Teddy Swims, Break Up in Reverse | Song Review

Grammy-nominated pop singer-songwriter Teddy Swims sings with incredible emotion in his heartfelt single, “Break Up in Reverse.”

Those are thought-provoking lyrics, Teddy Swims.  They appear in the first verse of his single, “Break Up in Reverse”.  What’s interesting is that the song arrives after the end of his relationship with Raiche Wright, the mother of his child. Teddy Swims wrote “Break Up in Reverse” with Mikky Ekko (of “Stay” fame), Julian Bunetta, John The Blind (John Ryan), and Matt Zara. Bunetta, John The Blind, Zara, and Tommy King produced it.

“Break Up in Reverse” commences with rhythmic acoustic guitar.  Teddy Swims sounds beautiful, as expected. His tone is simply marvelous, and he sings expressively.  “Break Up in Reverse” features tuneful melodies in the verses, with the chorus hitting the hardest.

“I wish we could break up in reverse

Every night would get better instead of getting worse

I’d watch you slowly slip back into my hands

Say goodbye to me in the beginning

And love me in the end

And love me in the end.”

Here, Swims packs more of a punch, showing the power and soulfulness of his pipes.  The second verse features fuller production and a bit more oomph as the breakup continues to weigh heavily on his mind (“‘Cause all I want’s the night back when your best friend introduced us”).  The second iteration of the chorus also has a bit more punch. The bridge distinguishes itself from the verses and chorus, using the same lyrics as the pre-chorus (“Things we should have never said / Just crawl right back into our heads…”).  It pulls back, with piano and string accompaniment.  No worries, those rhythmic guitars return soon enough.  The final chorus finally reaches the fever pitch I’d been waiting for.  But I do feel like some background vocals fueling Swims’ fire could have upped the ante. All told, “Break Up in Reverse” is a heartfelt offering from Teddy Swims.  Is it “Lose Control”? No – that’s his ace.  But, understanding the background behind the song and the emotion that he sings with, I vibe with it.

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Teddy Swims » “Break Up in Reverse” » Warner Records / SWIMS Int. » 7.10.26 [📷: Warner Records / SWIMS Int.]

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