally drop off the chart after 123 weeks.
In June, Darren Hayes performed O Sole Mio at Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti's annual charitable benefit concert Pavarotti and Friends. Savage Garden's great success was reflected once again at the Billboard Music Awards, where they won Best Adult Contemporary Video and No. 1 Adult Contemporary Song of the Year, for "I Knew I Loved You", and No. 1 Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year. "I Knew I Loved You" stayed on the Monitor/Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay Chart for 124 weeks – overtaking the duo's own record previously set by "Truly Madly Deeply".
In October 2001, the band split and Darren Hayes went on to enjoy further success with albums Spin (2002), The Tension And The Spark (2004) and This Delicate Thing We've Made (2007).
As of 2005, the band’s debut album had been certified 12-times platinum in Australia, six-times platinum in the United States, and double-platinum in the United Kingdom.
Break Me Shake Me
Savage Garden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Opinion again
But you moved me in a way that I've
Never known
You moved me in a way that I've
Never known
But straight away you just moved
You abused me in a way that I've
Never known
You abused me in a way that I've
Never known
So break me shake me hate me
Take me over
When the madness stops then you
Will be alone
Just break me shake me hate me
Take me over
When the madness stops then you
Will be alone
So you're the kind that deals with the
Games in the mind
Well you confuse me in a way that
I've never known
You confuse me in a way that I've
Never known
So break me shake me hate me
Take me over
When the madness stops then you
Will be alone
So won't you break me shake me hate me
Take me over
When the madness stops then you
Will be alone
She says, " I can help you, but what
Do you say?"
Cause it's not free baby, you'll have
To pay
You just keep me contemplating, that
Your soul is slowly fading
God, don't you know that I live with a ton
Of regret?
Cause I used to move you in a way
That you've never known
But then I accused you in a way that
You've never known
But you've hurt me in a way that I've
Never known
Break me shake me hate me
Take me over
When the madness stops then you
Will be alone
So won't you break me shake me
Hate me take me over
When the madness stops then you
Will be alone
Listen, baby
You'll be, you'll be alone
Break me shake me hate me take
Me make me
Fake me break me shake me hate
Me take me
Break me
The lyrics to Savage Garden's song "Break Me Shake Me" depict a tumultuous relationship filled with emotional highs and lows. The singer confesses that he never thought he would change his opinion again, but the other person in the relationship has moved him in a way he has never known before. However, this positive feeling is short-lived as the other person immediately moves into a position of power and begins to abuse the singer emotionally in a way that he has never known before. Despite this, the singer pleads for the other person to continue breaking, shaking, and hating him because he cannot resist their power over him.
The chorus repeatedly begs to be broken, shaken, and hated, showcasing the singer's desperation and longing for the other person's attention and control. The song also touches on the idea that the other person is playing games with the singer's mind and confusing him in a way he has never known. The lyrics also suggest that the other person is offering to "help" the singer, but it comes at a cost, leading the singer to contemplate the fading of his soul.
Overall, "Break Me Shake Me" is a powerful and emotional song that explores the complex dynamics of a toxic relationship. It highlights the pain of being unable to resist someone who continually abuses and confuses you.
Line by Line Meaning
I never thought I'd change my opinion again
I never thought I would have a different view but you surprised me
But you moved me in a way that I've never known
But you touched me in a special way that I've never experienced
But straight away you just moved into position again
But right away, you put yourself in control again
You abused me in a way that I've never known
You mistreated me in a way that I've never experienced before
So break me shake me hate me take me over
Make me feel so broken, move and overpower me with your anger
When the madness stops then you will be alone
When your anger subsides, you'll be left alone
Just break me shake me hate me take me over
Go ahead and break me, move me, overpower me with your anger
So you're the kind that deals with the games in the mind
You're someone who likes to play mind games
Well you confuse me in a way that I've never known
You make me feel so perplexed in a way I've never experienced before
She says, 'I can help you, but what do you say?'
She says she can assist me, but what is my response?
Cause it's not free baby, you'll have to pay
Because it's not free, my dear. There's a price to pay
You just keep me contemplating, that your soul is slowly fading
You keep making me ponder if your spirit is gradually dwindling
God, don't you know that I live with a ton of regret?
Dear God, don't you know I carry a heavy load of remorse?
Cause I used to move you in a way that you've never known
Because I used to touch you deeply in a way that you've never felt before
But then I accused you in a way that you've never known
But then, I blamed you in a way that you've never experienced
But you've hurt me in a way that I've never known
But you caused me pain and suffering that I've never experienced
Listen, baby. You'll be, you'll be alone
Listen, baby. You'll end up all alone
Break me shake me hate me take me make me fake me break me shake me hate me take me break me
Go ahead and break me, move and overpower me with your anger, make me feel fake, and continue breaking and overpowering me with your anger
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DANIEL JONES, DARREN HAYES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Kianmur
I was 10 yrs old when this album came out and 34 yrs old now. Where does the time go...?? I swear i can still sing the album word for word. Such an amazing record
@ziggystardust5185
Same
@MarvinGuatemalanBoy
This was a really good album. One of the best of the late 90s IMO
@Mygirls3373
Same!!! My kids were looking at me like I was crazy cus I would get excited every time a song started and I knew every song lol seems like a lifetime ago!
@levisguy53
"Santa Monica" could/should have been omitted. it's not a bad song. it took me a bit to get used to it, but it doesn't fit the feel of the album.
@bunnymcface320
was about to comment to the same effect.
@ziggystardust5185
Personally I think this is one of their best songs.
@annieoops6243
I do as well
@Tenshi252
YES
@christopheraikens597
I think it is their best song