Operation Heartbreak

Aretha Franklin

About Operation Heartbreak

"Operation Heartbreak" is a song written by Al Kasha, Alan Thomas, and Curtis Williams and performed by Aretha Franklin. The song reached #6 on the U. S. R&B chart in 1961. The song's A-side, "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody", reached #37 on the Billboard Hot 100.


Year:
1961

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Operation heartbreak
You took your love from me
And for the rest of my life there will always be
A wound that will never heal, oh, oh, oh

With all I have to give why must I sit and suffer?
Operation (operation, oh)
Heartbreak (operation, uh)
Why did you take your love from me? (why did you take your love from me?)

Operation (operation, oh)
Heartbreak (operation, uh)
How will I ever survive? Yeah (survive)
For you have made a score deep down inside of me
Without your love I can't stay alive, oh yeah (stay alive)

With all I have to give why must I sit and suffer? Yeah, yeah, yeah
Operation (operation, oh)
Heartbreak (operation, uh)
Why did you take your love from me? (operation, uh)

Operation (operation, uh)
Oh, heartbreak (operation, uh)
Operation (operation, uh)
Heartbreak (operation, uh)
A wound that will never heal, oh, oh, oh

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Aretha Franklin

Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and pianist. In a recording career that has spanned over half a century, Franklin's repertoire has included gospel, jazz, blues, R&B, pop, rock and funk. more »

15 fans

Written by: Al Kash, Curtis Williams, Alan Thomas

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


14 facts about this song

Release Date
"Operation Heartbreak" was released on November 20th, 1961.
Label
The song was published by the record label, Columbia Records.
B-Side
Interestingly, "Operation Heartbreak" was really the B-side to Aretha's single “Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with A Dixie Melody.”
Song Genre
The music of "Operation Heartbreak" falls under the Rhythm and Blues (R&B) genre.
Chart Performance
Despite being a B-side track, it charted on Billboard’s Hot R&B Sides, peeking at #34.
Reissue
The song was reissued in the UK in 1968 under Atlantic Records and it charted at #37 on the UK singles chart.
Music and Lyrics
The music of “Operation Heartbreak” was composed by Al Kasha and the lyrics were written by Alan Thomas, Curtis Williams, and Clyde H. Otis.
Theme
The song delves into the pain and hardship of a failed relationship, showcasing Aretha's incredible emotional depth even at a young age.
Early Recording
"Operation Heartbreak" was part of Aretha Franklin's early career, well before she achieved queen of soul status.
Contemporaries
When "Operation Heartbreak" released, Aretha was not yet as famous or influential as she would later become, instead she was considered a contemporary of musicians like Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan.
Aretha Franklin's Age
At the time of the recording "Operation Heartbreak", the legendary singer was only 19 years old.
Unique Style
This song is a great early example of Aretha's unique style, combining elements of gospel, pop, and R&B.
Single Artwork
The original sleeve artwork for this single was a black and white photo of a very young Aretha Franklin.
Transition Point
The sound of "Operation Heartbreak" is reflective of the transitional point in Franklin's music career from pop and jazz to more soul and R&B-oriented sound which she became famous for.

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