Grimsby Poets Forums

Lots of songs have been written about couples breaking up. One that I really like is 'Breaking Up Is Hard To Do', written by Neil Sedaka and Harry Greenfield. It was recorded by Neil Sedaka in 1962 and again at a slower tempo in 1986, being a number one hit both times. Also recorded by The Carpenters and others.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Don't take your love away from me
Don't you leave my heart in misery
If you go then I'll be blue
'Cause breaking up is hard to do

Remember when you held me tight
And you kissed me all through the night
Think of all that we've been through
Breaking up is hard to do

They say that breaking up is hard to do
Now I know, I know that it's true
Don't say that this is the end
Instead of breaking up I wish that we were making up again

I beg of you, don't say goodbye
Can't we give our love another try
Come on baby, let's start anew
'Cause breaking up is hard to do

Yes I also do like Breaking Up Is Hard To Do and some other songs like it.

But I also like some Getting Back Together songs like Helen Shapiro's great Walking Back To Happiness (in the Nostalgia post here) and The Letter ;

The Letter - The Box Tops 1967, by Wayne Carson Thompson

Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane,
Ain't got time to take a fast train.
Lonely days are gone, I'm a-goin' home,
My baby just a-wrote me a letter.

I don't care how much money I gotta spend,
Got to get back to my baby again
Lonely days are gone, I'm a-goin' home,
My baby just a-wrote me a letter.

Well, she wrote me a letter
Said she couldn't live without me no mo'.
Listen mister can't you see I got to get back
To my baby once a-mo' .. anyway ... yes.

Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane,
Ain't got time to take a fast train.
Lonely days are gone, I'm a-goin' home,
My baby just a-wrote me a letter.

Well, she wrote me a letter
Said she couldn't live without me no mo'.
Listen mister can't you see I got to get back
To my baby once a-mo' .. anyway ... yes.

Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane,
Ain't got time to take a fast train.
Lonely days are gone, I'm a-goin' home,
My baby just a-wrote me a letter.
My baby just a-wrote me a letter.

Hear it ;



This song has also been done by lots of other bands and singers, sometimes renamed Give Me A Ticket For An Aeroplane.

Sea of Heartbreak by Don Gibson 1961.

This is a great classic breaking-up song

Listen -

And a good old English folk song about a 'good girl' was "Scarborough Fair" somewhat unlike another old English folk song "Strawberry Fair" about a 'bad girl' hopefully 'saved' in its original version.

Hear the Scarborough Fair of Simon And Garfunkel -



And hear a nice version of Strawberry Fair by Saki ( unlike some cruder versions) -