4 Unique Covers of Neil Young’s “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”

Neil Young, a revered figure in the music industry, hasn’t had much success on the pop singles chart. Aside from his collaborations with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Young reached the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 just three times. His first Top-40 hit was “Only Love Can Break Your Heart,” the second single from his 1970 album After the Gold Rush, which peaked at No. 33.

Even for a song that didn’t make a significant impact on Top-40 radio, “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” has built a lasting legacy. With nearly 30 million streams, it remains one of Young’s 10 most popular tracks on Spotify. The song has been covered by several dozen artists, with renditions spanning the six decades since its original release.

Many artists who have recorded their own interpretations of “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” have diverged from Young’s straightforward, acoustic arrangement. Here are four notable covers, each offering a unique take on the song and placing it in a different subgenre.

Jackie DeShannon, from Jackie (1972)

Jackie DeShannon, known for her hits “What the World Needs Now is Love” and “Put a Little Love in Your Heart,” offered one of the earliest covers of “Only Love Can Break Your Heart.” Her version initially follows Young’s arrangement closely but includes an accordion played by the late producer, arranger, and record executive Arif Mardin. After the first chorus, the cover shifts from 3/4 time to 4/4, introducing fuller instrumentation and a stronger groove. Although DeShannon’s cover didn’t make it to the Billboard Hot 100, it reached No. 38 on the magazine’s Adult Contemporary chart.

Elkie Brooks, from Shooting Star (1978)

Elkie Brooks, perhaps best known in the U.S. for her duet with Cat Stevens on “(Remember the Days of the) Old School Yard,” has had 13 chart singles in the UK. Her cover of “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” peaked at No. 43 in the UK. Recorded in 1978, Brooks’ version is a soulful, disco-adjacent rendition featuring funky bass, strings, trumpet, and flute, with a groove provided by former Sly and the Family Stone drummer Andy Newmark.

Stephen Stills, from Right By You (1984)

Stephen Stills, Young’s former bandmate in Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, produced a version of “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” that stands in stark contrast to the original. The keyboard-driven production epitomizes the ’80s sound. Stills co-produced the tracks on Right By You with Ron and Howard Albert, known for their work on Crosby, Stills & Nash’s 1977 CSN album. Graham Nash, who is allegedly the song’s inspiration, provided backing vocals.

Stills’ soft rock version is sonically distinct from the original and includes an additional verse he penned. Despite being the third single from Right By You, this cover did not chart on any Billboard lists.

Saint Etienne, from Foxbase Alpha (1991)

Saint Etienne’s Eurodance version is arguably the most famous cover of “Only Love Can Break Your Heart,” possibly more recognized than the original among listeners born after 1980. Nearly two years after its 1990 release, Saint Etienne’s cover topped Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart for two weeks and reached No. 11 on their Alternative Airplay chart. It has garnered over 25 million streams on Spotify.

This rendition is notable for being Saint Etienne’s first single, released over a year before their debut album Foxbase Alpha. At the time of recording, founding members Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs had not yet hired Sarah Cracknell as their lead vocalist. Moira Donegan performs the lead vocal on “Only Love Can Break Your Heart,” marking the only track on Foxbase Alpha that features her.

Photo by ANL/Shutterstock

Source: American Songwriter