Breathe (Blu Cantrell song)

"Breathe"
Single by Blu Cantrell featuring Sean Paul
from the album Bittersweet
Released May 6, 2003
September 2, 2003 (re-release)
Format CD single, 12" single, digital download
Recorded Sound on Sound Recording
(New York City, New York)
Genre R&B, hip hop soul, reggae fusion
Length 3:25 (Album Version)
3:48 (Rap Version)
Label Arista
Writer(s) Andrea Martin, Ivan Matias, Richard Bembery, Melvin Bradford, Stefan Harris, Alvin Joiner, Marshall Mathers, Charles Aznavour
Producer Mark Pitts, Ivan Matias, Andrea Martin
Blu Cantrell singles chronology
"Round Up"
(2002)
"Breathe"
(2003)
"Make Me Wanna Scream"
(2003)
Sean Paul singles chronology
"Like Glue"
(2003)
"Breathe"
(2003)
"Baby Boy"
(2003)

"Breathe" is a song by American recording artist Blu Cantrell from her second studio album, Bittersweet (2003). A remixed version featuring Sean Paul was released as a single in 2003.

Contents

Song information

Released in July 2003, the album's lead single became a smash hit in Europe and a modest success in the United States. The song uses a slightly altered instrumental of Dr. Dre's 1999 song "What's the Difference" featuring Eminem and Xzibit, which revolved around a sample from Charles Aznavour's 1966 song "Parce Que Tu Crois". The song was originally recorded for the Bittersweet album without Sean Paul, but his vocals were added for the single release.

Chart performance

The song was particularly successful in the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number one on the UK Official Download Chart on August 4, 2003, and topped the UK Singles Chart the week dating August 9, 2003, where it spent four weeks at the top spot in August 2003, knocking Daniel Bedingfield's "Never Gonna Leave Your Side" off of the top position, and then being knocked off by the 2003 remix of Elton John's "Are You Ready for Love".

Track listings

UK CD 1 and European CD single
  1. "Breathe" (Rap Version featuring Sean Paul) – 3:48
  2. "Breathe" (Radio Mix) – 3:25
  3. "Breathe" (Ed Funk & D Rok Remix) – 5:31
UK CD 2 and European CD maxi single
  1. "Breathe" (Rap Version - Radio Mix featuring Sean Paul) – 3:49
  2. "Breathe" (No Rap Version - Radio Mix) – 3:21
  3. "Breathe" (Andy & The Lamboy Radio Edit) – 3:46
  4. "Breathe" (Instrumental) – 3:45
French CD single
  1. "Breathe" (Rap Version - Radio Mix featuring Sean Paul) – 3:51
  2. "Breathe" (No Rap Version - Radio Mix) – 3:21
U.S. 12" single (2002)
A1. "Breathe" (Rap Version featuring Sean Paul) – 3:48
A2. "Breathe" (Instrumental) – 3:45
A3. "Breathe" (Rap Version Acappella featuring Sean Paul) – 3:48
B1. "Breathe" (Rap Version featuring E-40) – 3:45
B2. "Breathe" (Instrumental) – 3:40
B3. "Breathe" (Rap Version Acappella) – 3:43

Official versions and remixes

Charts

Chart positions

Chart (2002) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[1] 17
Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart[2] 8
Austrian Singles Chart[2] 11
Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)[2] 22
Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia)[3] 15
Danish Singles Chart[2] 7
Dutch Top 40[2] 4
European Hot 100 Singles[4] 1
French Singles Chart[2] 13
German Singles Chart[2] 7
Hungarian Singles Chart[5] 8
Irish Singles Chart[2] 1
Italian Singles Chart 28
Norwegian Singles Chart[2] 6
Swedish Singles Chart[2] 14
Swiss Singles Chart[2] 5
UK Singles Chart[2] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[1] 70
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[1] 83
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Romanian Top 100[6] 1

Year-end charts

2003 year-end chart positions for "Breathe".

Country/Chart Position
Austria 65
Denmark 26
European Hot 100 Singles 20
France 59
Ireland 15
Netherlands 52
Norway 18
Sweden 35
Switzerland 15
UK 6

Chart procession and succession

Preceded by
"Never Gonna Leave Your Side" by Daniel Bedingfield
UK Singles Chart number-one single
August 9, 2003 – August 30, 2003
Succeeded by
"Are You Ready for Love" by Elton John
Preceded by
"Fly on the Wings of Love" by XTM and DJ Chucky presents Annia
Irish Singles Chart number-one single
August 21, 2003 – August 28, 2003
Succeeded by
"Where Is the Love?" by The Black Eyed Peas
Preceded by
"Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh)" by Lumidee featuring Busta Rhymes and Fabolous
European Hot 100 Singles number-one single
September 13, 2003
Succeeded by
"Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh)" by Lumidee featuring Busta Rhymes and Fabolous
Preceded by
"Slow" by Kylie Minogue
Romanian Top 100 number-one single
February 2, 2004
Succeeded by
"Clipe" by 3rei Sud Est

Cover versions

References