Break, Breaking, or Broken

Reading Time: 9 min read

Break, Breaking, or Broken: 5 Gems features songs by Elton John & Kiki Dee, Juice Newton, Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, and Whitney Houston.

It’s giving three words: break, breaking, or broken. That is what this bite-sized playlist, Break, Breaking, or Broken: 5 Gems, comes down to. And, technically, all five songs feature different words… break, breaking, breaks, broke, and broken. Anyways, Break, Breaking, or Broken: 5 Gems features songs by Elton John & Kiki Dee, Juice Newton, Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, and Whitney Houston. So, without overthinking things, let’s dive into the utter brokenness, shall we?!

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1. Sabrina Carpenter, “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night”	2. Taylor Swift, “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”	3. Whitney Houston, “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”
4. Juice Newton, “Break It To Me Gently”	5. Elton John & Kiki Dee, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”	5 Gems (2026)

1. Sabrina Carpenter, “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night”

Man’s Best Friend » Island » 2025

“‘Bullshit repeats itself,’ is that how the saying goes? / Been here a thousand times, selective memory though.”

Word, Sabrina Carpenter, word. The Grammy-winning pop artist continues, “I hear it in his eyes, he sees it in my tone / Is what it is, and it’s predictable.” Again, word. Those lyrics comprise the first verse from “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night”, the fifth track from Carpenter’s seventh studio album, Man’s Best Friend, released in 2025. Matters of the heart, particularly matters of the bedroom, play a role in this pop joint. Carpenter penned “We Almost Broke Up…” with Amy Allen and Jack Antonoff. Carpenter and Antonoff produced it.

Like many Sabrina Carpenter songs, there are blunt and humorous moments, as evidenced by the first verse. The innuendo is on point, too: “We almost / Got so close.” Those lyrics, from the post-chorus, reference that almost break up, and, of course, sex itself 😏. In the second verse, Carpenter shares her reluctance to end it, singing, “When I reach to pull the plug / I swear he starts working out.” She adds, “I know how it looks, I know how it sounds / Least we’ll give ‘em something to talk about.” That’s for damn sure! Other highlights lyrically include the bridge, where they aren’t perfect yet don’t appear to be quitting each other, and the centerpiece, the chorus:

“All the ‘I love yous’ and ‘I’m sorry’s’ were said

We had our sex and then we made amends, that’s right

Called it a false alarm to all of our friends

Then we almost broke up again last night.”

Beyond the striking lyrics, Carpenter delivers a nuanced and respectable vocal performance. She marvelously brings those tuneful melodies alive, particularly when she ascends into her upper register. During the outro, she’s on fire as she informs us, “Gave me his whole heart, then I gave him head and then…” Ooh-wee! The musical accompaniment is sweet, particularly the drums, acoustic guitar, keys, and lush strings, which provide fuel for the non-breakup and Sabrina’s fire. There’s also a modulation that amplifies intensity. “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night” marks one of many bright spots from Man’s Best Friend.

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2. Taylor Swift, “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”

THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY » Taylor Swift » 2024

“But you should’ve seen him when he first got me.”

That is a statement, Taylor Swift. Things went south for ‘her boy’ on “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys,” the third track from THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY. As always, the Grammy-winning pop superstar delivers lyrics that capture the full attention of the ears. The first verse is poetic, concluding with the thought-provoking “Rivulets descend my plastic smile.” What is a rivulet? A small stream. Understanding what it means creates an incredibly impressive lyric. The second verse does not contain rivulets, but the “litany of reasons” is sweet, as are the concluding lines, “But first, pull the string / And I’ll tell you that he runs / Because he loves me.” Expectedly, the chorus carries weight as we hear about what Swift’s ‘boy’ does with those toys!

“My boy (My boy), only breaks his favorite toys, toys, oh

I’m queen (I’m queen), of sand castles he destroys, oh, oh

‘Cause I knew too much, there was danger in the heat of my touch

He saw forever, so he smashed it up, oh, oh

My boy (My boy), only breaks his favorite toys, toys, oh.”

The lyrics are thought-provoking – revelatory. Her ex-boyfriend broke things off because of commitment issues for whatever reason. Swift provides a sound vocal, while the production alongside Jack Antonoff is pleasant, though nothing game changing. Ultimately, “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys” marks one of the better moments from THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY.

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3.Whitney Houston, “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”

Whitney » Arista » 1987

“You see, I haven’t been the same / Since that cold November day / We said we need space / But all we found was an empty place.”

Those matters of the heart – they’re pesky, aren’t they? Whitney Houston (1963 – 2012) was a musical icon – PERIOD. Throughout her career, Houston earned 23 top 10 hits, including 11 number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Among those number-one hits is “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”, where those love-infused lyrics hail. This song appears as the penultimate track from her 1987 sophomore album, Whitney. It was composed by Charles Jackson and Frank Wildhorn. Producing this sensation number was the talented Narada Michael Walden.

In the second verse, Houston continues to address this love situation. “And what we have is so much more / Than we ever had before / And no matter how I try / You’re always on my mind.” Why is he always on her mind? She still loves him despite breaking up. It leads to the centerpiece, the epic, memorable chorus:

“Where do broken hearts go?

Can they find their way home

Back to the open arms

Of a love that’s waiting there?

And if somebody loves you

Won’t they always love you?

I look in your eyes

And I know that you still care, for me.”

Besides memorable, tuneful, and relatable songwriting, the voice is nothing short of remarkable – utterly stupendous. This is Whitney Houston at her best, delivering a big, adult contemporary R&B ballad. Her tone is gorgeous, and the nuances are exemplary. Basically, she hits all the right notes and more! The supporting instrumental is elite too – tailor-made for her. What more is there to be said? “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” speaks for itself. Another triumph from an artist who had no shortage of them.

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4. Juice Newton, “Break It To Me Gently”

Quiet Lies » Capitol Records Nashville » 1981

“Break it to me gently / Let me down the easy way / Make me feel you still love me / If it’s just for one more day.”

Word. Grammy-winning country/pop musician Juice Newton (Judith Newton, b. 1952) delivered a surefire gem with “Break It To Me Gently”, the third track from her 1981 album, Quiet Lies. Notably, this song, written by Diane Lampert (1924 – 2013) and Joe Seneca (1919 – 1996), is a cover. Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Brenda Lee (b. 1944) originally recorded and released it in 1962, with considerable success. However, Juice Newton brings the juice with this can’t-miss cover! A big-time pop hit, it peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Richard Landis produced this high-flying take.

What initially stands out about “Break It To Me Gently” is its celestial, full-fledged, and robust sound. This song features a gorgeous, top-notch arrangement and production. The strings soar, filled with emotion, adding drama and intensity. The keys are warm, while the electric guitar is ripe. There is also the acoustic guitar, which gives “Break” just the right amount of folky, country-western flavor. “Break” is a big, powerful song that oozes with soul and possesses plenty of pop sensibilities. Juice Newton eats vocally (leaving no crumbs), bringing the countrification to the track. Her tone is beautiful, while her performance is nuanced, potent, and powerful. She superbly brings the melodies to life, which are nothing short of radiant. Likewise, she brings out the text, aka lyrics.

“And break it to me gently, give me time

Oh, give me a little time to ease the pain

If you must go, then go slowly

‘Cause I’ll never love again.”

Hopefully, not loving again is not the case, Juice. But, love can be nothing short of arduous, unfortunately. Do you know what’s not arduous? Listening to “Break It To Me Gently”, of course! In the hands of the gifted Juice Newton, this cover (🤯) sounds utterly sublime.

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Juice Newton, Break It To Me Gently: Throwback Vibez No. 201 (2025)

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5. Elton John & Kiki Dee, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”

Rock Of The Westies » Mercury » 1975

“Don’t go breaking my heart,”

Elton John (b. 1947) sings in the first verse of his classic, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”. His duet partner, Kiki Dee (b. 1947), responds, “You take the weight off of me.” Word. Once more, both talented singers trade lines: “Oh, honey, when you knocked on my door / Ooh, I gave you my key.” “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” is the 10^th and final cut on John’s 1975, platinum-certified album, Rock Of The Westies. One of his biggest hits, it spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The single was certified double platinum by the RIAA. It was nominated for the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus at the 19th Annual Grammy Awards (1976). Elton John composed the music, while his longtime partner in crime, Bernie Taupin (b. 1950) composed the lyrics. Gus Dudgeon produced it.

To reiterate, both Elton John and Kiki Dee ‘bring it’ in the vocal department. They sing superbly separately, and ‘strike gold’ when they sing together. Beyond the playful verses, the two sections that shine brightest are the pre-chorus and the chorus. “Ooh, nobody knows it / When I was down, I was your clown,” they sing, respectively, continuing, “Ooh, nobody knows it (Nobody knows it) / Right from the start, I gave you my heart / Oh, I gave you my heart.” Of course, the centerpiece is the chorus, in all its catchy, titular glory!

“Don’t go breaking my heart

I won’t go breaking your heart

Don’t go breaking my heart.”

Beyond the singing and songwriting, the music is ear-catching. The orchestration, particularly the strings, is lovely. The production is well-rounded. The tightness of the rhythm section is a selling point (drums, percussion, bass, and guitar). Ultimately, Elton John and Kiki Dee made a duet for the ages with “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”.

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~ Table of Contents ~

5 Gems (2026)
Almost: 5 Gems No. 1	Alone: 5 Gems No. 2	Am: 5 Gems No. 3
Big: 5 Gems No. 4	Break, Breaking, or Broken: 5 Gems No. 5	Can’t!: 5 Gems No. 6

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Break or Broken: 5 Gems No. 5 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Arista, Capitol Records Nashville, Island, Mercury, Taylor Swift; (El Caminante),Gordon Johnson, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]

Break, Breaking, or Broken | 5 Gems

Published by the musical hype on February 11, 2026February 11, 2026