Don't Break the Heart That Loves You

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“Don't Break the Heart That Loves You”
Single by Connie Francis
Released	January 1962
Format	7"
Recorded	November 2, 1961
Genre	Country
Length	3:05
Label	MGM Records 13059
Writer(s)	Benny Davis, Ted Murry
Producer	Danny Davis, Arnold Maxin

“Don't Break the Heart That Loves You”
Single by Margo Smith from the album Don't Break the Heart That Loves You
Released	December 1977
Format	7"
Recorded	1977
Genre	Country
Length	2:57
Label	Warner Bros. Records
Writer(s)	Benny Davis, Ted Murry
Producer	Norro Wilson

"Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" is an American song written by Benny Davis and Ted Murry. The song would become a success for two artists in two different genres: Connie Francis in the pop field in 1962, and Margo Smith as a country version in 1978.

Contents 1 Song history 1.1 Connie Francis version 1.2 Margo Smith cover 2 Chart performance 2.1 Connie Francis Version 2.2 Margo Smith Version 3 Succession 3.1 Connie Francis 3.2 Margo Smith

[edit] Song history

[edit] Connie Francis version

Benny Davis and Ted Murry became associated with Connie Francis by suggestion of Francis' father, George Franconero. The idea was to combine the skills of Tin Pan Alley veterans Davis and Murry with the current sound of the day. Francis signed Murry and Davis as regular composers to her own music publishing company, Francon Music Incorporated. Over the following years, Davis and Murry wrote further hits for Francis, such as the country ballad The biggest sin of all and the theme song for Francis' third movie, Follow The Boys, which she also recorded in French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, and German. Neither of the songs left a bigger impact on Billboard's Pop Charts, but became notable successes on the Adult Contemporary Charts.

Francis recorded the song on November 2, 1961, during a session which also included the recording of "I'm Falling in Love With You Tonight," "When the Boy in Your Arms (is the Boy in Your Heart," "'Baby's First Christmas," "'Mon Cœur est un Violon," and "Personne au Monde."

"Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 31, 1962 for one week, becoming her third and final chart-topping single.

The ballad, recorded by Francis in two-part harmony with a spoken bridge, is a plea from a heartbroken lover who is trying to understand why her lover is going out of his way to treat her unkindly. The song ends with her begging him not to break her heart.

Following the success in the US, Francis recorded "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" subsequently also in German ("Tu mir Nicht Weh"), Spanish ("Mi Corazón te Adora"), Japanese (Latin writing of Japanese title unknown) and in both regular Italian and the Italian dialect Neapolitan (both as "Un Desiderio Folle")

[edit] Margo Smith cover

In 1977, the ballad was recorded by country singer Margo Smith. Her version — featuring a saxophone solo during the musical bridge but not the recitation of Francis's version — topped the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in February 1978, and went on to become one of her best-known recordings.

[edit] Chart performance

[edit] Connie Francis Version

Year	Chart	Position
1962	Billboard Hot 100	1

[edit] Margo Smith Version

Year	Chart	Position
1978	Billboard Country Singles	1

[edit] Succession

[edit] Connie Francis

Preceded by "Hey! Baby" by Bruce Channel

Billboard Hot 100 number one single March 31, 1962

Succeeded by "Johnny Angel" by Shelley Fabares

[edit] Margo Smith

Preceded by "I Just Wish You Were Someone I Love" by Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers

Billboard Hot Country Singles number one single February 18-February 25, 1978 by Margo Smith

Succeeded by "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson