Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart

"Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" is a popular song written by Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller.[1]

"Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart"
Single by Connie Francis
B-side	"Someone Else's Boy"
Released	April 1961
Recorded	October 18, 1960
Genre	Country pop
Length	2:35
Label	MGM Records
Songwriter(s)	Howard Greenfield, Jack Keller
Connie Francis singles chronology
"Where the Boys Are" (1960) "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" (1961) "Together" (1961)

Background

It was recorded by Connie Francis in an October 18, 1960, New York City session conducted and arranged by Stan Applebaum; the same session produced "Where the Boys Are". Like Francis' previous Greenfield/Keller-penned hit "Everybody's Somebody's Fool", "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" exemplified the country pop sound and while unlike "Everybody's Somebody's Fool", "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" was not a C&W crossover for Francis herself.

Chart Performance

"Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" was released as the follow-up single in April 1961, reaching the Top 10 in May with a Billboard Hot 100 peak of #7 (#5 on the Cash Box Pop 100).[2]

Although "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" was Francis' seventh consecutive A-side to reach the Top 10 - and her eleventh Top 10 overall - the single did mark a dip in her popularity as, while Francis' previous eight singles had had both A- and B-sides chart, the single's B-side "Someone Else's Boy" was overlooked in the U.S. despite becoming an international success for Francis via her recording versions in eight languages.

In the UK, "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" reached #12 in June 1961.[3] Elsewhere, the track reached the Top 10 in Australia (#8) and New Zealand (#2), that July. In September 1961, it reached #7 in the Netherlands, with a Top 10 ranking in India in December. Also in 1961, Francis' rendering in Italian as "La Valle Senzo Eco" ("The valley without echo") was a Top 10 hit in Italy - #9 that October - and the same year. Like Francis' previous Greenfield/Keller-penned hit "Everybody's Somebody's Fool", "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" exemplified the country pop sound and while unlike "Everybody's Somebody's Fool", "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" was not a C&W crossover for Francis herself.

Cover versions

• The song entered C&W canon via a cover by the Wilburn Brothers on their 1962 album City Limits, as "Breaking in a Brand New Broken Heart"
• In 1978, Margo Smith remade the song for her Don't Break the Heart That Loves You LP, whose title cut, a remake of Francis' 1961 #1 hit, had been a #1 C&W hit.
• "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" was a #25 C&W single in 1979 for Debby Boone.[4] Her precedent single had also been a remake of a Connie Francis hit, specifically "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" (#11 C&W); both tracks were featured on the Debby Boone album. In 1980 Boone would attempt a third Connie Francis hit remake with her version of "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" which would fall short of the C&W Top 40 at #48.
• A German rendering of the song: "Das kommt davon...", was recorded in 1961 by Gitte.
• Elda Viler (sl) recorded the Slovenian rendering "Dolina Brez Odmeva" in 1964 and also recorded "La Valle Senzo Eco" in 1965.
• A version in soumi: "Äsken särkyi sydämeni", was cut by Marjatta Leppänen(fi) for release in Finland.

References

1. https://www.discogs.com/Connie-Francis-Breakin-In-A-Brand-New-Broken-Heart/release/540929
2. "Praguefrank's Country Music Discographies: Connie Francis - part I". Countrydiscography.blogspot.com. 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
3. https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/5976/connie-francis/
4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 49.