The Breaks (Song)

"The Breaks" is a 1980 single by American rapper Kurtis Blow from his self-titled debut album. It peaked at #87 on the *Billboard* Hot 100. It was the first certified gold rap song, and the second certified gold 12-inch single. In 2008, the song ranked #10 on VH1's 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs.

## Lyrics

* Clap your hands, everybody
* If you got what it takes
* 'Cause I'm Kurtis Blow and I want you to know
* That these are the breaks
* Brakes on a bus, brakes on a car
* Breaks to make you a superstar
* Breaks to win and breaks to lose
* But these here breaks will rock your shoes
* And these are the breaks
* Break it up, break it up, break it up
* If your woman steps out with another man
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* And she runs off with him to Japan
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* And the IRS says they wanna chat
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* And you can't explain why you claimed your cat
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* And Ma Bell sends you a whoppin' bill
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* With eighteen phone calls to Brazil
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* And you borrowed money from the mob
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* And yesterday you lost your job
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* Well, these are the breaks
* Break it up, break it up, break it up
* Throw your hands up in the sky
* And wave 'em 'round from side to side
* And if you deserve a break tonight
* Somebody say alright (alright)
* Say, ho (ho)
* You don't stop
* Keep on, somebody scream (oww)
* Break down
* Breaks on a stage, breaks on a screen
* Breaks to make your wallet lean
* Breaks run cold and breaks run hot
* Some folks got 'em and some have not
* But these are the breaks
* Break it up, break it up, break it up
* Break down
* To the girl in brown, stop messin' around
* (Break it up, break it up)
* To the guy in blue, what you gon' do?
* (Break it up, break it up)
* And to the girl in green, don't be so mean
* (Break it up, break it up)
* And the guy in red, say what I said
* (Break it up, break it up)
* Break down
* Brakes on a plane, brakes on a train
* Breaks to make you go insane
* Breaks in love, breaks in war
* But we got the breaks to get you on the floor
* And these are the breaks
* Break it up, break it up, break it up
* Break down, yo
* Just do it, just do it, just do it, do it, do it
* Just do it, just do it, just do it, do it, do it
* Just do it, just do it, just do it, do it, do it
* Just do it, just do it, just do it, do it, do it
* You say last week you met the perfect guy
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* And he promised you the stars in the sky
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* He said his Cadillac was gold
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* But he didn't say it was ten years old
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* And he took you out to the Red Coach grill
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* But he forgot the cash and you paid the bill
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* And he told you the story of his life
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* But he forgot the part about his wife, huh, huh
* (That's the breaks, that's the breaks)
* Well, these are the breaks
* Break it up, break it up, break it up
* Break down