Each Time You Break My Heart

Summary

"Each Time You Break My Heart" is a song recorded by British singer Nick Kamen, for his eponymous debut studio album (1987). It was released by Sire Records on 2 November 1986 as his debut single in 7-inch and 12-inch maxi formats. Kamen had gained popularity by starring in a 1985 Levi's television commercial, later deciding to delve into the music business and signed a record deal with Sire. "Each Time You Break My Heart" was the lead single from his album, written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray. It was originally set to be included on Madonna's third studio album, True Blue (1986), but failed to make the final tracklist. Madonna also provided background vocals on the track.

"Each Time You Break My Heart"
Nick Kamen looking towards the camera
Cover artwork for most of the single releases
Single by Nick Kamen
from the album Nick Kamen
B-side"Each Time You Break My Heart (Instrumental)"
Released2 November 1986 (1986-11-02)
StudioSigma Sound Studios
(New York City, New York)
GenreSynthpop
Length4:30
LabelSire
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Madonna
  • Stephen Bray
Nick Kamen singles chronology
"Each Time You Break My Heart"
(1986)
"Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever"
(1987)

A promotional video to accompany the single was directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino. The synth-pop song was featured in Billboard magazine's "New and Noteworthy" single list, receiving comparison to songs by the Bee Gees. It was a commercial success, reaching the top ten of the record charts in France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It attained Silver certification in France and the United Kingdom, and a remix of the track became a dance hit in the United States.

Background and recording edit

Nick Kamen attained popularity in 1985 when his modelling career gave him the chance to star in Levi's television commercial. It showed him coming into a launderette to wash his 501 jeans, wearing only white boxer shorts.[1] As he strips down he is watched by a group of women in the launderette.[2] The advertisement had an immediate impact, with Levi's sales increasing by 800% and making it the number one jeans manufacturer. It also made Kamen a household name and a sex symbol.[3] Singer Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" was featured in the commercial and its sales were also boosted, resulting in the song reaching number eight on the UK Singles Chart.[4][5]

Kamen later decided to delve into music, and released his eponymous debut album in 1987. Written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray, "Each Time You Break My Heart" was selected as the lead single from the album.[6] Madonna had previously expressed interest in producing Kamen's record when the latter was signed with Sire Records. However, since she was busy shooting for her film that year, Who's That Girl (then titled Slammer), she chose to write and compose one song.[7] Madonna had originally written and recorded the song for her third studio album, True Blue (1986), but it did not make the final tracklist.[8] "Each Time You Break My Heart" also contains background vocals by the singer. The Latin Rascals handled the editing of the track, which was engineered by Steve Peck. Recording and mixing of "Each Time You Break My Heart" was performed by Michael Hutchinson at New York's Sigma Sound Studios, while Ted Jensen did the precision lacquer mastering of the song at Sterling Sound Studios in New York. An extended dance/club remix was composed by Shep Pettibone, which reached number five on the Dance Club Songs chart in the United States.[9]

Release edit

 
Madonna provided background vocals on the track

"Each Time You Break My Heart" was released on 2 November 1986 by Sire in 7" and 12" maxi formats.[10] Photographer Robert Erdman shot the cover artwork photograph of the 7" single, showing Kamen smiling. Another photographer Bob Merlis shot the picture listed on the back cover, which is a black-and-white image of Madonna and Kamen in a recording studio.[9] A promotional video for the song was directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino.[11] It featured Kamen's then girlfriend, actress Talisa Soto and Felix Howard[12]

Critical reception edit

A writer for Billboard magazine listed the dance mix of the song as one of the "New and Noteworthy" singles released, believing that the combination of the writer and the producer duo, along with Kamen's looks would make the track popular. The reviewer added that the song was musically "light synth-pop" and Kamen's vocals were reminiscent of the Bee Gees.[13] Roger Morton of Record Mirror described the single as being "vapid, exploitative, and a chart certainty", while noting Kamen's "respectable, if somewhat thin, George Michael-style vocal, set against a popping glossy disco backing".[14]

Chart performance edit

In the United Kingdom, "Each Time You Break My Heart" debuted at number 54 on the UK Singles Chart. After four weeks, the song reached a peak of number five on the chart, staying within the top 100 for a total of 13 weeks.[15] It received a Silver certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipment of 250,000 copies[a] of the single.[17] In France, "Each Time You Break My Heart" attained a peak position of number eight on the French Singles Chart, and was present for a total of 19 weeks.[18] The Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) certified it Silver for shipping 250,000 copies of the single.[19] Across Europe the song also attained the top ten positions in the record charts of Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland.[20] On the combined pan-European Hot 100 Singles chart, it entered the chart at number 78 on 22 November 1986, peaked at number 10 in its 15th week,[21] and had a 34-week chart run divided into two segments with a six-week hiatus due to its release in May 1987 in France. In the United States, the song failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but a club remix by Shep Pettibone achieved a peak of number five on the Dance Club Songs chart.[22]

Track listings edit

Credits and personnel edit

Credits adapted from the 12-inch maxi single liner notes.[23]

  • Nick Kamen – primary and background vocals
  • Madonna – writer, producer, background vocals
  • Stephen Bray – writer, producer
  • Michael Hutchinson – recording, mixing
  • The Latin Rascals – audio editing
  • Ted Jensen – audio mastering
  • Steve Peck – audio engineering
  • Shep Pettibone – remixing

Charts edit

Certifications edit

Certifications and sales for "Each Time You Break My Heart"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[19] Silver 250,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[17] Silver 250,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ In the United Kingdom, the number of sales required to qualify for Platinum, Gold and Silver discs were dropped for singles released after 1 January 1989 to the current thresholds of Silver (200,000 units), Gold (400,000 units), and Platinum (600,000 units). Prior to this, the thresholds were Silver (250,000 units), Gold (500,000 units), and Platinum (1,000,000 units).[16]

References edit

  1. ^ Zadech, Joe (8 April 2011). "Jean Spirit: The Music Behind Levi's Adverts". Clash. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  2. ^ Gavey, Nicola (2013). Just Sex?: The Cultural Scaffolding of Rape. Routledge. p. 225. ISBN 9781134388127.
  3. ^ Morgan, Nigel; Pritchard, Annette (2012). Advertising in Tourism and Leisure. Routledge. pp. 262–263. ISBN 9781136002090.
  4. ^ "Marvin Gaye: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  5. ^ Rutter, Paul (2016). The Music Industry Handbook: Media Practice. Routledge. p. 205. ISBN 9781317434610.
  6. ^ Gett, Steve (15 November 1986). "Cameras Roll for New Madonna Flick; Daryl Hall Sows His Solo Oats on TV". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 46. p. 22. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  7. ^ Davis, Sharon (2012). 80s Chart-Toppers: Every Chart-Topper Tells a Story. Random House. p. 342. ISBN 9781780574110.
  8. ^ Lynch, Joe (4 March 2015). "5 Songs You Didn't Know Madonna Sang Backup On". Billboard. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  9. ^ a b c Each Time You Break My Heart (US 7-inch Single liner notes). Nick Kamen. Sire Records. 1986. 7-28435.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ a b Each Time You Break My Heart (European 12-inch Maxi Single liner notes). Nick Kamen. Warner Bros. Europe Records. 1986. 248 526-0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ "Jean-Baptiste Mondino: Person page". Music Video DataBase. Archived from the original on 26 February 2005. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  12. ^ Barnes, Alan; Hearn, Marcus (1997). Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: The Unofficial James Bond Film Companion. Batsford Books. p. 184. ISBN 9780713481822.
  13. ^ "Singles: New and Noteworthy". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 48. 29 November 1986. p. 61. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  14. ^ Morton, Roger (1 November 1986). "Singles reviewed by Roger Morton" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 15. ISSN 0144-5804. Retrieved 14 November 2023 – via World Radio History.
  15. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  16. ^ Gallup (4 February 1989). "The Top of the Pops Chart" (PDF). Record Mirror: 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 October 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  17. ^ a b "British single certifications – Nick Kamen – Each Time You Break My Heart". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  18. ^ a b "Nick Kamen – Each Time You Break My Heart" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  19. ^ a b "French single certifications – Nick Kamen – Each Time You Break My Heart" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 29 November 2014. Select NICK KAMEN and click OK. 
  20. ^ a b "Nick Kamen – Each Time You Break My Heart" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  21. ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 8. 28 February 1987. p. 18-19. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 28 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  22. ^ a b "Nick Kamen Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  23. ^ a b Each Time You Break My Heart (US 12-inch Maxi Single liner notes). Nick Kamen. Sire Records. 1986. 9 20632-0 A.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives: Australian Chart Book. p. 163. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  25. ^ "Nick Kamen – Each Time You Break My Heart" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  26. ^ "Nick Kamen – Each Time You Break My Heart" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  27. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6267." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  28. ^ "Top 3 Singles in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 6. 14 February 1987. p. 16. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 28 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  29. ^ "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 8. 28 February 1987. p. 4. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 28 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  30. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Each Time You Break My Heart". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  31. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 29 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Nick Kamen".
  32. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Nick Kamen" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  33. ^ "Nick Kamen – Each Time You Break My Heart". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  34. ^ "Nick Kamen – Each Time You Break My Heart". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  35. ^ "Nick Kamen – Each Time You Break My Heart". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  36. ^ "Top Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 3 January 1987. p. 21. Retrieved 8 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  37. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Nick Kamen – Each Time You Break My Heart" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  38. ^ "January to December 1986: Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 24 January 1987. p. 26. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  39. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1987". Ultratop. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  40. ^ "European Charts of the Year 1987 - Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 51/52. 26 December 1987. p. 34. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 7 October 2021 – via World Radio History.
  41. ^ "Single top 100 over 1987" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  42. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1987" (in Dutch). Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  43. ^ "Gallup Year End Charts 1987: Singles" (PDF). Record Mirror. 23 January 1988. p. 36. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  44. ^ "Top Single Jahrescharts 1987" (in German). Offizielle Top 100. Retrieved 25 July 2017.

External links edit

  • Nick Kamen - Each Time You Break My Heart on YouTube
  • Each Time You Break My Heart at Discogs (list of releases)