Song:Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Album:Collections
Neil Sedaka started out as a Brill Building songwriter writing songs for others usually with his partner Howard Greenfield. In the early 60s, he rode the teen idol wave to the top of the charts. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do was his only number one hit. After fading with the onslaught of Beatlemania, Sedaka returned in the 70s and had renewed success including a new version of Breaking Up Is Hard To Do. He was born Mar. 13, 1939 in Brooklyn, NY. He took piano lessons as a child. His mom wanted him to be a classical pianist like Van Cliburn. But Sedaka liked pop music and at age 13 he was introduced to 16 year old neighbour Howard Greenfield and eventually they worked as songwriters at the famed Brill Building in New York. Sedaka was a one time member of The Tokens. But he left before they had the 1961 smash hit The Lion Sleeps Tonight. He recorded a couple of singles and then signed with RCA Records. His first single The Diary reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958. His next few singles weren't hits but he finally reached the top ten with Oh Carol in 1959, a song dedicated to fellow Brill Building songwriter Carole King. Sedaka had several top ten hits including Calendar Girl and Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen. But in 1962, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do became his only number one hit. Meanwhile Sedaka and Greenfield wrote hits for other artists like Connie Francis and Jimmy Clanton. Sedaka faded in the mid-60s mostly because of The Beatles. RCA dropped him in 1966. This budget comp is a good intro to Sedaka's RCA years. Sedaka continued to write hits for others. But his own singing career was in the dumps until he moved to England in the early 70s. He signed with Elton John's Rocket label and a successful return to the charts with Laughter In The Rain in 1975. He also hit with a slow version of Breaking Up Is Hard To Do. Of course he faded again by the late 70s. But Neil Sedaka continues to perform today. And there's not much question that he is one of the greatest songwriters in pop music history. Here's Neil Sedaka performing Breaking Up Is Hard To Do on the Miami TV show Rick Shaw's Saturday Hop 1966.
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