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 Billboard National Disco Action chart in early 1979. The song achieved gold status in the United States, Brazil, Germany and Italy, platinum in Australia and Canada, and silver in the United Kingdom.

"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(s)	Patrick Hernandez
Producer(s)	Jean Vanloo
Music video
"Born to Be Alive" (single version) on YouTube
Audio
"Born to Be Alive" (album version) on YouTube

Charts

Weekly charts

Original version

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]	2
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

Year-end charts

Chart (1979)	Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[30]	5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[31]	2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[32]	4
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[33]	29
France (IFOP)[34]	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[35]	18
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[36]	33
US Billboard Hot 100[37]	70
US Top Audience Response Singles/LPs[38]	7
West Germany (Official German Charts)[39]	2

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.

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.)