"Break My Stride" is a song performed by American recording artist Matthew Wilder. It was released in August 1983 as the lead single from his debut album, I Don't Speak the Language, and became a major worldwide hit single for him in late 1983 and spring 1984, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Cash Box Top 100.
The song has been covered by many artists throughout the years, including Unique II in 1996 and Blue Lagoon in 2004 (whose versions both charted highly in various places) and, in interpolations, Puff Daddy with his 1997 hit "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" and Aaron Carter on the song "Stride (Jump on the Fizzy)" from his 2001 album Oh Aaron. In 2009, it was interpolated by Matisyahu in the song "Jerusalem".
Composition
Industry executive Clive Davis signed Wilder to Arista Records in 1981 or 1982, but Wilder was not getting the results he or the producers wanted with finding the style of music that worked for him. Poor and near the end of a frustrating period with the record label, he self-financed the recording of "Break My Stride" in the early hours of the morning at the studio of producer Spencer Proffer. "My relationship with Clive Davis was precisely the impetus for my writing the song. There are lyrics in there that are indirectly referring to the circumstances that were governing my life at that point," said Wilder. They threw a party after the recording, and had the music production team sing the chorus, which can be heard at the end of the song. However, Davis did not see potential in the song or any of the others, and his label let Wilder go. Since Arista had not paid Wilder for any of the songs, he was free to shop them around.[4]
Wilder managed to connect with record promoter Joe Isgro, who had a history of doing legally questionable things to promote and chart certain songs. Isgro released "Break My Stride" off his new record label, Private-I, and created the illusion that it was a massive hit, prompting other radio stations to start playing the song, and propelling Wilder's single into the top 5 of the US Billboard charts.[4]
In musical notation, "Break My Stride" is written in the key of E-flat major with a tempo of 108 beats per minute. The song shifts to F major for the first two choruses and then G major for the final chorus.[5]
Included on his 1983 album, I Speak the Language, the single went to number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number four in the UK in January/February 1984. On the US Cash Box chart, Wilder's single reached the number two position, where it remained for two weeks in early February.
A remix version reached the top 20 on the dance chart, and the song additionally hit the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, staying there for four weeks. Though "Break My Stride" was Wilder's only UK hit, he also reached the US pop chart with his next two singles, "The Kid's American" (no. 33) and "Bouncing Off the Walls" (no. 52), before turning to behind-the-scenes work on other artists' recordings.
In 1996, Austrian duo Unique II had its most successful hit by covering "Break My Stride". This version of the song was the first international success for the band, peaking at number one in Austria and New Zealand, as well as number two in Australia. The single also charted in Ireland, Italy, Canada, and Scandinavia.
Critical reception
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Yep, this is a dance-leaning cover of the Matthew Wilder '80s pop chestnut. It has already saturated radio airwaves throughout Europe, with a number of programmers here already giving it positive feedback. Highly videogenic Viennese songbird Jade Davies chirps her way through the track's Ace of Base-like reggae-inflected groove with engaging energy. She'll have little to no trouble successfully carrying this one into the hearts of folks who prefer familiarity over adventure."[37] Australian music channel Max placed the song at number 903 on their list of the "1000 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2013.[38]
Chart performance
"Break My Stride" peaked at number-one in Austria and New Zealand. It also entered the top 10 in Australia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Ireland. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it peaked at number 33 in September 1996. "Break My Stride" was also a hit in Israel, where it peaked at number six, and in Canada, reaching number 18 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks and number 19 on the RPMDance chart. The single was awarded with a platinum record in Australia and Austria. In 2002, a new remix of the song peaked at number 55 in Austria.
Track listings
CD maxi
"Break My Stride" (FM Track) – 3:16
"Break My Stride" (Prolongation) – 4:57
"Break My Stride" (Native Track) – 5:14
CD maxi — The Remixes
"Break My Stride" (Marc McCan edit) – 5:38
"Break My Stride" (Next Level edit) – 4:37
"Break My Stride" (radio edit) – 3:16
CD maxi — Re-Work 2002
"Break My Stride" (Panamericana radio edit) – 2:50
In 2004, "Break My Stride" was covered by German band Blue Lagoon and became a hit in several European countries, including Austria, Germany, Sweden and Denmark, where it reached the top ten.
The song gained more notoriety in 2020 on TikTok, as it was frequently used in TikTok videos – where users would text their friends the lyrics of the song. Matthew Wilder was thrilled at these memes, saying that the results are often bizarre but hilarious.[71] Afterwards, Wilder posted an official lyric video that featured text messages of the song's lyrics.[72]
^Breihan, Tom (November 15, 2022). "Puff Daddy - "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" (Featuring Mase)". The Number Ones: Twenty Chart-Topping Hits That Reveal the History of Pop Music. New York: Hachette Book Group. p. 227.
^"Break My Stride", UK Singles Chart "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 12, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (Retrieved July 20, 2008)
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 05. týden 2020 in the date selector. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
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