The Breaks

Album: Kurtis Blow (1980)
Charted: 47 87
Play Video
  • 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

    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

    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 wanna 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 whoppin' bill
    (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
    With eighteen 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

    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 (alright)
    Say, ho (ho)
    You don't stop
    Keep on, somebody scream (oww)
    Break down

    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

    To the girl in brown, stop messin' around
    (Break it up, break it up)
    To the guy in blue, what you gon' 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

    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

    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

    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 ten years old
    (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
    And 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 Writer/s: J. B. Moore, Kurt Walker, Kurtis Blow, Lawrence Smith, Robert Ford, Russell Simmons
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., MUSIC MANAGEMENT, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Songtrust Ave
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 1

  • Joey from Boston, MaThe music is great on this song, awesome piano solo, bass line, and the rhytym section with the rumba is really cool.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Charles Fox

Charles FoxSongwriter Interviews

After studying in Paris with a famous composition teacher, Charles became the most successful writer of TV theme songs.

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-Nighters

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-NightersSong Writing

These Three famous songs actually describe how they were written - late into the evening.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.