| The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em) | |
| Cover: | Greg Kihn Breakup Song.jpg |
| Caption: | U.S. release picture sleeve |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | The Greg Kihn Band |
| Album: | RocKihnRoll |
| B-Side: | When the Music Starts |
| Released: | May 1981 |
| Recorded: | 1980 |
| Length: | 2:56 (album version) 2:50 (single version) |
| Label: | Beserkley |
| Producer: | Matthew King Kaufman |
| Prev Title: | Remember |
| Prev Year: | 1978 |
| Next Title: | Sheila |
| Next Year: | 1981 |
"The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" is a song written by Greg Kihn and Steve Wright and recorded by the American rock band the Greg Kihn Band. It is the first single from the band's sixth studio album, RocKihnRoll (1981). The song's musical style encompasses pop rock[1] and power pop.[2]
It celebrates the quality of breakup songs in rock's earlier times, as the narrator laments both his recent breakup and the fact that they don't write good breakup songs anymore.[3]
The song reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #5 on the Billboard Top Tracks chart.
It has been featured in several films, including Let Me In (2010), The House of the Devil (2009), The Groomsmen (2006) and Beautiful Girls (1996) as well as the hit video game Grand Theft Auto V (2013). It was sampled in "Gone" by Yelawolf on his Arena Rap EP. It was also featured in a season five episode of The Sopranos. Additionally, the TV show The Nanny made a reference to the song when Fran said they don't write them like that anymore.
| Chart (1981) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] | 14 | |
| Canada (RPM)[5] | 25 | |
| US (Billboard Hot 100)[6] | 15 |
. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 166.