Greg Kihn, Who Scored Hits With ‘Jeopardy’ and ‘The Breakup Song,’ Dead at 75

Rolling Stone ^ | 8/15/2024 | Andy Greene

[WeaslesRippedMyFlesh]

Eighties hitmaker Greg Kihn, best remembered for his early MTV-era smashes “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em)” and “Jeopardy,” died Tuesday at age 75. The cause was complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

Kihn started his career as a folksy singer-songwriter in his hometown of Baltimore, but moved to San Francisco in the early 1970s where he formed the Greg Kihn Band alongside guitarist Robbie Dunbar, bassist Steve Wright, and drummer Larry Lynch. They released five albums on the indie label Beserkley Records that attracted little public attraction despite strong reviews and their reputation as a killer live act.

“The rap is, why hasn’t Greg Kihn made it yet,” he asked Rolling Stone in 1980. “I don’t know and I don’t care….I’ve given up worrying about ascending to the throne. That’s the kind of nonmusical thing that could hold a band back. Right now, though, I’d like a crack at AM [radio].”

That crack came the following year when “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em),” written by Kihn and Wright, reached Number 15 on the Hot 100. “I never really finished the lyrics to ‘The Breakup Song,” Kihn told Rolling Stone in 1983. “The ah ah ah‘s in the song were just filler – I intended to write words later. Then I played it for the band, and they said, ‘Wow, those are the deepest words you ever wrote.’ I tried to be cool and act like I’d planned it, but in reality, I had no idea. It took me three weeks to write a song about that. Now it takes five minutes.”

[snip]

[sushiman]

2Jonathan Richman Modern Lovers live is a great album.”

Yes ! Excellent recording quality . I have it here with me in Japan where I saw Jonathan solo in Tokyo at a relatively small club in 1990 or ‘91 . My friends and I were standing having a drink before the show when I looked to the left towards to entrance and in walks Jonathan with his guitar on his shoulder ! He walks through , goes up on stage , plugs his guitar in and a couple of minutes later starts the concert !

[Huskrrrr]

I was a regular listener of his radio show, too.

[Political Junkie Too]

I saw him in concert at the Concord Pavillion (Concord, CA) in the mid-1980s.

-PJ

[rlmorel]

The “Jeopardy Song” is a part of culture now.

You hear it all the time.

When you are in meetings, you might hear someone hum the bar as a joke. Waiting in line at the Registry. Using a computer that is taking a bit too long to complete a task.

I had no idea who wrote that, but if were able to make a similar imprint, however silly it might be on society, I would have to take that as high success!

[MayflowerMadam]

“The ‘Jeopardy Song’ is a part of culture now.”

I’ve been church organist and have been tempted to quietly play that when the preacher was super long-winded.

[rlmorel]

Hehehehe! See? Am I right or what? I find that oddness of human nature to be amusing!

And, by the way, I would absolutely fall over in my pew if I heard that!

[MayflowerMadam]

“And, by the way, I would absolutely fall over in my pew if I heard that!”

At our church in CA, which we loved, they had that terrible “Howdys and handshakes time”, which we hated. It seemed like a five-minute period of chaos in the middle of an otherwise dignified service.

Once I told the preacher’s wife, my dear friend, that I was going to play circus music during it. She laughed and dared me. So I did — but very quietly so only she and I could hear it when she stood by the organ.

[GreenHornet]

Can anyone listen to his hit, “Jeopardy”, without thinking about Weird Al?

[rlmorel]

Hahaha...I admit to being totally ignorant here on Pop Music, but my point is still valid...I STILL don't know who wrote "The Jeopardy Song"!

I did a search on "The Jeopardy Song" and the one from the television show came up!

But...I do remember well this song! Two good tunes!

Hahahahaha! I looked it up-it was Merv Griffin who wrote the theme song to "Jeopardy"! That is impressive, I had no idea...

Now...I admit, I was never a huge television watcher, but...I laughed when I saw him as the "Elevator Killer" in "The Man With Two Brains" where he killed women in elevators by injecting them with window cleaner because it made their brain die first...!

[rlmorel]

I admit, that was a strange thing to me when they started doing that in church. But hey...what are ya gonna do? My brother would always turn to me and “offer the sign of peace”...by holding up the traditional V-for-Victory Sign with his fingers!

[MayflowerMadam]

I never hear The Breakup Song before I just pulled it up on YouTube.

[MayflowerMadam]

“that was a strange thing to me when they started doing that in church. But hey...what are ya gonna do?”

Find a church that doesn’t do that, I guess. The church we finally found, after 12 years of searching, doesn’t do that, and they don’t have visitors stand up to be “recognized and welcomed”, i.e., embarrassed. Totally respectful and dignified service. Nobody is screaming, “Amen!”, to disrupt the service, and nobody applauds after “special music”, understanding that the glory goes to God and not the singers. (There’s a flight to Vegas every day if you want to be entertained.)

And no contemporary “Christian” music; all is very traditional.

It’s a congregation of tight asses, and it’s wonderful!

[BobL]

“Greg Kihn, Who Scored Hits With ‘Jeopardy’ and ‘The Breakup Song,’”

Not to mention taking over half of Asia, on HORSEBACK.

[rlmorel]

Wise words, FRiend...:)

[WeaslesRippedMyFlesh]

Good song. Big hit at the time. (Dating self a little)

[Disambiguator]

Did you ever play Inna-Gadda-Da-Vida?

[MayflowerMadam]

LOL! Nope.

[Cold_Red_Steel]

He had a facebook page and always interacted with his supporters. I noticed he tapered off from posting early 2024.

He was a decent guy.

[Charles Martel]

Can anyone listen to his hit, “Jeopardy”, without thinking about Weird Al?

Better that, than remembering the original music video... which looks sort of like someone took Sam Kinison's thoughts on marriage and brought them vividly to life.

[rktman]

I’ve heard that line before. 😂😂😂😂. Yeah, I was out of the band. 🤔