| "The Air That I Breathe" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Side A of UK single | ||||
| Single bythe Hollies | ||||
| from the albumHollies | ||||
| B-side | "No More Riders" | |||
| Released | January 1974 | |||
| Recorded | 15 and 22 November 1973[1] | |||
| Studio | EMI Studios, London | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:13 (album version)3:45 (single version) | |||
| Label | UK:Polydor US:Epic | |||
| Songwriters | Albert Hammond,Michael Hazlewood | |||
| Producers | Ron Richards and the Hollies | |||
| The Hollies singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative release | ||||
.png) Side A of US single (Epic) | ||||
"The Air That I Breathe" is a song written by theBritish-Gibraltarian singer-songwriterAlbert Hammond and the English songwriterMike Hazlewood. Theballad[2] was initially recorded by Hammond on his debut album,It Never Rains in Southern California (1972), and then byPhil Everly in 1973.
In early 1974, a version bythe Hollies reached number two on theUK singles chart. It was the Hollies' last major hit. The English rock bandRadiohead reused the chord progression and melody of "The Air That I Breathe" for their 1992 song "Creep".
"The Air That I Breathe" was written by theBritish-Gibraltarian singer-songwriterAlbert Hammond and the English singer-songwriterMike Hazelwood. Hammond recorded the first version for his 1972 albumIt Never Rainsin Southern California. In 1973, the American singerPhil Everly recorded a cover for his albumStar Spangled Banner.[3]
TheEMI producer Ron Richards heard the Everly brothers version and felt it had the potential to become a hit. He brought it to the English bandthe Hollies, who recorded a cover inEMI Studios at Abbey Road, London.[3] The Hollies version was engineered byAlan Parsons.[3] The drummer, Bobby Elliott, overdubbed "huge" tom fills processed withplate reverb, which Parsons said "brought the song to life".[3] According to Parsons, the guitaristEric Clapton said the first note of "The Air That I Breathe" had "more soul" than anything he had ever heard.[3]
In early 1974, the Hollies' version of "The Air That I Breathe" reached number 2 on theUK singles chart. In mid-1974, it reached number 6 in the United States on theBillboard Hot 100 chart and number 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[4] In Canada, it reached number 5 on theRPM charts. This version featured a string orchestra arrangement, which also featured a horn section.Record World said that "the potent material gets a super interpretation".[5] It was the Hollies' last major hit.[3]
The song was prominently featured in 2024 American psychological horror filmHeretic.
TheEnglish rock bandRadiohead reused the chord progression and melody of "The Air That I Breathe" for their 1992 song "Creep".[6] AfterRondor Music, thepublisher of "The Air That I Breathe", took legal action, Hammond and Hazlewood received cowriting credits and a percentage of theroyalties. Hammond said Radiohead were honest about having reused the composition, and so he and Hazlewood accepted only a small part of the royalties.[7]
Credits from Richard Buskin and engineer Alan Parsons.[8]
The Hollies
Weekly charts[edit]
Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[25] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[26] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| "The Air That I Breathe" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single bySimply Red | ||||
| from the albumBlue | ||||
| Released | 10 August 1998 (1998-08-10) | |||
| Length | 4:24 | |||
| Label | EastWest | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | AGM | |||
| Simply Red singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "The Air That I Breathe" onYouTube | ||||
Britishsoul andpop bandSimply Red released a cover of "The Air That I Breathe" on their sixth album, "Blue" (1998).[27] It peaked at number five in Scotland, number six in theUK and number 17 inAustria. On theEurochart Hot 100, it reached number 35. Amusic video was also produced to promote the single.
Gene Armstrong fromArizona Daily Star declared the Simply Red version as "a sexy version".[28]J.D. Considine fromThe Baltimore Sun felt "hisMarvin Gaye-like" take on the track "is wonderfully audacious".[29]Larry Flick fromBillboard viewed it as "an inspired, groove-laden interpretation", remarking that "Hucknall brings his signaturesoul to the track, vamping with glee while the band pumps a mild, jeep-styled beat that is hard enough forR&B listeners but soft enough to tickle the fancy ofAC andtriple-A radio listeners." He added, "Popsters will soon be treated to a bevy of remixes bySean "Puffy" Combs and Stevie J., which should maketop 40 punters quickly sit up and take notice."[30] A reviewer fromDaily Record commented, "You'll be looking for a breath of fresh air after hearing Mick Hucknall'smiddle-of-the-road reworking of this song which was originally a hit for The Hollies. The band desperately need a dose of originality."[31]
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[32] | 17 |
| Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[33] | 15 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[34] | 35 |
| Germany (GfK)[35] | 66 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[36] | 82 |
| Scotland Singles (OCC)[37] | 5 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[38] | 6 |
| Chart (1998) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC)[39] | 142 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[40] Sales since 2004 | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 28 April 1998 | Rhythmic contemporary radio | EastWest | [41] |
| 5 May 1998 | Contemporary hit radio | [42] | ||
| 11 May 1998 | Adult contemporary radio | [43][44] | ||
| United Kingdom | 10 August 1998 |
| [45] |
| "The Air That I Breathe" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song byBelinda Carlisle | ||||
| from the albumOnce Upon a Time in California | ||||
| Released | June 6, 2025 (2025-06-06) | |||
| Genre | Pop rock,soft rock | |||
| Label | Demon,Edsel | |||
| Producer | Gabe Lopez | |||
| Belinda Carlisle singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
American singer-songwriterBelinda Carlisle released a cover of "The Air That I Breathe" as a single on 6 June 2025.[46] The song was her first single for her new studio album,Once Upon a Time in California (2025).[47] A music video was filmed to promote the single.[48]
Reviews for Carlisle's cover of the song were generally positive, with Kenyth ofLife In Cartoon Motion writing, "The song drifts in on a breeze of soft keys and gentle percussion, anchored by Carlisle’s unmistakable voice, which remains as rich, radiant, and refreshing as ever."[49] and Davearama ofPoptastic Confessions! wrote, "Belinda gives a strong vocal perforrnance. It's a pretty faithful cover."[50]
Impacting mainstream AC on May 11.
Impacting mainstream AC on May 11.
