Break 4 Love
"Break 4 Love" is a song written, produced and recorded by Vaughan Mason, the principal member of house music group Raze, the song's original credited performer. The song, the group's only significant US hit, featured vocals by Keith Thompson, Bobby Coleman, and sexual sound samples by Erique Dial. The single peaked at number 28 in the UK Singles Chart and it topped the US Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1988.[1] It is still considered a classic of the early house music genre.
"Break 4 Love" | ||||
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Single by Raze | ||||
Released | 1988 | |||
Recorded | 1987 | |||
Genre | House | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | Vaughan Mason | |||
Producer(s) | Vaughan Mason | |||
Raze singles chronology | ||||
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"All 4 Love (Break 4 Love 1990)" | ||||
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Single by Raze | ||||
Released | January 27, 1990 | |||
Recorded | 1989 | |||
Genre | Electronic dance, house | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | Erique Dial, Robert Gordon, J Grant,Vaughan Mason | |||
Producer(s) | Erique Dial,Vaughan Mason | |||
Raze singles chronology | ||||
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The song has been remixed, re-recorded and reissued on several different independent dance music labels, the most significant of which, "All 4 Love (Break 4 Love 1990)" which featured Lady J and The Secretary of Entertainment produced and co-written by Erique Dial climbed to number 30 in the UK in early 1990. Further releases of "Break 4 Love" remixes were released in the UK in 1994 and 2003. The 1994 release peaked at number 44 on the official singles chart and number one on the UK Dance Singles Chart,[2] and the 2003 release at number 64 on the singles chart.[3]
"Break 4 Love" interpolated the 1987 song "Today, Tomorrow and Forever" by The Castle Beat.[4]
The sample interpolated of what sounds like a woman having an orgasm is in fact that of actress Lorna Patterson from the 1980 movie Airplane!, when her character Randy is crying to Dr. Rumack (Leslie Nielsen) that she's 26 and never been married.
The song can be heard in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, on the in-game radio station SF-UR, which also features other house music songs by different artists.
Samples
The drum loop or other elements of "Break 4 Love" has been sampled in songs and remixes at least 40 times since 1988.[5] Below is a list of notable releases which sampled the song:
- "Meltdown" - Quartz (1989)
- "If Only I Could" - Sydney Youngblood (1989)
- "Once in a Lifetime (Twice in a Lifetime)" (Dakeyne Remix) - Talking Heads (1989)
- "3 a.m. Eternal" (Break for Love Mix) - The KLF (1989)
- "Another Day in Paradise" (The Sidney Mix) - Jam Tronik (1989)
- "2000 Miles" and "Save Me" - Blue System (1990/1989)
- "Ya Bad Chubbs" (Crib Mix) - Chubb Rock featuring Howie Tee (1989)
- "Nothing Compares 2 U" - Chyp-Notic (1990)
- "It's on You" - MC Sar & the Real McCoy (1990)
- "Pump Up the Jam" (Top FM Mix) - Technotronic (1990)
- "It's Too Late" - Culture Beat (1991)
- "Insomnia" (Original Mix) - Faithless (1995)
- "Right Now" - Lil' Kim featuring Carl Thomas (2000)
- "Break 4 Love" (Classic Radio Mix) - Peter Rauhofer and Pet Shop Boys (The Collaboration) (2001)
Versions
Original 1988–1989 versions
- "Break 4 Love" (Drop the Panties) – a.k.a Caught in the Act Mix – spoken vocals by Vaughan Mason
- "Break 4 Love" (Radio Vocals) – a.k.a English Mix, English Version, Vaughan Mason 12" Mix – sung vocals by Keith Thompson
- "Break 4 Love" (Instrumental)
- "Break 4 Love" (Spanish Fly) – spoken vocals by Jeanette Fraginals
- "Break 4 Love" (Spanish Mix) – similar to Spanish Fly, but no break
- "Break 4 Love" (French Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (Italian Mix)
All of these versions run approximately 5:25 and feature sexual vocalization samples by Erique Dial. A 3:18 edit of the English Mix was used as the 7" single version.
Track listing
Original Grove Street 12" single
- "Break 4 Love" (Drop the Panties)
- "Break 4 Love" (Instrumental)
- "Break 4 Love" (Spanish Fly)
- "Break 4 Love" (Radio Vocals)
The Collaboration version
"Break 4 Love" | ||||
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Single by Peter Rauhofer + Pet Shop Boys = The Collaboration | ||||
A-side | "Home and Dry" | |||
B-side | "Remixes" | |||
Released | November 20, 2001 (US) | |||
Recorded | 2001 | |||
Genre | Dance | |||
Label | Star 69 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Vaughan Mason | |||
Producer(s) |
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Peter Rauhofer singles chronology | ||||
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Pet Shop Boys singles chronology | ||||
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"Break 4 Love" was covered by Peter Rauhofer and Pet Shop Boys, released under the name "Peter Rauhofer + Pet Shop Boys = The Collaboration". The single was not released in the United Kingdom and did not chart there. The song can be found on the US bonus disc of the Pet Shop Boys album Release and as a B-side to CD2 of their single, "Home and Dry".
The single did not chart on the US Billboard Hot 100, but it peaked at number one on the Hot Dance Club Play chart,[1] and peaked at number 51 on the US Hot Singles Sales chart.
Track listing
US 12" single: Star 69
- "Break 4 Love" (USA Club Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (Friburn and Urik Tribal Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (Mike Monday's Kit Kat Dub)
- "Break 4 Love" (The Classic Mix)
US CD single Part 1: Star 69 (CD12172)"
- "Break 4 Love" (UK Radio Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (US Radio Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (Classic Radio Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (Friburn and Urik Tribal Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (USA Club Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (Mike Monday Kit Kat Dub)
- "Break 4 Love" (Classic Club Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (Ralphie's Dub For Love)
US CD single Part 2: Star 69 (CD12192)"
- "Break 4 Love" (Laroz and Amdursky Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (Friburn and Urik Hi-Pass Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (Michael Moog Club Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (Richard Morel's Pink Noize Club Mix)
- "Break 4 Love" (Sunshi Moriwaki's 2 Step Remix)
- "Break 4 Love" (Michael Moog Dub)
Chart positions
Chart positions | Peak position |
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U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
U.S. Billboard Hot Singles Sales | 51 |
References
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 213.
- "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40 | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
- "RAZE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
- "Raze's Break 4 Love sample of The Castle Beat's Today, Tomorrow and Forever". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2014-05-17.
- "Samples of Break 4 Love by Raze on WhoSampled". WhoSampled.