BILLBOARD #1 HITS: #75: ” BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO”- NEIL SEDAKA- AUGUST 11, 1962

· by · in 1960's, Album Covers, Albums, American Top 40, BILLBOARD HOT 100 SINGLE CHART, Entertainment, Music, Music Videos, Pop Music, Radio. ·

Neil Sedaka - Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Billboard #1 Hits: #75: “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”- Neil Sedaka. August 11, 1962. #1 for 2 weeks. Released on RCA Victor. Written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield. Time: 2:18. B-side: “As Long As I Live” Grade: B

Neil Sedaka was only 23 years old when “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” hit #1 the first of an eventual 3 #1’s he would have in his career- but he always looked/ seemed older than his age to me. Not a year or two older but a decade older. I always think of actor Karl Malden that way too- even when Malden was a young man he seemed older.

When I was younger I tended to get Neil Sedaka and Paul Anka confused. I don’t know why that was the case- clearly Sedaka is the more talented of the two. They look nothing alike. Sedaka is Jewish and from New York City- Anka is from Canada and is of Lebanese descent.

” Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” has made the charts five times- the first was this #1 original- by Sedaka- the faster version. In 1976 a slower version by Sedaka went to #8. The other chart appearances by the song- #67 in 1968 by Happenings, “#34 in 1970 by Lenny Welch, #28 by Partridge Family in 1972.

Neil Sedaka has had 31 Hot 100 singles with 21 making the Top 40. He went from late 1963 until 1974 without a hit- The Beatles/ British Invasion were not good for his career but in 1974 Elton John signed him to his record company- and he was back- with a #1 in “Laughter In The Rain” and “Bad Blood” where Elton was on backing vocals.

4 responses to “BILLBOARD #1 HITS: #75: ” BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO”- NEIL SEDAKA- AUGUST 11, 1962”

  1. He was an unlikely looking guy to hit. I started to know more about him when Bad Blood came out. He looked like an accountant. Very talented guy.

  2. That slicked back hair and the receding hairline gives him a mature look. He kinda looks like Jim Baccus now that I think about it. I like the fast and slow versions of this song, but the slow one is probably my favorite. I am glad Elton John gave him the support to revive his career.

Comments are closed.