The original version of "Breakaway" was never a hit -- it did not make the Billboard Hot 100, nor the Bubbling Under charts, and the extensive chart archive at ARSA [1] does not record a single instance of any radio station anywhere in North America placing the track on its playlist. Nevertheless, "Breakaway" is today generally considered a better-remembered song than the A-Side of Thomas' record [2][3], a situation that may be partly due to Tracey Ullman's hit 1980s cover. It has become a staple in Thomas' live performances and appears on several recent Irma Thomas and "New Orleans music" compilations.