Breathe (The Prodigy song)

"Breathe"
Single by The Prodigy
from the album The Fat of the Land
Released	11 November 1996
Format	12" CD
Recorded	Essex, England
Length	5:35 (album version) 3:59 (edit)
Label	XL
Writer(s)	Liam Howlett Keith Flint Maxim Reality
Producer(s)	Liam Howlett
Certification	2× Platinum (AUS) Platinum (UK, SWE)
The Prodigy singles chronology
"Firestarter" (1996) "Breathe" (1996) "Serial Thrilla" (1997)

"Breathe" is a song by English band The Prodigy. It was released in November 1996 as the second single from the album The Fat of the Land. The song became the group's second consecutive number-one on both the UK and Finnish singles charts. An edited version of the song is featured as the opening track on MuchMusic's Diamond-Certified compilation album, Big Shiny Tunes 2. The song also featured in a 2012 television commercial for Tooheys Extra Dry.^[1][2][3]

Track listing

12" vinyl record

1. "Breathe" (Edit) – 3:59
2. "The Trick" – 4:25
3. "Breathe" (Instrumental) – 5:35
4. "Their Law" (Live at Phoenix Festival '96) – 5:24

• Track 1 written by Liam Howlett, Keith Flint and Maxim Reality
• Tracks 2–3 written by Liam Howlett & Laurence Donaldson
• Track 4 featuring live guitar from Gizz Butt

CD single

1. "Breathe" (Edit) – 3:59
2. "Their Law" (Live at Phoenix Festival '96) – 5:24
3. "Poison" (Live at Torhout & Werchter Festival '96) – 5:17
4. "The Trick" – 4:25

Cassette Single XLC 80

1. "Breathe" (Edit) – 3:59
2. "The Trick" – 4:25

Music video

The music video was directed by Walter Stern and took place in what resembled an abandoned, decrepit apartment building, with the band members and various animals, like a crocodile, millipedes and cockroaches, as its inhabitants. The music video won the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards Viewer's Choice and International Viewer's Choice for Europe.

Chart performances

The song was a major worldwide hit, reaching the top 10 in several countries such as Australia, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Switzerland. "Breathe" was a number-one hit in Finland, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The song was also a hit in France, reaching number 26.^[4]

In the United States, the song reached number 18 on the US Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart.^[5]

Popular culture

Up until the 2012 PDC World Darts Championship, Dutch darts player Michael van Gerwen used the song as his walk-on theme.^[6]

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1996–97) Peak position scope="row" Australia (ARIA)[7] 2 scope="row" Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 6 scope="row" Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 7 scope="row" Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[10] 2 Canada Alternative 30 (RPM)[11] 28 Canada Top Singles (RPM) 65 Denmark (IFPI)[12] 1 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[12] 1 scope="row" Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[13] 1 scope="row" France (SNEP)[14] 26 scope="row" Germany (Official German Charts)[15] 8 Ireland (IRMA)[16] 1 Italy (FIMI)[17] 8 scope="row" Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[18] 9 scope="row" New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[19] 3 scope="row" Norway (VG-lista)[20] 1 Spain (AFYVE)[21] 1 scope="row" Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[22] 1 scope="row" Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[23] 5 scope="row" UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[24] 1 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[25] 18

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[26] 113 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[27] 13 Chart (1997) Position Australia (ARIA)[28] 9 All-time charts Chart Position Australia (ARIA)[29] 8 Certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments Australia (ARIA)[30] 2× Platinum 140,000 Belgium (BEA)[31] Gold 25,000 Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[32] Platinum 10,507[32] Germany (BVMI)[33] Gold 250,000 Poland (ZPAV)[34] Gold 50,000 Sweden (GLF)[35] Platinum 30,000 United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Platinum 600,000 ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

1. "Tooheys Extra Dry "Nocturnal Migration" TVC - AdNews". YouTube. 2011-09-25. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
2. "MTV Video Music Awards | Highlights, Winners, Performers and Photos from the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards". MTV.com. 1997-09-04. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
3. "1997 MTV Video Music Awards". Rock On The Net. 1997-09-04. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
4. Steffen Hung. "The Prodigy - Breathe". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
5. "The Prodigy | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
6. "Michael van Gerwen: Is Mighty Mike the next dominant force?". BBC. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
7. "Australian-charts.com – The Prodigy – Breathe". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
8. "Austriancharts.at – The Prodigy – Breathe" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
9. "Ultratop.be – The Prodigy – Breathe" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
10. "Ultratop.be – The Prodigy – Breathe" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
11. "Rock/Alternative - Volume 66, No. 1, September 08 1997". RPM. Walt Grealis. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
12. "Hits of the World". Billboard (Prometheus Global Media) 108 (52): 51. December 28, 1996. ISSN 0006-2510.
13. "The Prodigy: Breathe" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
14. "Lescharts.com – The Prodigy – Breathe" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
15. "Musicline.de – Prodigy Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
16. "The Irish Charts – All there is to Know" (enter search parameter The Prodigy into Search by Artist box, then select Go). Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
17. "Hits of the World". Billboard (Prometheus Global Media) 109 (6): 40. February 8, 1997. ISSN 0006-2510.
18. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 48, 1996" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved July 18, 2012.
19. "Charts.org.nz – The Prodigy – Breathe". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
20. "Norwegiancharts.com – The Prodigy – Breathe". VG-lista. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
21. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
22. "Swedishcharts.com – The Prodigy – Breathe". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
23. "Swisscharts.com – The Prodigy – Breathe". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
24. "Archive Chart: 1996-11-23" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
25. "Prodigy Album & Song Chart History". Billboard Alternative Songs for Prodigy. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
26. "Top 40 – Jaargang 32, 1996". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
27. Zywietz, Tobias. "CIN Singles 1996 – The Top 200 Singles Of 1996". Zobbel.de. Tobias Zywietz. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
28. "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 1997". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
29. "BEST OF ALL TIME - SINGLES". Retrieved 2016-03-25.
30. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
31. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – 1997". Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
32. "Prodigy" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
33. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Prodigy; 'Breathe')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
34. "Polish album certifications – Prodigy – Breathe" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
35. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
36. "British single certifications – Prodigy – Breathe". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 18, 2012. Enter Breathe in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search

External links

• Breathe single at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
• "Breathe" music video on YouTube
• Music video screenshots gallery