Can't Break Me Down
{{short description|2014 song by Billy Idol}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Can't Break Me Down
| cover = Billy Idol Can't Break Me Down 2014 single cover.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Billy Idol
| album = Kings & Queens of the Underground
| B-side =
| released = 26 August 2014
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 3:42
| label = BFI
| writer =
- Billy Idol
- Greg Kurstin
- Daniel Nigro
| producer = Greg Kurstin
| prev_title = John Wayne
| prev_year = 2008
| next_title = Save Me Now
| next_year = 2014
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|4rUrYN4cnGs|"Can't Break Me Down"}}}}
}}
"Can't Break Me Down" is a song by English singer Billy Idol, which was released in 2014 as the lead single from his eighth studio album Kings & Queens of the Underground.
Background
"Can't Break Me Down" was recorded at Greg Kurstins' home studio, Echo Studios, in Los Angeles. In a 2014 update for his official website, Idol said it was "a fun song to record".{{cite web |url=https://billyidol.net/update-from-billy-9-26-14/ |last=Idol |first=Billy |title=Update from Billy 9.26.14 |publisher=billyidol.net |date=26 September 2014 |access-date=23 March 2022}} The song was released as the lead single from Kings & Queens of the Underground and was made available as an instant download with all iTunes and Amazon pre-orders of the album from 26 August 2014.{{cite web |url=https://billyidol.net/new-single-album-pre-order/ |title=New Single & Album Pre-Order! |publisher=billyidol.net |date=26 August 2014 |access-date=23 March 2022}}
Music video
The song's music video was directed by Jason Trucco and produced by Niv Gat and Dana Lustig for Atlantis Pictures. It was shot at Santa Clarita Studios in Valencia, California and stars Idol, Izabella Miko and Ryan Heffington, with the latter also serving as the video's choreographer. Described as an "allegorical noir story of love gone wrong", the video is based on the finale of the 1947 American film noir The Lady from Shanghai. As the protagonist, Idol plays a version of Orson Welles' character from the film. The video premiered on YouTube on 23 October 2014.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rUrYN4cnGs |title=Billy Idol - Can't Break Me Down |via=YouTube |date=23 October 2014 |access-date=23 March 2022}}
Critical reception
USA Today selected "Can't Break Me Down" as their "song of the week" during September 2014. Writer Brian Mansfield described it as being in Idol's "classic style" and noted its "punkish drive, sneering vocals and roaring guitar". He felt the song would have served as a "great follow-up" to Idol's 1987 hit "Mony Mony" or his 1990 hit "Cradle of Love".{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2014/09/16/billy-idol-cant-break-me-down-song-of-the-week/15711531/ |last=Mansfield |first=Brian |title=Song of the week: Billy Idol's 'Can't Break Me Down' |work=USA Today |date=16 September 2014 |access-date=23 March 2022}} In a review of Kings & Queens of the Underground, Kory Grow of Rolling Stone praised it as a "carefree" and "punky pop tune". He felt that the song's "bang bang bang" chorus was "catchier than anything Fall Out Boy have written lately".{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/billy-idol-kings-queens-of-the-underground-20141021 |title=Billy Idol 'Kings & Queens of the Underground' Album Review |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=21 October 2014 |access-date=23 March 2022 |archive-date=9 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009012532/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/billy-idol-kings-queens-of-the-underground-20141021 |url-status=live}}
Personnel
"Can't Break Me Down"
- Billy Idol – lead vocals
- Steve Stevens – guitar
- Greg Kurstin – bass, drums, guitar, keyboards
Production
- Greg Kurstin – producer, engineer, mix engineer
- Alex Pasco – engineer
- Julian Burg – additional engineering
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| Chart (2014)
!Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|Billboardadultalternativesongs|15|artist=Billy Idol|song=Can't Break Me Down|rowheader=true|access-date=23 March 2022}} |