Give Your Heart a Break

Album: Unbroken (2011)
Charted: 16
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This tender track was released as the second single from American pop singer Demi Lovato's third album, Unbroken. The song was penned by the songwriting partnership of Billy Steinberg and Josh Alexander. Steinberg has written numerous US hits dating back to the mid-1980s, mostly with Tom Kelly composing the music. They include "Eternal Flame," "Like A Virgin" and "True Colors."
  • Demi opened up a bit more about the track in a video that she posted on Twitter. "19-years-old ... sometimes it feels like during that brief time that I've been alive that I've lived through more emotions than people twice my age," she said. "I think that's the reason I sing about love so often in the music I make."
  • The singer explained that despite the play on the word "heartbreak" in the title, the song is about the exact opposite. "Last year I began working on a song about a different kind of love," said Demi. "It's a song about showing someone you love that you're the one right in front of them. This is a song about faith."
  • The song's music video finds Demi hitting difficulties in a relationship. Speaking to MTV News she explained. "The new music video, I'm basically trying to convince a guy that I didn't break his heart, and we get into a fight and I try to win him over again. So I do something special for him at the end of the song."
  • While shooting the video, Demi joked on Twitter about having to get intimate with her co-star, whom she had met not long before cameras started rolling. "It's kind of funny. It's part of the job though. You just try to get through it, but it is kind of awkward at first when you have to act like a couple with someone that you don't know," she said. "He was really sweet, really sweet and really cute."
  • The song has the somewhat dubious distinction of being the first to reach #1 on Billboard's Pop Songs chart whilst falling short of the Hot 100's top 10, since the eligibility rules for the latter tally changed in December 1998.

Comments: 1

  • Asemahle Tamsanqa from CofimvabaIt is the best song that heals your wounds and broken heart I love it so much.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Intentionally Atrocious

Intentionally AtrociousSong Writing

A selection of songs made to be terrible - some clearly achieved that goal.

Lecrae

LecraeSongwriter Interviews

The Christian rapper talks about where his trip to Haiti and his history of addiction fit into his songs.

Justin Timberlake

Justin TimberlakeFact or Fiction

Was Justin the first to be Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher? Did Britney really blame him for her meltdown? Did his bandmates think he was gay?

Fire On The Stage

Fire On The StageSong Writing

When you have a song called "Fire," it's tempting to set one - these guys did.

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.