ZZ Top formed after Gibbons' previous band, Moving Sidewalks, disbanded in 1969. Within a year, they signed with London Records and released ZZ Top's First Album in 1971. Subsequent releases, such as Tres Hombres (1973) and Fandango! (1975), and the singles "La Grange" and "Tush", gained extensive radio airplay. By the mid-1970s, ZZ Top had become renowned in North America for their live act, including the Worldwide Texas Tour (1976–1977), which was a critical and commercial success.
After a hiatus, ZZ Top returned in 1979 with a new musical direction and image, with Gibbons and Hill wearing sunglasses and matching chest-length beards. With the album El Loco (1981), they began to experiment with synthesizers and drum machines. They established a more mainstream sound and rose to international stardom with Eliminator (1983) and Afterburner (1985), which integrated influences from new wave, punk, and dance-rock. The popularity of these albums' music videos, including those for "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Sharp Dressed Man", and "Legs", gave them mass exposure on television channel MTV and made them prominent artists in 1980s pop culture. The Afterburner tour set records for the highest-attended and highest-grossing concert tour of 1986.
After gaining additional acclaim with the release of their tenth album Recycler (1990), and its accompanying tour, the group's experimentation continued with mixed success on the albums Antenna (1994), Rhythmeen (1996), XXX (1999), and Mescalero (2003). They most recently released La Futura (2012) and Goin' 50 (2019), a compilation album commemorating the band's 50th anniversary. By the time of Hill's death in 2021, ZZ Top had become the longest-running band with an unchanged lineup in the history of popular music. Per Hill's wishes, he was replaced by their longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis on bass.
ZZ Top has released 15 studio albums and sold an estimated 50 million records worldwide. They have won three MTV Video Music Awards, and in 2004, the members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Gibbons the 32nd greatest guitarist of all time. The band members have supported campaigns and charities including Childline, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and a fundraiser for the Delta Blues Museum.
Studio albums
ZZ Top's First Album (1971)
Rio Grande Mud (1972)
Tres Hombres (1973)
Fandango! (1975)
Tejas (1976)
Degüello (1979)
El Loco (1981)
Eliminator (1983)
Afterburner (1985)
Recycler (1990)
Antenna (1994)
Rhythmeen (1996)
XXX (1999)
Mescalero (2003)
La Futura (2012)
Breakaway
ZZ Top Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every time I look into my baby's eyes
I'm helpless, so helpless, so I surrender
There's a visual attraction and she's branded my soul
Simply can't deny it, she has control
I'm helpless, so helpless, so I remember
She won't let me breakaway
She won't let me breakaway
We were working it though, baby we had a groove
Movin' to the moment when we make our move
But it happened, something happened
And I'm not lying 'bout the pain
She won't let me breakaway
She won't let me breakaway
I said breakaway, yeah, oh yeah
I want the answer, I want my stuff
I'm dealing with a feeling deeper than love
But I'm helpless, so helpless, but I remember
She keeps saying breakaway
Something's saying breakaway
Telling me to breakaway
Keeps on saying breakaway
The lyrics to ZZ Top's song Breakaway seem to be describing the powerful and irresistible pull of chemistry between two people. The singer can't resist looking into the eyes of his lover, as every time he does, he becomes completely helpless and surrenders to her power. He refers to this connection as a "chemical attraction" that he simply can't ignore. It seems to be a visual attraction too, as she has "branded [his] soul" with her control.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "she won't let me breakaway", which can be interpreted in a few ways. Perhaps the singer is stuck in an unhealthy relationship or addiction and is unable to free himself even though he knows it's not good for him. Or, he could be describing the intense connection he has with his partner that he can't break away from, even if he wanted to. The second verse suggests that something has "happened" that has caused pain, but the singer is still unable to break away from this strong force. It appears that he's dealing with conflicting emotions - wanting to break free but also wanting to stay - and is ultimately helpless to the magnetic pull of his lover.
Overall, the song seems to be an ode to the intense, almost primal feeling of chemistry between two people. It captures the raw intensity of a connection that is impossible to resist, even if it causes pain or confusion.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a chemical attraction I just can't slide by
There's an irresistible, almost scientific bond between us that I cannot ignore
Every time I look into my baby's eyes
Whenever I gaze into my lover's eyes
I'm helpless, so helpless, so I surrender
I become powerless and willingly yield to her charms
There's a visual attraction and she's branded my soul
Her radiant beauty has left a permanent mark on my being
Simply can't deny it, she has control
I cannot resist her influence, she has power over me
She won't let me breakaway
She is preventing me from breaking free from her hold on me
We were working it though, baby we had a groove
We had a great rhythm going between us
Movin' to the moment when we make our move
We were getting ready to make a big leap forward in our relationship
But it happened, something happened
But then something occurred that changed everything
And I'm not lying 'bout the pain
And I'm not exaggerating the distress I'm feeling
I want the answer, I want my stuff
I'm seeking an explanation and want to reclaim my emotional stability
I'm dealing with a feeling deeper than love
I'm grappling with an intensity of emotion that goes beyond just love
She keeps saying breakaway
She keeps urging me to leave or escape from the situation
Something's saying breakaway
An inner voice or intuition is telling me to break free
Telling me to breakaway
There's a strong indication that I should free myself from this relationship
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BILLY GIBBONS, CARL MARSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@c0ldsun377
such an underrated song... it's genius
@jeremywilson6801
Phenomenal song, possibly their best work.
@bartlomiejchrzanowski6007
I love this piece great music and video!
@AshtarSheran1
Masterpiece.
@jerrybrandt8077
Koolest song ever...Rock in Peace ✌️ Dusty Hill
@nathingtwo2743
best quality vid I've seen. in love with this song
@HailToNietzsche
3:36 - You simply got to adore them... 😎
@zopigrafy
Aguante ZZ Top!
@nufforme
Always this was perfect for a full-length movie. Maybe it's been done, but not quite well enough to suite the reality of the subject matter. They're a story every dude can attest to. If you hadn't lived you, you've heard it. Not everything is a Lifetime horror caused by a man. Just saying. I gotta script and the receipts.
@lisalegato0109
The dog was like, "I'm outta here"