Song of the Day 7/3: Neil Sedaka, “Breakin’ Up Is Hard to Do”

A song for Joe Biden, sung by a guy who’s even older than he is.

Sedaka was an established star as both a performer and songwriter with several Top 10 hits under his belt before “Breakin’ Up Is Hard to Do” hit No. 1 in 1962. His career was among the notable casualties of the first British Invasion. This 1966 clip finds him lip-synching it on Miami-based DJ Rick Shaw’s show. He confessed years later that the doo-wop intro was intended as a placeholder for lyrics he and partner Howard Greenfield never could come up with.

Though his performing career declined, Sedaka remained a prolific songwriter. When singer Lenny Welch asked if he had a torch song he might record, Sedaka confessed he didn’t. Instead he revised “Breakin’ Up” for the purpose. Welch took it to No. 34 in 1970.

Sedaka liked the new arrangement so much he re-recorded it during his ’70s comeback. The slow version reached No. 8 on the Hot 100 in 1975, one of the few times an artist has reached the Top 10 twice with the same song.