I'm Breaking Down
View chords used in this chart
Intro:
A A/E
F7 F7 F7 E7
A A/E
F7 F7 E7
F7 F7 E7
F7 E7 F7 E7
F7 E7
verse 1
A F
I'd like to be a princess on a throne
Bm7b5 C#
To have a country I can call my own
N.C.
And a king
N.C.
Who's lusty and requires a fling
N.C.
With a female thing
Post-verse 1
C#m
Great, men will be men
D# G# C#m
Let me turn on the gas
E/G# A/E
I caught them in the den with
N.C.
Marvin grabbing Whizzer's ass
verse 2
A F
Oh sure, I'm sure, he's sure he did his best
Bm7b5 C#7
I mean he meant to be what he was not
F#m F#m/E B7
The things he was are things which I forgot
N.C.
He's a queen
N.C.
I'm a queen
N.C.
Where is my crown?
[Refrão] A
I'm breaking down
A7
I'm breaking down
D
My life is shitty
E7
And my kid seems like an idiot to me
A
I mean that's sick
A7
I mean he's great
F#
It's me who is the matter
F#/G#
Talking madder
F#/A F#/A# Bm7
Than the maddest hatter
Post-Chorus
E A
If I repeat one more word
D C#7 F#m
I swear I'll lose my brain
C#m B
Oh, what else should I explain?
N.C.
Oh, yes it's true
N.C.
I can cry on cue
N.C.
But so can you
[Refrão] A
I'm breaking down
A7
I'm breaking down
D Dm7
Down, down
A A/G# F#m F#m/E
You ask me "Is it fun to cry over nothing?"
N.C.
It is, I'm breaking down
Instrumental
A A/E
F7 F7 E7
F7 F7 E7
F7 E7
verse 3
A F
Now let's consider what I might do next
Bm7b5 C#
I hate admitting I've become perplexed
N.C.
I'm bereaved
N.C.
I've cried, I've shook, I've yelled, I've heaved
N.C.
I have been deceived
Post-verse 2
C#m
As enemies go
D# G# C#m
Whizzer is not so bad
E/G# A/E
It's just he's so damn happy
N.C.
That it makes me so damn mad
verse 4
A F
I want to hate him but I really can't
Bm7b5 C#7
It's like a nightmare how this all proceeds
F#m B7
I hope that Whizzer don't fulfill his needs
N.C.
Don't is wrong
N.C.
Sing along
N.C.
What was the noun?
[Refrão] A
I'm breaking down
A7
I'm breaking down
D
I'll soon redecorate these stalls
E7
I'd like some padding on the walls
A
And also pills
A7
I wanna sleep
F#
Sure, things'll probably worsen
F#/G# F#/A F#/A# Bm7
But it's not like I'm some healthy person
Post-Chorus
E A
I've rethought my talks with Marv
D C#7 F#m
And one fact does emerge
C#m B
I think I like his shrink
N.C.
So that is why I might turn to drink
N.C.
I'm on the brink
[Refrão] A
Of breaking down
A7
I'm breaking down
D Dm7
Down, down
A A/G# F#m F#m/E
I only want to love a man who can love me...
N.C.
Or like me...
N.C.
Or help me...
N.C.
Help me!
Bridge
A D
Marvin was never mine
D/C# D/B D/E
He took his meetings in the boys' latrine
E
I used to cry
D/E
He'd make a scene
E7
I'd rather die
E7
Than dry-clean
E7
Marvin's wedding gown
[Refrão] A
I'm breaking down
A7
I'm breaking down
D
It's so upsetting when you've found
E7
That what's rectangular is round
A
I mean it stinks
A7
I mean he's queer
F#
And me, I'm just a freak
F#/G# F#/A F#/A# Bm7
Who needs it maybe every other week
Post-Chorus
E A
I've rethought the fun we've had
D C#7 F#m
And one fact to emerge:
C#m
I've played the foolish clown
N.C.
The almost virgin who sings this dirge
N.C.
Is on the verge
Outro
A
Of breaking down
A7
I'm breaking down
D Dm7
Down, down
A A/G# F#m F#m/E A A7/G D/F# Dm(maj7)/F
The only thing that's breaking up is my family
A A/G# F#m F#m/E
The only thing that's breaking up is my family
B7 A D7/F# Dm7/F A
But me, I'm breaking down
How to play I'm Breaking Down
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is A. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.