"Break My Stride" is song by American artist Matthew Wilder. It was released in 1983 as the lead single from his debut album, I Don't Speak the Language, and became a major hit single for him in 1983 and 1984.
The song has been covered by many artists throughout the years, including Unique II in 1996 and Blue Lagoon in 2004 (whose versions both charted highly in various places) and, in interpolations, Puff Daddy in 1997 and Christina Aguilera with Lil' Kim in 2003 (particularly the line, "I got to keep on movin'"). On some online lyric sites[2] and in some YouTube videos,[3] the song is misattributed to Men at Work.
Matthew Wilder version
Track listings
7" single
"Break My Stride" — 3:05
"Break My Stride" (instrumental) — 3:05
Chart performance
Included on his 1983 album, I Don't Speak the Language, the single went to number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number four in the UK in January/February 1984. On the US Cash Box chart, Wilder's single reached the number two position, where it remained for two weeks in early February.
A remix version reached the top 20 on the dance chart, and the song additionally hit the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, staying there for four weeks. Though "Break My Stride" was Matthew Wilder's only UK hit, he also reached the US pop chart with his next two singles, "The Kid's American" (#33) and "Bouncing Off the Walls" (#52), before turning to behind-the-scenes work on other artists' recordings.
In 1996, Austrian duo Unique II had its most successful hit by covering "Break My Stride". This dance version of the 1983 Matthew Wilder song was the first international success for the band, peaking in the Australian charts at number 2, and in New Zealand at number 1. The single also charted in Italy, Canada and Scandinavia.
Track listings
CD maxi
"Break My Stride" (FM Track) — 3:16
"Break My Stride" (Prolongation) — 4:57
"Break My Stride" (Native Track) — 5:14
CD maxi — The Remixes
"Break My Stride" (Marc McCan Edit) — 5:38
"Break My Stride" (Next Level Edit) — 4:37
"Break My Stride" (Radio Edit) — 3:16
CD maxi — Re-Work 2002
"Break My Stride" (Panamericana Radio Edit) — 2:50
In 2004, "Break My Stride" was covered by German band Blue Lagoon and became a hit in several European countries, including Austria, Germany, Sweden and Denmark, where it reached the top ten.