Breaking Up Is Hard To Do / Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield

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Neil Sedaka has birthday today. Born in 1937, in New York. 'Breaking Up Is Hard To Do' was his great number 1 hit in 1962, A real pop classic. A woldwide hit. An evergreen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbad22CKlB4

Of course I knew that song in the 70s, when I was a teen ..but at the time I thought Neil Sedaka was someone from another  era, very old and forgotten, and you know..I wasn't interested in such music. And I had no idea about The Partridge Family's cover of course. 

Many years passed, and around 2010 I rediscovered Neil Sedaka. It's a little bit complicated and not many people know about it, but it was because of Neil and his album called 'Solitaire', that in 1972 one of my favourite bands was formed - 10cc. Neil Sedaka recorded that album in the famous Strawberry Studios, in Stockport, England. And he recorded it with the future 10cc members (they worked there, and Eric Stewart was a co-founder and co-owner of Strawberry Studios). The album was quite successful, and as Graham Gouldman said :' It was Neil Sedaka's success that did it ( a decision to form a band). We'd just being accepted any job we were offered and we were getting frustrated". So they decided to have a try, and very quickly, in 1972, 10cc's first hit, 'Donna', peaked in the UK at number 2..

So let's listen to Neil Sedaka's 1972 hit recorded in England with ..Eric, Graham, Lol and Kevin -10cc. 'That's When The Music Takes Me'. I loved that song right from the start.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfOkO-oVNU8

Enough. I'm a huge 10cc's fan but this is a blog about David Cassidy.

This is quite extraordinary and a proof what an outstanding singer David was, that from a hit everybody knew, he managed to make 3 different songs.Yes 3..this is how David performed that song in May, 1974, in London. A rock ballad..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdJhZLXSPkc

And of course we have 2 other versions, one TPF's, such a happy, optimistic song, Keith was smiling, he  knew that the girl would  be back..Who could have left him..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5fPDYPk8YE

He recorded it again many years later, in 2003. One of the saddest David Cassidy's songs, because..breaking up is really very hard to do and we can hear his sorrow and regret... Let's listen and watch this amazing, wonderful video, made by Anna Maria Ottengren

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh8VR5WuYy0

And once more Neil Sedaka who recorded a slow version too, in 1975. Happy Birthday !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUPQbdqeqW8

 



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