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Break It to Me Gently

"Break It to Me Gently" is a pop song written by blues musician Joe Seneca with lyrics by Diane Lampert. Both Brenda Lee and Juice Newton were met with considerable success with their versions of the song.

For the song by Aretha Franklin, see Break It to Me Gently (Aretha Franklin song). For the song by Loverboy, see Wildside (album).

"Break It to Me Gently"

"So Deep"

August 31, 1961

2:34

Decca 31348

Joe Seneca, Diane Lampert

Brenda Lee recorded "Break It to Me Gently" on August 31, 1961, with Owen Bradley producing the session at his Bradley Film and Recording Studio in Nashville,[1] after another track from the same sessions, "Fool #1", which became a top 10 hit. "Break It To Me Gently" was released as a single at the end of 1961 and reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1962.[2] In 2008, the Brenda Lee version of the song was featured at the closing of season 2, episode 7 of the AMC series Mad Men. Lee's "Break It to Me Gently" is on the track list of the CD Pan Am: Music From and Inspired By the Original Series set for release January 17, 2012.[3]

"Break It to Me Gently"

"Adios Mi Corazon"

August 1982

4:04

Joe Seneca, Diane Lampert

Juice Newton: lead vocals

Chuck Martin: electric guitar and solo

George Doering: electric guitar

Fred Tackett: acoustic guitar

Richard Tee: keyboards

Michael Boddicker: synthesizer

George Hawkins: bass

Rick Shlosser: drums

"Quitte-moi doucement"

1963 (1963)

Other cover versions[edit]

"Break It to Me Gently" has also been recorded by Ruth Brown, Linda Martin, Lorrie Morgan, Bobby Rydell and Guy Lombardo.


An alternate French rendering, "Brise doucement notre amour", was recorded by Québécois singer Michèle Richard (fr). Deana Martin recorded "Break It To Me Gently" on her 2013 album Destination Moon. In 2016, Aubrey Peeples performed the song at the Grand Ole Opry.

List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1982 (U.S.)

on YouTube

Brenda Lee - Break It to Me Gently

on YouTube

Juice Newton - Break It to Me Gently