Album: I Robot (1977)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Written by APP leaders Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson, this song is told from the perspective of a person or thing that constantly malfunctions, and gets ignored when broken.

    "We tried to make it vague whether we were talking from a robot perspective, or a human talking to a robot," Parsons told Songfacts. "I think we could argue that robots could break down just like humans do."
  • Before forming The Alan Parsons project, Parsons did engineering work for The Hollies, where he befriended their lead singer, Allan Clarke. With The Project, Parsons used an array of vocalists, and on "Breakdown" Clarke takes the lead. Hollies harmony vocalist/guitarist Terry Sylvester appears on the first Alan Parsons Project album. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Neil - Skokie, IL
  • This follows the theme of the album, which is robots. The songs are loosely based on the work of science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, who published a collection called I, Robot in 1950.
  • Parsons used a homemade device called a Projectron to process the female backing vocals on this track. The Projectron was similar to a mellotron in that it looked like a keyboard but was filled with tape loops that could be triggered by the keys.
  • The New Philharmonia Chorus appears on this track, conducted by Andrew Powell. Other musicians to appear are:

    Vocals: Allan Clarke
    Acoustic Guitar: Alan Parsons, Ian Bairnson
    Bass: David Paton
    Drums: Stuart Tosh
    Wurlitzer Electric Piano: Eric Woolfson
    Guitar: Ian Bairnson
    Wurlitzer
    Synthesizer: Duncan Mackay

Comments: 5

  • Barney Dangerfield from Davis, CaPilot 2.0.

    3 ex members of Pilot are playing on this song…very cool!
  • Kpop from Brisbane AustraliaTwas 15 when I bought this album, staggeringly beautiful use of choirs, keyboards and synth, 1977 was a good year to be 15.
    KPoP.
  • R.l. from Payson, AzI had to check this vocalist... I would have bet that it was Lindsey Buckingham.
  • Ed from Canton, OhThis song is from a concept album about robots (computers?) struggling with human emotions. Breakdown is a robot struggling with frustration. other songs on the album deal with robots coping with love and friendship
  • Jack from Tulsa, OkThis is not Alan Parson First Album. His first album was "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" which was based on the works of Edgar Allen Poe.
    My favorite is his version of The Cask of Amontilldo. Haunting...
    Alan Parson did have a hit on that album called (The System of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Amy Lee of Evanescence

Amy Lee of EvanescenceSongwriter Interviews

The Evanescence frontwoman on the songs that have shifted meaning and her foray into kids' music.

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.

Amanda Palmer

Amanda PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Call us crazy, but we like it when an artist comes around who doesn't mesh with the status quo.

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse Pop

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse PopSong Writing

Songs that seem to glorify violence against women are often misinterpreted - but not always.

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.