The Breaks Lyrics

[Intro]
Clap your hands everybody
If you got what it takes
'Cause I'm Kurtis Blow and I want you to know
That these are the breaks

[Hook 1]
Brakes on a bus, brakes on a car
Breaks to make you a superstar
Breaks to win and breaks to lose

But these here breaks will rock your shoes
And these are the breaks

Break it up, break it up, break it up!

[Verse 1]
If your woman steps out with another man
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
And she runs off with him to Japan
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
And the IRS says they want to chat
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
And you can't explain why you claimed your cat

(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
And Ma Bell sends you a whopping bill
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
With 18 phone calls to Brazil
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
And you borrowed money from the mob
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
And yesterday you lost your job
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
Well, these are the breaks
Break it up, break it up, break it up
[Bridge 1]
Throw your hands up in the sky
And wave 'em round from side to side
And if you deserve a break tonight
Somebody say alright!
(All right)
Say ho-oo! (Ho-oo!)
You don't stop
Keep on, somebody scream! (Owwwww!)
Break down!

[Hook 2]
Breaks on a stage, breaks on a screen
Breaks to make your wallet lean
Breaks run cold and breaks run hot
Some folks got 'em and some have not
But these are the breaks
Break it up, break it up, break it up
Break down!

[Bridge 2]
To the girl in brown, stop messing around
(Break it up, break it up!)
To the guy in blue, whatcha gonna do?
(Break it up, break it up!)
And to the girl in green, don't be so mean
(Break it up, break it up!)
And the guy in red, say what I said

(Break it up, break it up!)
Break down!
[Hook 3]
Brakes on a plane, brakes on a train
Breaks to make you go insane
Breaks in love, breaks in war
But we got the breaks to get you on the floor
And these are the breaks
Break it up, break it up, break it up
Break down! Yo!

[Interlude]
Just do it, just do it, just do it, do it, do it!
Just do it, just do it, just do it, do it, do it!
Just do it, just do it, just do it, do it, do it!
Just do it, just do it, just do it, do it, do it!

[Verse 2]
You say last week you met the perfect guy
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
And he promised you the stars in the sky
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
He said his Cadillac was gold
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
But he didn't say it was 10 years old

(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
He took you out to the Red Coach grill
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
But he forgot the cash and you paid the bill
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
And he told you the story of his life
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
But he forgot the part about... his wife! Huh! Huh!
(That's the breaks, that's the breaks!)
Well, these are the breaks!
Break it up, break it up, break it up!
Break down!

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About

Genius Annotation

Kurtis Blow’s classic song describes numerous unfortunate situations that people go through and have to deal with because, well, those are the breaks. Along the way he uses a variety of definitions of the word ‘breaks’ (and its homophone ‘brakes’).

This was the first rap song to have a chorus. And it was the first rap single to be certified Gold in August 1980.

In September 1980, “The Breaks” officially became the second rap single (the first released by a major label) to appear on the Hot 100, peaking at #87.

In 2012, Rolling Stone named it the #40 greatest hip hop song of all time).

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Credits
Engineer
Electric Piano
Mastering Engineer
Assistant Engineer
Recorded At
Greene St. Recording, SoHo, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States
Released on
June 14, 1980
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