Break Down Here

"Break Down Here"
Single by Julie Roberts
from the album Julie Roberts
B-side "No Way Out"
Released February 24, 2004 (2004-02-24)
Format CD single, music download
Genre Country
Length 4:06
Label Mercury Nashville
Writer(s) Jess Brown, Patrick Jason Matthews
Producer Brent Rowan
Julie Roberts singles chronology
"Break Down Here"
(2004)		 "The Chance"
(2004)

"Break Down Here" is the debut single from country music singer Julie Roberts. The single is the lead-off to her self-titled debut album that was released on May 24, 2004, via Mercury Nashville. The song debuted in February 2004 and peaked at number 18 on the country music charts. Its b-side was a cover of Suzy Bogguss's "No Way Out".

The song was originally recorded as "I'd Sure Hate to Break Down Here" by country singer Trace Adkins on his 2003 album Comin' On Strong. However, his version of the song was not released as a single.

Contents

Content

"Break Down Here" is a mid-tempo ballad centralizing on the narrator, who is driving a car by herself on the freeway, escaping a failed relationship with all of her belongings in the back of the car. Realizing that her car is beginning to make a noise and that she is far from an exit, she states that she would "sure hate to break down here". The phrase has a double meaning, in that she does not want the car to break down, and she does not want to break down and cry ("I've made it this far without crying a single tear").

Music video

A music video was released for the song, directed by Steven Goldmann.

Critical reception

Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times described the song favorably, calling it "one of the year's best country ballads" and "an aching but resolute lament".[1]

Personnel

The following musicians performed on this track:[2]

Chart performance

"Break Down Here" spent a total of 32 weeks on the country charts, peaking at 18 in September 2004. It is Robert's only Top 40 hit on that chart. The song also debuted at number one on the Country Singles Sales chart, making her the first female artist to debut at the top of that chart since LeAnn Rimes in 2000.[3]

Chart (2004) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[4] 81
US Country Songs (Billboard)[5] 18

References

  1. ^ "Pop and Rap, to Classical and Country". The New York Times. 7 December 2004. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/07/business/businessspecial/07LIST2.html. Retrieved 31 May 2011. 
  2. ^ (2004) Album notes for Julie Roberts by Julie Roberts [CD booklet]. Mercury Records Nashville (000190202).
  3. ^ Bronson, Fred (17 April 2004). "Chart Beat". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.) 116 (76): 65. ISSN 0006-2510. http://books.google.com/books?id=jhAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA65&dq=%22Break+down+here%22+%22julie+roberts%22&hl=en&ei=ToTkTardNc2htweRnvXeCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22Break%20down%20here%22%20%22julie%20roberts%22&f=false. 
  4. ^ "Julie Roberts Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Julie Roberts. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
  5. ^ "Julie Roberts Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Country Songs for Julie Roberts. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 4, 2011.