Born to Be Alive (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	November 1978
Genre	Disco [1]
Length	3:05 (European single version) 3:23 (single version) 5:55 (album version) 7:28 (extended version)
Label	Aquarius (most European countries) Gem (UK) Philips (Japan) Columbia/CBS (elsewhere)
Songwriter	Patrick Hernandez
Producer	Jean Vanloo
Music video
"Born to Be Alive" (single version) on YouTube

Chart (1979)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [2]	1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [3]	1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [4]	2
Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [5]	10
Canada Dance/Urban ( RPM ) [6]	1
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [7]	1
Denmark (IFPI) [8]	1
Finland [9]	5
France (IFOP) [10]	1
Ireland (IRMA) [11]	21
Italy ( Musica e dischi ) [12]	1
Mexico [13]	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [14]	5
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [15]	12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [16]	1
Norway (VG-lista) [17]	1
Portugal [18]	1
South Africa (Springbok Radio) [19]	6
Spain (AFE) [20]	1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [21]	1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [22]	5
UK Singles (OCC) [23]	10
US Billboard Hot 100 [24]	16
US Billboard National Disco Action [24]	1
US Cash Box [25]	17
US Record World [26]	19
West Germany (GfK) [27]	1

Born to Be Alive (re-mix '88)

Chart (1988)	Peak position
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [28]	21
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [29]	20

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [40]	Platinum	100,000^
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [41]	Gold	200,000 [41]
Canada (Music Canada) [42]	Platinum	150,000^
France	—	1,400,000 [43]
Germany (BVMI) [44]	Gold	950,000 [45]
Italy	—	300,000 [46]
Italy (FIMI) [47] sales since 2009	Gold	50,000‡
Netherlands	—	100,000 [48]
Spain (Promusicae) [49]	Gold	30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [50]	Silver	250,000^
United States (RIAA) [51]	Gold	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions and uses

Kelly Marie released a Hi-NRG interpretation of the song in 1986 but it failed to chart. ^[52]

Disco Kings covered the song in 2005. Their version reached number seven in Finland, number 43 in France, number 66 in Austria and number 78 in Germany. ^[53] A music video set to the song using footage from Adolf Hitler's many rallies and speeches became a viral hit on the Internet. ^[54]

The song is featured on the intro of "Hockey Brings People Together" of the first season of the television series Shoresy during the warm-up brawl in the Bulldogs' tunnel.

Elisapie featured an Inuktitut language translation of the song, "Inuuniaravit," on her 2023 album Inuktitut .

The song is featured on an Amyl and The Sniffers 7" single from 2020.

Hernandez's "Reborn Version" is featured on Just Dance 2026 Edition . ^[55]

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 hits of 1979 (Mexico)
• 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 . Retrieved 26 January 2014.
2. 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.
3. "Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
4. "Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
5. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Image 4395". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
6. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Image 4403". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
7. "Top RPM Singles: Image 4410a". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
8. "Billboard – Hits of the World". Billboard . Vol. 91, no. 43. 27 October 1979. p. 80. ISSN   0006-2510.
9. "Billboard – Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 38. 22 September 1979. p. 62. ISSN   0006-2510.
10. "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70's" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Born to Be Alive". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
12. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 8 October 2023.Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Born to Be Alive" in the "Titolo" field and press "cerca".
13. "Billboard – Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 39. 29 September 1979. p. 63. ISSN   0006-2510.
14. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Patrick Hernandez - Born to Be Alive" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
15. "Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
16. "Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
17. "Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". VG-lista. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
18. "Billboard – Hits Of The World". Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 40. 6 October 1979. p. 68. ISSN   0006-2510.
19. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (H)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
20. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
21. "Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
22. "Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
23. "Official Singles Chart on 11/8/1979 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
24. "Born to Be Alive – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network . Retrieved 2 June 2013.
25. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending October 6, 1979". Cash Box . Archived from the original on 5 February 2011.
26. "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World . 29 September 1979. p. 149. ISSN   0034-1622 . Retrieved 17 September 2017.
27. "Offizielle Deutsche Charts (West Germany)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
28. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Patrick Hernandez - Born to Be Alive Re-Mix '88" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
29. "Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive (Re-Mix '88)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
30. "National Top 100 Singles for 1979". Kent Music Report. 31 December 1979. Retrieved 9 December 2019– via Imgur.
31. "Jahreshitparade 1979" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
32. "Jaaroverzichten 1979" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
33. "1979 Top 200 Singles". RPM . Vol. 32, no. 13. 22 December 1979. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
34. "TOP – 1979" (in French). Top-france.fr. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
35. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved 26 January 2014.
36. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1979" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
37. "Top 100 Hits for 1979". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
38. "Top Audience Response Singles/LPs". Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 51. 22 December 1979. p. 42. ISSN   0006-2510.
39. "Jahrescharts – 1979" (in German). Offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015.
40. "Hernandez Platinum for Australian Sales" (PDF). Cash Box . Vol. XLI, no. 32. 22 December 1979. p. 26 – via World Radio History.
41. Waack, William (4 August 1979). "Agenda". Jornal do Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). p. 4 – via National Library of Brazil.
42. "Canadian single certifications – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Music Canada . Retrieved 11 March 2023.
43. Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP). Fabrice Ferment (ed.). "TOP – 1979". 40 ans de tubes : 1960–2000 : les meilleures ventes de 45 tours & CD singles (in French). OCLC   469523661. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2023– via Top-France.fr.
44. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Patrick Hernandez; 'Born to Be Alive')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
45. "West Germany - The Year in Review - Bellaphon". Billboard . 8 December 1979. p. G-16. Retrieved 11 March 2023– via Google Books.
46. Barbiero, Ivano (13 July 1979). "Sette giorni in discoteca". La Stampa (in Italian). Retrieved 30 November 2021.
47. "Italian single certifications – Patrick Hernandez – Born to be Alive" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved 21 May 2024.
48. "MIDEM: Important Fair - Dutch" (PDF). Billboard. 24 January 1981. p. 91. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
49. "Spanish single certifications – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España . Retrieved 12 August 2024.
50. "British single certifications – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 11 March 2023.Select singles in the Formats field. Type Born to Be Alive Patrick Hernandez in the "Search:" field.
51. "American single certifications – Patrick Hernandez – Born to Be Alive". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 11 March 2023.
52. "Kelly Marie – Born To Be Alive / Are You Ready For Love". Discogs. 1986.
53. "Disco Kings – Born to Be Alive". Lescharts.com (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
54. Rosenfeld, Gavriel D (2005). Hi Hitler!: How the Nazi Past is Being Normalized in Contemporary Culture. Cambridge University Press. p. 314. ISBN   9781316195291.
55. "Just Dance 2026 Edition - Born to Be Alive by Patrick Hernandez (Reborn Version) Aerobics Version". YouTube. 3 September 2025.