Born to Be Alive

"Born to Be Alive"

French 12-inch vinyl single
Single by Patrick Hernandez
from the album Born to Be Alive
B-side "I Give You Rendez-Vous"
Released 1978
Format
Genre Disco[1]
Label Aquarius
Songwriter(s) Patrick Hernandez
Producer(s) Jean Vanloo

"Born to Be Alive" is a song written by French singer Patrick Hernandez. It became a worldwide smash hit and reached number one on the US Disco chart.[2] It was first conceived as a hard rock song.

Chart performance

"Born to Be Alive" first became a hit in France, and has become one of the biggest singles in that country.[3]

The song also gained gold status in the USA.

After this single hit record, Hernandez dropped out of the music business, making occasional TV appearances.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Original version

Chart (1979) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[5] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 2
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[7] 10
Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[8] 1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9] 1
Denmark (IFPI)[10] 1
Finland[11] 5
France (IFOP)[12] 1
Germany (Official German Charts)[13] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[14] 21
Italy (FIMI)[15] 1
Mexico[16] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[17] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18] 12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[19] 1
Norway (VG-lista)[20] 1
Portugal[21] 1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[22] 6
Spain (AFE)[23] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[24] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 5
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[26] 10
US Billboard Hot 100[2] 16
US Billboard National Disco Action[2] 1
US Cash Box[27] 17
US Record World[28] 19

Born to be alive (re-mix '88)

Chart (1988) Peak
position
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[29] 21
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] 20

Year-end charts

Chart (1979) Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[31] 5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[32] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[33] 4
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[34] 29
France (IFOP)[35] 1
Germany (Official German Charts)[36] 2
Italy (FIMI)[37] 7
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[38] 18
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[39] 33
US Billboard Hot 100[40] 70
US Top Audience Response Singles/LPs[41] 7

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Canada (Music Canada)[42] Platinum 150,000^
France 1,412,300[3]
Germany (BVMI)[43] Gold 250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[44] Silver 250,000^
United States (RIAA)[45] Gold 1,000,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Cover versions and uses

The first cover version, by Rick Summer, was released during the same year as Hernandez's hit, 1979. "Born to Be Alive" was also covered by Spanish pop punk group Los Nikis, with lyrics consisting just of repetitions of Me voy a Benidorm, as well as Nekromantix, Roberto Blanco and Kelly Marie.

"Born to Be Alive" was also covered in the Pump It Up series of rhythm dance video games. The song was also featured in the 1997 film Vegas Vacation, starring Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid. A cover of the song also featured on a 2011 advert for Diesel's "Fuel for Life" perfume range.

A music video set to the song using footage from Adolf Hitler's many rallies and speeches became a viral hit on the Internet.[46]

An adaption of the song was made by Belgian performer Flip Kowlier as lead song for the movie Madonna's Pig.

The song was also used at the start of the 2000 Australian movie The Wog Boy.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Adams, Bret. "Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Born to Be Alive – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Les Meilleures Ventes "Tout Temps" de 45 T. / Singles / Téléchargement" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1970's". World Charts. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4395." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  8. ↑ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 4403." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  9. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4410a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  10. ↑ "Billboard – Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 91 no. 43. 27 October 1979. p. 80. ISSN 0006-2510.
  11. ↑ "Billboard – Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 91 no. 38. 22 September 1979. p. 62. ISSN 0006-2510.
  12. ↑ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70's" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  14. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Born to Be Alive". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  15. ↑ (in Italian) "Singoli – I numeri uno (1959–2006) (parte 2: 1970–1980)". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.. It-charts.150m.com.
  16. ↑ "Billboard – Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 91 no. 39. 29 September 1979. p. 63. ISSN 0006-2510.
  17. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Patrick Hernandez - Born to Be Alive search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  19. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  20. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". VG-lista. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  21. ↑ "Billboard – Hits Of The World". Billboard. Vol. 91 no. 40. 6 October 1979. p. 68. ISSN 0006-2510.
  22. ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (H)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  23. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  24. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  25. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  26. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1979-08-11" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  27. ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending OCTOBER 6, 1979". Archived from the original on 5 February 2011.. Cash Box magazine.
  28. ↑ "RECORD WORLD 1979". Archived from the original on 11 May 2005.. Record World. Geocities.com.
  29. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Patrick Hernandez - Born to Be Alive Re-Mix '88 search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  30. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Patrick Hernandez – Born To Be Alive (Re-Mix '88)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  31. ↑ "Forum - ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1970s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  32. ↑ "Jahreshitparade 1979" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  33. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1979" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  34. ↑ "1979 Top 200 Singles". RPM. Vol. 32 no. 13. 22 December 1979. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  35. ↑ "TOP – 1979" (in French). Top-france.fr. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  36. ↑ (in German) "Jahrescharts – 1979". Archived from the original on 8 May 2015.. Offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment Charts.
  37. ↑ "I singoli più venduti del 1979" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  38. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  39. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1979" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  40. ↑ "Top 100 Hits for 1979". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  41. ↑ "Top Audience Response Singles/LPs". Billboard. Vol. 91 no. 51. 22 December 1979. p. 42. ISSN 0006-2510.
  42. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Music Canada.
  43. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Patrick Hernandez; 'Born to Be Alive')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  44. ↑ "British single certifications – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Born to Be Alive in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  45. ↑ "American single certifications – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  46. ↑ Rosenfeld, Gavriel D (2005). Hi Hitler!: How the Nazi Past is Being Normalized in Contemporary Culture. Cambridge University Press. p. 314.
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