About the song
“Heartbreaker” stands as a timeless anthem in Dionne Warwick’s repertoire, propelled by the songwriting prowess of Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb from the legendary Bee Gees. Released in 1982 as part of Warwick’s album of the same name, the track soared to international acclaim, solidifying its place as one of Warwick’s most iconic hits.
Crafted with the distinctive touch of the Gibb brothers, “Heartbreaker” marries their signature songwriting styles: a structured verse and chorus format, enriched with Barry Gibb’s emotive backing vocals that elevate the chorus to hauntingly beautiful heights. The song’s melody, reminiscent of their own “Living Eyes”, pulsates with a forward momentum that captures Warwick’s emotive delivery and the Gibb brothers’ melodic finesse.
Despite Warwick’s initial reservations about the song, famously admitting in Wesley Hyatt’s The Billboard Book of Number One Adult Contemporary Hits that she wasn’t initially fond of it (“I cried all the way to the bank”), the Bee Gees’ foresight proved prescient. Their confidence in “Heartbreaker” as a hit persuaded Warwick to record it, a decision she later acknowledged as brilliant in hindsight.
The track’s success was meteoric, reaching the top ten in numerous countries and becoming Warwick’s eighth number one on the Adult Contemporary charts in the U.S. Its peak at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1983 cemented its popularity stateside. In the UK, it claimed the number 2 spot on the Singles Chart in November 1982, further underscoring its global appeal.
Interestingly, the Bee Gees themselves recorded a version with Barry Gibb on lead vocals in 1994, a testament to the song’s enduring allure and the deep connection the brothers felt towards it. This rendition, though delayed in release, eventually found its place on compilation albums, ensuring “Heartbreaker” continued to resonate with new audiences.
In retrospect, “Heartbreaker” not only showcases Warwick’s vocal prowess but also highlights the symbiotic creativity between Warwick and the Bee Gees. It remains a poignant reminder of the magic that can happen when extraordinary talents converge, leaving an indelible mark on music history.
Video
Lyrics
I got to say it and it’s hard for me
You got me crying like I thought I would never be
Love is believin’, but you let me down
How can I love you when you ain’t around?
And I get to the morning and you never call
Love should be everything or not at all
And it don’t matter whatever you do
I made a life out of loving you
Only to find any dream that I follow is dying
I’m crying in the rain
I could be searching my world for a love everlasting
Feeling no pain
When will we meet again?
Why do you have to be a heartbreaker?
Is it a lesson that I never knew?
Got to get out of the spell that I’m under
My love for you
Why do you have to be a heartbreaker
When I was being what you want me to be?
Suddenly, everything I ever wanted
Has passed me by
This world may end
Not you and I
My love is stronger than the universe
My soul is crying for you, and that cannot be reversed
You made the rules, and you could not see
You made a life out of hurting me
Out of my mind, I am held by the power of you, love
Tell me when do we try?
Or should we say goodbye?
Why do you have to be a heartbreaker
When I was being what you want me to be?
Suddenly, everything I ever wanted
Has passed me by
Ooh, oh, oh-oh
Why do you have to be a heartbreaker?
Is it a lesson that I never knew?
Suddenly, everything I ever wanted
My love for you, whoa-oh-oh
Why do you have to be a heartbreaker
When I was being what you want me to be?
Suddenly everything I ever wanted
Has passed me by
Tell me, why do you have to be a heartbreaker?