Born to Be Alive (song)

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

"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" (UK) "Born to Be Alive (Instrumental)" (various European countries) "It Comes So Easy" (Japan) "Too Many People" (elsewhere)
Released	1979
Genre	Disco[1]
Label	Aquarius (most European countries) Gem (UK) Philips (Japan) Columbia/CBS (elsewhere)
Songwriter(s)	Patrick Hernandez
Producer(s)	Jean Vanloo

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 achieved gold status in the USA.[4]

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Original version Chart (1979) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 1 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 2 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[8] 10 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[9] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 1 Denmark (IFPI)[11] 1 Finland[12] 5 France (IFOP)[13] 1 Germany (Official German Charts)[14] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 21 Italy (FIMI)[16] 1 Mexico[17] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[18] 5 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] 12 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[20] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[21] 1 Portugal[22] 1 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[23] 6 Spain (AFE)[24] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 5 UK Singles (OCC)[27] 10 US Billboard Hot 100[2] 16 US Billboard National Disco Action[2] 1 US Cash Box[28] 17 US Record World[29] 19

Born to be alive (re-mix '88) Chart (1988) Peak position Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[30] 21 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[31] 20 Year-end charts Chart (1979) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)[32] 5 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[33] 2 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[34] 4 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[35] 29 France (IFOP)[36] 1 Germany (Official German Charts)[37] 2 Italy (FIMI)[38] 7 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[39] 18 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[40] 33 US Billboard Hot 100[41] 70 US Top Audience Response Singles/LPs[42] 7 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Canada (Music Canada)[43] Platinum 150,000^^ France — 1,412,300[3] Germany (BVMI)[44] Gold 250,000^^ United Kingdom (BPI)[45] Silver 250,000^^ United States (RIAA)[4] Gold 1,000,000^^ ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions and uses

Disco Kings covered the song in 2005. Their version reached number 7 in Finland, number 43 in France, number 66 in Austria and number 78 in Germany.[46] A music video set to the song using footage from Adolf Hitler's many rallies and speeches became a viral hit on the Internet.[47]

See also

List of best-selling singles in France List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1970s List of number-one singles of 1979 (Canada) List of number-one singles of 1979 (France) List of number-one hits of 1979 (Germany) List of number-one hits (Italy)

List of number-one singles in 1979 (New Zealand) List of number-one songs in Norway List of RPM number-one dance singles of 1979 List of number-one singles of 1979 (Spain) List of number-one singles and albums in Sweden List of number-one dance singles of 1979 (U.S.)

References

1. Adams, Bret. "Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
2. "Born to Be Alive – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
3. "Les Meilleures Ventes "Tout Temps" de 45 T. / Singles / Téléchargement" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
4. "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. 
5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 138. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
6. "Austriancharts.at – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
7. "Ultratop.be – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
8. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4395." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
9. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 4403." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4410a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
11. "Billboard – Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 91 no. 43. 27 October 1979. p. 80. ISSN 0006-2510.
12. "Billboard – Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 91 no. 38. 22 September 1979. p. 62. ISSN 0006-2510.
13. "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70's" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Born to Be Alive". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
16. "Singoli – I numeri uno (1959–2006) (parte 2: 1970–1980)". It-charts.150m.com (in Italian). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
17. "Billboard – Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 91 no. 39. 29 September 1979. p. 63. ISSN 0006-2510.
18. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Patrick Hernandez - Born to Be Alive" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
19. "Dutchcharts.nl – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
20. "Charts.nz – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
21. "Norwegiancharts.com – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". VG-lista. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
22. "Billboard – Hits Of The World". Billboard. Vol. 91 no. 40. 6 October 1979. p. 68. ISSN 0006-2510.
23. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (H)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
24. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
25. "Swedishcharts.com – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
26. "Swisscharts.com – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
27. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
28. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending OCTOBER 6, 1979". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 5 February 2011.
29. "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World. 29 September 1979. p. 149. ISSN 0034-1622. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
30. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Patrick Hernandez - Born to Be Alive Re-Mix '88" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
31. "Dutchcharts.nl – Patrick Hernandez – Born To Be Alive (Re-Mix '88)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
32. "National Top 100 Singles for 1979". Kent Music Report. 31 December 1979. Retrieved 9 December 2019 – via Imgur.
33. "Jahreshitparade 1979" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
34. "Jaaroverzichten 1979" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
35. "1979 Top 200 Singles". RPM. Vol. 32 no. 13. 22 December 1979. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
36. "TOP – 1979" (in French). Top-france.fr. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
37. "Jahrescharts – 1979" (in German). Offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015.
38. "I singoli più venduti del 1979" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
39. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
40. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1979" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
41. "Top 100 Hits for 1979". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
42. "Top Audience Response Singles/LPs". Billboard. Vol. 91 no. 51. 22 December 1979. p. 42. ISSN 0006-2510.
43. "Canadian single certifications – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Music Canada.
44. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Patrick Hernandez; 'Born to Be Alive')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
45. "British single certifications – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". British Phonographic Industry.
46. "Disco Kings – Born to Be Alive". Lescharts.com (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
47. Rosenfeld, Gavriel D (2005). Hi Hitler!: How the Nazi Past is Being Normalized in Contemporary Culture. Cambridge University Press. p. 314.