“My Heart Just Keeps on Breakin'” (1973) – The Chi-Lites * Written by Eugene Record and Stanley (Stank) McKenney * 45: “My Heart Just Keeps on Breakin'” / “Just Two Teenage Kids (Still in Love)” * LP: A Letter to Myself * Label: Brunswick * Charts: Billboard Hot 100 (#92)
The early seventies saw an influx of hybrid genres and formats reflecting both a new cultural complexity and more sophisticated methods of audience analysis. The idea of “soul country” thus drifted about, with the massive success of Charley Pride—himself a hardcore country singer— raising questions about such a blend. Chicago’s Chi-Lites brought particular attention to themselves as “soul country” experimentalists, prompting a name check by Nashville promotional executive Chuck Chellman in the Music City News. He referred to recent adds of the Chi-Lites to country station playlists as evidence that country’s dalliance with rock music was leading to far greater travesties. Although their “Oh Girl,” with its laid back, harmonica-driven feel, may spring to mind as an example, it was a 1972 track called “My Heart Just Keeps on Breakin'”—a unique hodgepodge of barnyard fiddle, drawled vocals, Philly soul polish, pizzicatto strings and street corner doo wop—that made the strongest pitch. This was “soul country” if there ever was any.