The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ’Em)

Alright, Zoo Freaks, it’s your favorite hippie DJs from The Zoo Crew spinning another classic for you on THE ZOO radio station! Right now, we’ve got the infectious grooves of The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ’Em) by the Greg Kihn Band, pulled straight from the stellar compilation Kihnsolidation: The Best of Greg Kihn. This 1981 banger hit #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a staple on early MTV with its simple yet energetic performance video. Did you know this track was born in just 15 minutes? Greg Kihn and bassist Steve Wright were sipping hot sake at a Japanese restaurant when an old man at the bar kept saying, “They don’t write ’em like that anymore.” Inspired, they scribbled the song on the spot, capturing the raw, nostalgic vibe of classic breakup tunes. It’s a nod to the straightforward rock of the past, written during a time when Kihn felt bands like Rush and Pink Floyd were getting too cerebral.

Here’s another juicy tidbit for you Zoo Freaks: The Breakup Song has lived a life beyond the airwaves. It’s been featured in films like Let Me In (2010), The House of the Devil (2009), and Beautiful Girls (1996), plus it popped up in a season five episode of The Sopranos. The song’s iconic guitar riff even caught the ear of rapper Yelawolf, who sampled it in his track “Gone” from the Arena Rap EP. Kihn himself once said the song “paid for his kids’ college,” a testament to its enduring popularity. Fans on Reddit have called it a “power pop rocker” and a “Bay Area rock culture mainstay,” with one user reminiscing about seeing Kihn smash his guitar on stage after covering The Who’s My Generation. That’s the kind of energy we love here at THE ZOO!

Let’s rewind and talk about how Greg Kihn got his start. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 10, 1949, Kihn was a teenage dreamer inspired by The Beatles’ 1964 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. He picked up a guitar and started writing songs, playing coffee houses while still in high school. At 17, his mom entered one of his original tunes into a contest run by Baltimore’s WCAO radio station, and Kihn won first prize—a typewriter, a stack of records, and a Vox electric guitar. In 1972, he moved to San Francisco, painting houses and busking on the streets before landing a job at Berkeley’s Rather Ripped Records. There, he met future bandmate Gary Phillips, and the seeds of the Greg Kihn Band were planted. By 1976, Kihn was signed to Beserkley Records, where he carved out a melodic pop-rock sound alongside acts like Jonathan Richman and The Rubinoos.

Kihn’s journey didn’t stop at music. He became a radio DJ for the Bay Area’s KUFX from 1996 to 2012 and even wrote horror novels, blending his creative passions. The Greg Kihn Band kept rocking through the decades, with Kihn opening for giants like The Rolling Stones and Journey. Sadly, Greg passed away in August 2024 at 75 after battling Alzheimer’s, but his music lives on through fans like you, Zoo Freaks. You can keep up with his legacy on the official Greg Kihn website, follow along on Facebook, check out posts on Instagram, or join the conversation on X. For more fan love, dive into the Greg Kihn Band Fan Group on Facebook, where Zoo Freaks like you share stories and celebrate the music. Keep it locked on THE ZOO for more classics!