"Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" | ||||
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Single by Alicia Keys | ||||
from the album The Element of Freedom | ||||
B-side | "Lover Man" | |||
Released | November 17, 2009 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:09 | |||
Label | J | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Jeff Bhasker | |||
Alicia Keys singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" on YouTube |
"Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was released as the second single (third in the UK) from her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom (2009). The ballad has been hailed by many music critics as the best track from the album. It marks a departure in Keys' artistic production. This single was Keys' third consecutive top 10 hit from The Element of Freedom in the United Kingdom. It was also the 99th most successful song of the year 2010 in the Billboard Hot 100. [1] A remix of the song features American Rapper, Maino.
"Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" is a downtempo song written by Keys, NAJ - lyricist Patrick Reynolds and Jeff Bhasker in the key of F major (pesante) with a time signature in common time and a tempo of 83 beats per minute and combines elements of synths and drums to create a retro 1980s power ballad feel. The vocal range spans from E3 to D5. The basic chord progression of the song is B♭, C, and F. [2]
In the lyrics, the narrator vows to move on from a failed relationship, but struggles to overcome constant thoughts of her lover.
The song premiered on October 29, 2009, [3] and was released to the iTunes Store on November 17, 2009. The single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 58, the highest after "No One" and "Doesn't Mean Anything". It has spent twenty weeks on the chart, peaking at number 27. On the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, the song became Keys' thirteenth top ten hit, peaking at number 2 and spending ten weeks in the top ten. The song also debuted at No. 2 on the Norwegian Charts and became her highest charting single there so far. On January 31, 2010 the single entered the UK Singles Chart at number 71 based on downloads alone, but dropped out the following week. Upon being confirmed as the third UK single, [4] the single re-entered the chart on April 26, 2010 at number 63. On May 23, 2010 it climbed to a new peak of number 13. Upon physical release, the single remained at its peak of number 13. The success of the song propelled the album back in the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart, twenty-three weeks after its original release. Following a performance on Britain's Got Talent on 1 June 2010, the single climbed into the Top 10 on 6 June 2010 at number 7, marking the third consecutive Top 10 single from The Element of Freedom as well as Keys' ninth Top 10 single overall. On March 19, 2010, the song was released as the album's second single in Germany and later peaked at number 33. [5]
The song received widespread critical acclaim from music critics; many compared it to a Prince composition. Entertainment Weekly called it "insidiously, almost obscenely hooky: a slithering riff on early-'80s Prince with a monster synth line." [6] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone stated that "The superb Prince hommages, "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart" and "This Bed," are experiments that pay off big, submerging Keys' pipes in unabashed 1980s synth cheese." [7] Andrew Burgess of MusicOMH referred to it as a "fever dream", citing it as a "standout moment" while Clover Hopes of Vibe magazine praised the song as "instantly timeless" and described it as a "gorgeous drum-powered exercise in vocal discipline (with its whispered huffs and puffs) that deals with the loss of a man's mere presence". [8] [9] Dan Weiss of Popmatters , gave the song a seven out of ten rating and thought that ""Sleeping" is proof that Keys can find the warmth inside of a song even when she pushes away from the piano and the arrangement drifts into something colder and more abstract." [10]
Randy Lewis of the LA Times was highly impressed with the track and wrote: "In "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart," she's crafted an intriguing refrain: "I'm gonna find a way to make it without you . . .," admitting she's still searching for a full-fledged sense of security in whatever newfound freedom she's come into. But then she extends the thought with the kicker word ". . . tonight." Is she taking the one-day-at-a-time approach of a 12-step program for romantic addiction? Is it merely the application of an emotional band-aid? Or might she be asserting that the path to true independence always begins right here, right now? It's never entirely clear, and the ambiguity makes the song that much richer.". [11] PopJustice said that the song is the album's "secret weapon" and called it "amazing", adding that it's "a head-explodingly brilliant, timeless 'n' modern R&B ballad". [12] Slant magazine said that "The best moments on Freedom come early, with the clear standout being "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart." There, some retro synth work lends a funky backdrop for Keys's breathy vamping, alternating disco-diva choruses with Prince-worthy verses". [13] Robert Copsey of Digital Spy gave the song four out of five stars, branding it as one of the stand out tracks from the album. [14] He also stated that the verses were good because of Keys's breathy vocals with military-style drumming in the background, he felt the chorus was full of "palpable emotion". [14] Overall, he branded the song as an "effortless and timeless power ballad". [14]
Keys filmed the video on October 30 and October 31, 2009, in Brooklyn. [15] [16] The music video premiered on November 16, 2009. [17] The video begins with the words, "There are those among us who are blessed with the power to save what is loved by another. But powerless to use this blessing for love themselves". The beat of the music then starts, showing what appears to be a purple sea at first, however is then shown to be Keys' bed sheets. Keys is seen to be leaning on her bed, and then starts to sing. On the bed, there is a photo frame, which is turned down. Keys is seen to have a coloured tattoo on her back, representing the theme of the album, "The Element of Freedom". Keys is then seen to exit her building, wearing a studded leather jacket and sunglasses. Scenes are also shown of Keys singing the song at the bottom of the stairway. As she is walking down the road, various shots of the city are shown, including buildings with graffiti, and a basketball hoop etc. She then spots a dog having just collided with a car in the road, with a young girl crouching down by its side crying. Keys walks over and touches the dog, using her superpowers to bring life back to the dog and save it, bringing happiness to the young girl. Throughout this part of the video, a hooded figure is seen to be watching Keys, which she is aware of. Scenes are then shown of her driving her BMW motorcycle with a purple laser beam increasing the speed of the bike. She then parks her bike in a warehouse, and uses her superpowers to fly up to some skylights, where she carries on to sing the song. Another scene is also shown of Keys playing the piano in the warehouse. Keys is then seen to appear back in the alley way, returning to her bike, however is stopped by the hooded figure, who turns out to be her lover. She smiles at him, and reaches her hand out towards his face. However, she is seen draining his face of energy and life with her power, and so has to pull her hand back, showing she is unable to touch her lover without draining him of his life. She then gets on her bike, leaving him in the warehouse alone. The video then moves back to the original scene of Keys sitting on her bed, looking at the photograph of her lover, with a teardrop falling down the face onto the picture, turning it black. The video ends with Keys leaning back onto her bed, showing her purple bedsheets rippling like at the start of the video. [18] The video was directed by Los Angeles-based Syndrome Studio.
Keys performed the song at New York University’s Skirball Center for Pepsi Music. Keys also performed it on Dancing With The Stars on November 17, 2009. She also performed the song on Saturday Night Live on January 9, 2010; [19] as well as at the 2009 American Music Awards. [20] On the 22nd of January, Keys also performed "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross . [21] She also performed it at the 2010 NBA All-Star Game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 14, 2010. On March 5, 2010, Keys performed the song on The Oprah Winfrey Show . [22] Keys also performed the song on the second semi-final night of Britain's Got Talent on June 1, 2010. The song has been included on Keys Freedom Tour, Set the World on Fire Tour and Alicia + Keys World Tour. [23]
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Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada) [55] | Gold | 20,000* |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [56] | Gold | 15,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [57] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [58] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
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United States | November 17, 2009 | Rhythmic contemporary radio | J | |
March 12, 2010 | Digital download | |||
Germany | March 19, 2010 | CD | Sony Music | |
United Kingdom | May 24, 2010 | Digital download | RCA |
Alicia Augello Cook, known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs when she was the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at the age of 15. After disputes with the label, she signed with J Records to release her debut studio album, Songs in A Minor (2001). Met with critical acclaim and commercial success, the album sold over 12 million copies worldwide and won five awards at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. It contained the Billboard Hot 100-number one single "Fallin'." Her second album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003) was met with continued success, selling eight million units worldwide and spawning the singles "You Don't Know My Name", "If I Ain't Got You", and "Diary". Its release earned an additional four Grammy Awards.
The Diary of Alicia Keys is the second studio album by American singer Alicia Keys. It was released on December 2, 2003, by J Records. The album was recorded at several recording studios, and production was handled primarily by Keys with contributions from Kanye West and Kerry Brothers Jr., who described it as "an R&B album".
American singer Alicia Keys has released nine studio albums, eight live albums, one remix album, six reissue albums, three extended plays, seven box sets, 47 singles as lead artist, and six promotional singles. Throughout her career, Keys has sold over 65 million records worldwide. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Keys is the top certified female R&B artist of the millennium, with 20 million certified albums and 38 million certified digital singles in the United States. Billboard ranked her as the second top female artist of the 2000s decade, fourth top R&B/hip-Hop female artist of the 2010s decade and the 60th Greatest Artist of all time.
"You Don't Know My Name" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). It was written by Keys, Kanye West and Harold Lilly, and produced by Keys and West. The song contains a sample from the 1975 song "Let Me Prove My Love to You", written by J. R. Bailey, Mel Kent and Ken Williams and performed by The Main Ingredient. It was released as the lead single from The Diary of Alicia Keys on November 10, 2003, by J Records.
"If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). Inspired by the 2001 death of singer Aaliyah, the September 11 attacks, and other events in the world and in Keys' life, the song is about "how material things don't feed the soul". It was released as the second single from The Diary of Alicia Keys on February 17, 2004, by J Records. The single cover depicts Keys similarly to the subject of Man Ray's 1924 photograph Le Violon d'Ingres.
"No One" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her third studio album As I Am (2007). It was written and produced by Keys and Kerry Brothers Jr., with additional writing by DJ Dirty Harry. The song was released as the lead single from As I Am on October 9, 2007, by J Records.
"Like You'll Never See Me Again" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her third studio album As I Am (2007). Written and produced by Keys and Kerry Brothers Jr., it was first heard on October 25, 2007, on Atlanta's V103 WVEE radio station. Subsequently, it was released as the second single from As I Am on January 22, 2008, by J Records.
"Superwoman" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her third studio album As I Am (2007). Written by Keys, Linda Perry, and Steve Mostyn, it was released as the fourth and final single from As I Am on July 29, 2008, by J Records.
"Broken-Hearted Girl" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her third studio album I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). Written by Beyoncé, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and production duo Stargate, it was initially a classic rhythm and blues song until Babyface changed the arrangement and chords. The track appears on the I Am... disc, including songs which give a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Beyoncé's life stripped of her make-up and celebrity trappings. The song is a midtempo R&B ballad accompanied by piano, strings, and drum machine beats. The lyrics describe heartache and romantic insecurities.
"Empire State of Mind" is a song performed by American rapper Jay-Z featuring American singer Alicia Keys from the former's eleventh studio album, The Blueprint 3 (2009). It was released by his then-newfound record label Roc Nation and Atlantic Records on October 20, 2009. Produced by Al Shux, the song features a music sample of "Love on a Two-Way Street" performed by The Moments. Angela Hunte and Janet Sewell-Ulepic originally wrote it as a tribute to their hometown, New York City. The following month, they submitted it to Roc Nation, whose reviews were discouraging. They later took the suggestion of an EMI Music Publishing associate and resubmitted it to Jay-Z, who kept the "New York" singing part on the hook, changed the verses, and recorded it. The song's title, similar to "New York State of Mind" by Billy Joel and "N.Y. State of Mind" by Nas, is a wordplay and tribute to New York's nickname "Empire State".
"Doesn't Mean Anything" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys. It written and produced by Keys and longtime partner Kerry "Krucial" Brothers for her fourth studio album The Element of Freedom (2009), with its lyrics speaking about the importance of love against materialism and fake needs. The song was released as the lead single from The Element of Freedom on September 15, 2009, by J Records.
The Element of Freedom is the fourth studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released on December 11, 2009, by J Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during May to September 2009 at the Oven Studios in Long Island, New York. Production was primarily handled by Keys, Kerry Brothers Jr., and Jeff Bhasker. Departing from the classicist soul music of Keys' previous albums, The Element of Freedom has a mid-tempo, low-key sound and features mostly love songs.
"Put It in a Love Song" is a song by American singer Alicia Keys. The song, written and produced by Keys and Swizz Beatz, features guest vocals by American singer Beyoncé. It was originally sent to radio on January 19, 2010, by J Records, as the fourth single from Keys' fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom (2009). However promotion for the song was halted so that Keys could release "Un-Thinkable " as her next single. "Put It in a Love Song" talks about a girl who just wants her lover to write her a song and prove to her he's worth her time.
"Empire State of Mind Broken Down" is a song by American singer Alicia Keys from her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom (2009). It is an answer song to the Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Empire State of Mind" performed by Jay-Z featuring Keys. Produced by Al Shux and Keys, the song gained international airplay and download sales although it was only officially released in the United Kingdom as the second single from The Element of Freedom.
"Un-Thinkable " is a song by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys from her fourth studio album The Element of Freedom (2009), that features uncredited background vocals from Canadian rapper Drake, although he is credited on the official remix of the song. It was initially scheduled to be the fifth single, but it was released as the fourth single. It was her first single to reach number one on the R&B chart in the United States since 2007's "Like You'll Never See Me Again". "Un-Thinkable " spent twelve consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs, becoming the longest-running number-one single of 2010. The song topped the Billboard Adult R&B Songs, and reached number twenty-one on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Wait Til You See My Smile" is a song performed by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was released as the sixth single from her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom (2009). The ballad was released on December 13, 2010. The Keys and "Wait Till You See My Smile" featured on the new Samsung DualView Commercial. The song was featured on the 13th episode of the sixth season of Grey's Anatomy.
"New Day" is a song by American hip hop recording artist 50 Cent. The song was released on July 27, 2012, originally as a single from his scrapped album Street King Immortal, but it was eventually removed from the project. The song was produced by Dr. Dre and mixed by Eminem, while co-written by the two along with 50 Cent, Alicia Keys, Royce da 5'9", Swizz Beatz, Andrew Brissett, Amber Streeter from RichGirl and Lawrence Jr from Aftermath Records. The song features a verse from Dr. Dre, while the hook is sung by Alicia Keys. Keys also recorded and released her own version of "New Day" which is featured on her fifth album Girl on Fire (2012).
"Girl on Fire" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her fifth studio album of the same name. Keys co-wrote and co-produced the R&B ballad with Jeff Bhasker and Salaam Remi. The song contains an interpolation of the drums from the 1980 song "The Big Beat" by American rock guitarist Billy Squier, who received a writing credit on "Girl on Fire". Released on September 4, 2012, as the lead single from the album, "Girl on Fire" is Keys' first release under RCA Records following the closure of J Records, after a reorganization at Sony Music Entertainment.
"In Common" is a song by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys from her sixth studio album, Here. The song was written by Keys, Illangelo, Billy Walsh and Taylor Parks, and produced by Illangelo. It is a departure from her R&B sound, having a tropical music and dancehall sound, with Latin beat, Afrobeat instrumental, collage of electronic beats, tropicalia-infused rhythms and icy drum patterns as its main instrumentation. Keys uses a hushed tone throughout the song.
"Time Machine" is a song by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys. It was written by Keys, Sebastian Kole and Rob Knox and produced by Keys and Rob Knox, with co-production from Emile Haynie. The song was released on November 20, 2019, through RCA Records as the second single from Keys' seventh studio album Alicia (2020).
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