TDMTLTUT #84 - Breakaway

Time for another installment of "They Don't Make Them Like They Used To". Breakaway is one of my favourite songs ever, written by Jackie DeShannon and Sharon Sheeley it was first released by Irma Thomas as a B-side to her single "Wish Someone Would Care". It has that mix of uptempo pop and sombre lyrics that always draw me in, the lyrics deal with a woman wanting to get out of an abusive relationship but struggling to do so.



It was Tracey Ullman's version of the song I discovered first though and I'm still not sure which version I prefer to be honest, depends on my mood. Tracey Ullman (SHE DISCOVERED THE SIMPSONS FOLKS) covered it in 1983; it was her debut UK single and reached number 4 but ended up being released after her Kirsty MacColl cover of "They Don't Know" in the States. The song also appears on her debut album "You Broke My Heart in 17 Places" which was a covers album that had the backing of Stiff Records at the time and led her to recording a cover of label mates Madness's "My Girl" on her next album, which was just changed simply to "My Guy".