"How Could an Angel Break My Heart" is a song by American singer and songwriter

Toni Braxton Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1967) is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. ...

, released as the fourth and final

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

from her second studio album, ''

Secrets Secrecy is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the "need to know", perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret. Secrecy is often controvers ...

'' (1996). The song, co-written by Braxton and

Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to: Nicknames * Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber * Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician * "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...

and produced by Babyface, features

Kenny G Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), known professionally as Kenny G, is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer. His 1986 album ''Duotones'' brought him commercial success. Kenny G is one of the best-selling artis ...

on the

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pr ...

. At the time of this single's release, ''Secrets'' had reached five-time Platinum status by the

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

Critical reception

British magazine ''

Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...

'' rated "How Could an Angel Break My Heart" three out of five, adding that "Braxton looks to a big

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

to return her to the Top 10 with this fourth radio-friendly cut". Pop Rescue described it as "a-wash with luxurious strings and haunting saxophone, as Toni’s somewhat sad vocals weave their way through this gentle ballad."

Music video

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

was produced to promote the single, directed by

Iain Softley Iain Declan Softley (born 28 October 1956) is an England, English film director, producer, and screenwriter. His films include Backbeat (film), ''Backbeat,'' ''Hackers (film), Hackers, The Wings of the Dove (1997 film), The Wings of the Dove'', ...

. It follows the lyrical content of the relationship between Braxton and her lover. He has left her for another woman and she is left to pick up the pieces. The remix version of the song has the storyline laid out a little differently, with

singing back to her and duetting with her from the second verse. Babyface's vocals replace

's saxophone parts.

Track listings and formats

* UK CD 1 and European CD single #"How Could an Angel Break My Heart" (Album Version) – 4:20 #"How Could an Angel Break My Heart" (Remix Version featuring

) – 4:21 #"How Could an Angel Break My Heart" (Album Instrumental) – 4:21 #"How Could an Angel Break My Heart" (Remix Instrumental) – 4:21 * UK CD 2 #"How Could an Angel Break My Heart" – 4:20 #"

Breathe Again "Breathe Again" is a song by American contemporary R&B, R&B singer Toni Braxton. It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and produced by Edmonds, L.A. Reid, and Daryl Simmons for Braxton's Toni Braxton (album), self-titled debut album (1993 ...

" – 4:29 #"

Another Sad Love Song "Another Sad Love Song" is a song by American singer-songwriter Toni Braxton. Written and produced by Daryl Simmons and Babyface, featuring additional production from L.A. Reid, it was released as the lead single and its opening track from Brax ...

" – 5:01 #"

Love Shoulda Brought You Home "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" is the debut solo single by American singer Toni Braxton. It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Daryl Simmons, and Bo Watson and produced by Edmonds and Simmons along with L.A. Reid. Originally written for ...

" – 4:56

Personnel and credits

Credits adapted from album liner notes.Toni Braxton – Secrets (CD liner notes) - LaFace Records 73008-26020-2 * Toni Braxton: lead vocals, background vocals, writer * Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds: writer, producer, keyboards, programming * Kenny G: saxophone *

Greg Phillinganes Gregory Arthur Phillinganes (born May 12, 1956) is an American keyboardist, singer-songwriter, and musical director based in Los Angeles, California. A prolific session musician, Phillinganes has contributed the role of keyboards to numerous alb ...

: piano, rhodes *

Nathan East Nathan Harrell East (born December 8, 1955) is an American jazz, R&B, and rock bass player and vocalist. With more than 2,000 recordings, East is one of the most recorded bass players in the history of music. East holds a Bachelor of Arts degr ...

: bass * Jeremy Lubbock: arranger and conductor (strings) * Brad Gilderman: recording * Al Schmitt: recording (strings) * Mick Guzauski: mixing *

Paul Boutin Paul Boutin (born December 11, 1961 in Lewiston, Maine) is an American magazine writer and editor who writes about technology in a pop-culture context. Boutin, who began writing for ''Wired'' in 1997, wrote for ''The New York Times'' from 2003 ...

, Robbes Stieglietz, Kyle Bess, Brandon Harris: assistant engineers * Richard Huredia, Jin Choi, Jon Shrive, Bill Kinsley, Brad Haehnel: assistant engineers * Randy Walker: midi programming * Ivy Skoff: production coordinator

Charts

References

{{authority control 1990s ballads 1996 songs 1997 singles Toni Braxton songs Kenny G songs Songs written by Babyface (musician) Songs written by Toni Braxton Song recordings produced by Babyface (musician) LaFace Records singles