"Breaking Us in Two" by Joe Jackson

Song#:  1309
Date:  01/15/1983
Debut:  73
Peak:  18
Weeks:  16
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  Jackson grabbed his biggest hit with the #6 "Steppin' Out," the first single from his album "Night and Day." This follow-up single would do well reaching the Top 20 and peaking at #8 at AC. The success of the two singles helped the album become his best charting effort at #4. It would become a gold seller as well.

ReduxReview:  I dearly love this song. That little piano riff hooked me right away. I hadn't bought the album yet when this single came out and the first time I heard it I practically sprinted to the store. It was just such an odd sounding single, but yet had enough pop sensibilities to play well on radio. These days, I hear this song played a lot more than "Steppin' Out." It has aged well. I think "Steppin'" is the superior single, but I'm still madly in love with this one.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  In 1981, Jackson produced an album for the British power pop band The Keys. Release on A&M in the UK, their self-titled debut album sank despite some good notices. Band member Drew Barfield went on to another band called Big Heat. They ended up having a single in 1985 called "Watch Me Catch Fire" that got produced by Elvis Costello. Apparently, as this single was beginning to catch on, there was a devastating fire at Brandford football stadium where 56 people died. Big Heat's song was dropped from airplay due to its title and sensitivity surrounding the disaster. Barfield would have success as a songwriter and contribute songs to albums by Paul Young. Young later started a Tex-Mex band called Los Pacaminos that included Barfield. They played around in smaller clubs and would eventually record a self-titled album in 2002.

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