You don't believe that I love you
And even if that was true
Why just to keep our unhappy home
I'm gonna try to pretend that I do

And I'm breaking down
I'm breakin' down
I'm breakin' down
I'm breakin' down
My baby she left me
Said she ain't coming back around
And I'm breaking down
Oh - I'm breaking down

And if I thought that it was okay
For a grown man to cry
I would have filled up the whole mighty ocean
When she said goodbye

And I'm breakin' down
Oh - I'm breakin' down
I'm breakin' down
Oh - Oh - Oh
I'm breakin' down
You know my baby she left me
Said she ain't coming back around
And I'm breaking down

Oh - one day you said everything was just right
I don't see how
I don't see how it changed overnight
One day you said everything was so strong
The next day you turn to me and say
It's been wrong all along

Oh - one day you said everything was just right
I don't see how it changed overnight
One day you said everything was so strong
And the next day you say it's been wrong all along

Oh - and now you won't even look at me
You pass me by in the street and you won't even speak
I never
I never
I never meant to cause you any harm
How could two people start so close and end up so far

(I'm) breaking down
Oh - I'm breaking down
I'm breakin'
I'm breakin'
I'm breakin'
I'm breakin' down
I'm breakin' down


Musicians

Ben Harper: vocals, Weissenborn, Dobro.
Rock Deadrick: drums & percussion.
John McKnight: bass.


Notes

10/20/94 - The Turning Point: Piermont, NY.
Transcript available on benharper.net

After a round of applause from the audience, Ben returns for an encore. Then a fan asks...
Fan: How 'bout, "I'm Breakin' Down"?
Another Fan: Yeah, how 'bout that?
Ben: That's such a... you know what, if he had his bass we'd have to do it. (referring to Juan who was without his bass on the night)
Fans: Awwwh...
Ben: But it's such a bass orientated song, 'cause the song actually was written by myself and my friend back there JP Plunier and... and I had the words to "Breakin' Down"... and he just started messin' around with this bassline and I said man... I had the song a whole 'nother way and it was a... it was a... the way I had it was nice but this bassline was so swingin' that I said, "Hey man, these words go together with that bassline real good." Then I uhh... that's all he had was the bassline over and over so then I put in the centerpiece and then some of the outtro...
Fan: (very sarcastically to the audience) In other words, he's not gonna play it.
Audience: (laughter)
Ben: (with a touch of humor) Hey man but... that's not what... that.. I'd already established that, I was talkin' about the song.
Audience: (more laughter)
Ben plugs in and starts playing a teaser of the old version of "Breakin' Down". During which he exclaims...
Ben: That's how it used to go.
Ben plays some more of it. Then a fan asks...
Fan: Do that again.
Another Fan: Hey Ben...
Ben: Yeah?
Fan: (with confusion in his voice) That was "Breakin' Down"?
Ben: Yeah it used to go... yeah that was the old melody to it.
Fan: Wow.
Ben plays the old version of "Breakin' Down" some more and adds a bit of humming along to it. It is indistinguishable from the studio version that appears on the "Welcome to the Cruel World" album.