Patrick Hernandez
Encyclopedia
Patrick Hernandez is a French singer who had a worldwide hit
with "Born to Be Alive
" in 1979.
n and half-Italian
mother. Growing up in the 1960s, he became interested in music. He toured dancehalls and ballrooms of southern France with a number of groups over the next decade. Hernandez met his music partner Hervé Tholance, an arranger, guitarist, and vocalist, during that period. The two formed a duo and started achieving local success backing French musicians such as Francis Cabrel
, Laurent Voulzy
, and the French group Gold
.
In 1978, Hernandez met the producer Jean Vanloo with disco music at its peak, and signed a recording contract
. Hernandez went to Waterloo
, Belgium to work on songs.
After working for about a year, the songs were released on the Aariana sub-label Aquarius Records (in France) in November 1978. The first single that was released was the disco song "Born to Be Alive
". Its success was immediate, and in January 1979, Hernandez received his first gold record
from Italy
. The song spread throughout Europe, where it hit #1 in France in April and remained there until July. By then, the United States had caught on, and after some remix
ing, the record was signed to the A-Tom-Mik label. The remixed version was released on a commercial 12" single, and it peaked in the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart
at #1 and crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100
peaking at #16. It sold over one million copies in the US. The track reached #10 in the UK Singles Chart
. By year's end, Hernandez had racked up fifty two gold and platinum record awards from more than fifty different countries.
While Hernandez was touring the United States, he was accompanied by Vanloo and his friend Jean-Claude Pellerin. Vanloo and Pellerin held auditions in New York that spring for dancers to accompany Hernandez on his worldwide tour. The chosen dancers included a young Madonna
.
Hernandez's follow-ups to "Born to Be Alive" did not fare as well in the US. "Disco Queen" backed with "Show Me The Way You Kiss" sold poorly, but the album Born to Be Alive
sold well and won him a Billboard Award in February 1980.
In 1981, Hernandez released the import 12" single of "Goodbye", first released on Aariana Records and then a remixed version on the parent-label Aquarius Records (in France). It was not released in the US, although an album followed the single's release, but found no market in the US.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Hernandez toured and had occasional appearances on other artists' albums in Europe. Another remix
of "Born to Be Alive" appeared in the nightclub
s in 1987. In 1995, a compilation
of his two albums was released in the US, titled The Best Of Patrick Hernandez on Hot Records. The fourth movie in the National Lampoon's Vacation
comedy series, Vegas Vacation
, prominently featured "Born to Be Alive". In Canada, the song was used in television advertisements for the Dodge SX 2.0
economy car.
Since its 1978 release, "Born to Be Alive" has sold more than 800,000 units annually under various forms and compilations globally, and it has brought in more than 25 million dollars worldwide. It has also been covered
in the Pump It Up
series.
He is married to Spanish-born singer, Luisa Fernandez, who appeared on the hit albums Lay Love On You, Disco Boy and Spanish Dancer, among others.
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
with "Born to Be Alive
Born to Be Alive
Born to Be Alive is a 1979 album by Belgian singer Patrick Hernandez and also a song on this album.The album's title track, written by Hernandez, was a significant worldwide pop hit and also hit number one on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart...
" in 1979.
Biography
Hernandez was born to a Spanish father and a half-AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n and half-Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
mother. Growing up in the 1960s, he became interested in music. He toured dancehalls and ballrooms of southern France with a number of groups over the next decade. Hernandez met his music partner Hervé Tholance, an arranger, guitarist, and vocalist, during that period. The two formed a duo and started achieving local success backing French musicians such as Francis Cabrel
Francis Cabrel
Francis Cabrel is a well-known French singer-songwriter and guitarist. Inspired heavily by Bob Dylan, he has released a number of albums falling mostly within the realm of folk, with occasional forays into blues or country. Several of his songs, such as "L'encre de tes yeux" and "Petite Marie"...
, Laurent Voulzy
Laurent Voulzy
Laurent Voulzy is a French singer and composer.-Biography:Voulzy originally led the English-pop-influenced Le Temple de Vénus before joining Pascal Danel as guitarist from 1969 to 1974...
, and the French group Gold
Gold (band)
Gold is a French music band from Toulouse which enjoyed considerable success in the Francophone world in the 1980s.-History:Gold was originally composed of five musicians : Lucien Crémadès , Alain Llorca , Bernard Mazauric , Etienne Salvador and lead singer/guitarist Emile Wandelmer.The group...
.
In 1978, Hernandez met the producer Jean Vanloo with disco music at its peak, and signed a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
. Hernandez went to Waterloo
Waterloo, Belgium
Waterloo is a Walloon municipality located in the province of Walloon Brabant, Belgium. On December 31, 2009, Waterloo had a total population of 29,573. The total area is 21.03 km² which gives a population density of 1,407 inhabitants per km²...
, Belgium to work on songs.
After working for about a year, the songs were released on the Aariana sub-label Aquarius Records (in France) in November 1978. The first single that was released was the disco song "Born to Be Alive
Born to Be Alive
Born to Be Alive is a 1979 album by Belgian singer Patrick Hernandez and also a song on this album.The album's title track, written by Hernandez, was a significant worldwide pop hit and also hit number one on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart...
". Its success was immediate, and in January 1979, Hernandez received his first gold record
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The song spread throughout Europe, where it hit #1 in France in April and remained there until July. By then, the United States had caught on, and after some remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ing, the record was signed to the A-Tom-Mik label. The remixed version was released on a commercial 12" single, and it peaked in the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
at #1 and crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
peaking at #16. It sold over one million copies in the US. The track reached #10 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. By year's end, Hernandez had racked up fifty two gold and platinum record awards from more than fifty different countries.
While Hernandez was touring the United States, he was accompanied by Vanloo and his friend Jean-Claude Pellerin. Vanloo and Pellerin held auditions in New York that spring for dancers to accompany Hernandez on his worldwide tour. The chosen dancers included a young Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
.
Hernandez's follow-ups to "Born to Be Alive" did not fare as well in the US. "Disco Queen" backed with "Show Me The Way You Kiss" sold poorly, but the album Born to Be Alive
Born to Be Alive
Born to Be Alive is a 1979 album by Belgian singer Patrick Hernandez and also a song on this album.The album's title track, written by Hernandez, was a significant worldwide pop hit and also hit number one on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart...
sold well and won him a Billboard Award in February 1980.
In 1981, Hernandez released the import 12" single of "Goodbye", first released on Aariana Records and then a remixed version on the parent-label Aquarius Records (in France). It was not released in the US, although an album followed the single's release, but found no market in the US.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Hernandez toured and had occasional appearances on other artists' albums in Europe. Another remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of "Born to Be Alive" appeared in the nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s in 1987. In 1995, a compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
of his two albums was released in the US, titled The Best Of Patrick Hernandez on Hot Records. The fourth movie in the National Lampoon's Vacation
National Lampoon's Vacation
Vacation, sometimes referred as National Lampoon's Vacation, is a 1983 comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Dana Barron and Anthony Michael Hall...
comedy series, Vegas Vacation
Vegas Vacation
Vegas Vacation is a 1997 comedy film. It is the fourth film in the original Vacation film series centering around the fictitious Griswold family, following Vacation, European Vacation, and Christmas Vacation. Chevy Chase reprises his starring role as Clark W. Griswold, the patriarch of the family...
, prominently featured "Born to Be Alive". In Canada, the song was used in television advertisements for the Dodge SX 2.0
Dodge Neon
The Plymouth/Dodge Neon, sold in Europe, Mexico, Canada, and elsewhere outside the United States as the Chrysler Neon, is a compact front wheel drive car introduced in January 1994 for the 1995 model year by Chrysler Corporation's Dodge and Plymouth brands...
economy car.
Since its 1978 release, "Born to Be Alive" has sold more than 800,000 units annually under various forms and compilations globally, and it has brought in more than 25 million dollars worldwide. It has also been covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
in the Pump It Up
Pump It Up
Pump It Up, commonly abbreviated as PIU or shortened to just Pump, is a music video game series currently developed by Nexcade and published by Andamiro, a Korean arcade game producer. The game is typically played on a dance pad with five arrow panels: up-left, up-right, bottom-left, bottom-right,...
series.
He is married to Spanish-born singer, Luisa Fernandez, who appeared on the hit albums Lay Love On You, Disco Boy and Spanish Dancer, among others.