Robbed hit of the week 1/11/16 - Big Pig's "Breakaway"...

"Breakaway" - Big Pig
from the album Bonk (1988)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #60

This week's 'robbed hit' comes from the Australian new wave band Big Pig, who came together in Melbourne in the mid-80s by drummer Oley Witer. Recruiting singer Sherine Abeyratne from his old band Bang, the outfit concentrated on percussion, with multiple drummers and intricate rhythm patterns. Their first single, "Hungry Town" (from their 1986 self-titled EP), climbed to #14 on the singles chart in Australia. Two years later, the band released their debut full-length album Bonk. The lead single, "Breakaway", was a cover a minor R&B hit single from singer Chuck Jackson, "I Can't Break Away", which peaked at #62 in 1973...

The remake, while carrying over the minor chords and bass riff, was a barn-burner in the manner of the rock swings of the Eurythmics as if sung by Nona Hendryx, and with guitars replaced by brooding synths, the cold, industrial feel of the song countered Sherine's soulful delivery. The song also got exposure from its appearance in the American movie Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure...

While "Breakaway" soared to #7 on Billboard's Dance Club Play chart, the single stopped short at #60 on the pop Hot 100 in April of 1988. In their home country, the song went all the way to #4. Their follow-up track, "Big Hotel", climbed to #40 in Australia. In 1990, Big Pig released a second album, You Lucky People, but after single "Justifier" stopped at #73 in Australia, and a tour, they went their separate ways. But Bonk remains one of the best overlooked treasures of the Australian rock scene.

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Here's the way excellent Popper Mix of "Breakaway" that went top ten on the dance chart...

In 2007, DJ Bill Bennett and singer Inaya covered "Breakaway", and climbed to #12 on the Dance Club Play list in Billboard...