Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Breathe (The Prodigy song)

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Released
  
11 November 1996

Label
  
XL

Format
  
12" CD

Recorded
  
Earthbound Studios, Braintree, Essex, England

Length
  
5:35 (album version) 3:59 (edit)

Writer(s)
  
Liam Howlett Keith Flint Maxim Reality

"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.

Contents

Composition

The song features a drum break from the song "Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed" of the group Thin Lizzy. The whiplashing sword sound effect is a sample of the song "Da Mystery of Chessboxin", by Wu-Tang Clan. As in Firestarter, Jim Davies played the guitar in the song.

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
  • Track 4 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 experiencing various aural, visual and psychological phenomena, with Keith Flint and Maxim representing the phenomena. Various animals, like a crocodile, millipedes and cockroaches, make an appearance, evoking different types of phobias. The music video won the 1997 MTV Video Music Award for Viewer's Choice and International Viewer's Choice Award for MTV 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 Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The song was also a hit in France, reaching number 26.

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

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

    References

    Breathe (The Prodigy song) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA