Jerome from Protivin came up with this EXCELLENT Forgotten 45!
Patrick Hernandez – Born To Be Alive
A one hit wonder who hit at the perfect time. Timing is key when there’s a big fad or cultural event because it doesn’t last forever, so if you can put your mark on it while it happens, DO IT!
Patrick Hernandez did just that in 1979. It was still the Disco era and radio was playing as much disco as the actual discoteques were featuring in clubs and the dance floor! Disco also created a slew of movies with a disco theme.
In 1979, Hernandez was lucky enough to have his song on the soundtrack of the film, Skatetown, U.S.A, a movie with disco-skating as it’s main focus. I’ve never seen it but the cast wasa pretty great! Patrick Swayze in his first film performance, Ruth Buzzi, Scottt Baio, Flip Wilson, Maureen McCormick, Ron Palillo (Horschack on Welcome Back, Kotter), famous little person, Billy Barty and the late Playboy Playmate, Dorothy Stratten. Of course, I’ll have to find this soon so I can watch and review it!
“Born To Be Alive” was conceived as a hard rock song by Hernandez, but producers thought it would work well as a dance club hit and they were right. It was a world-wide hit, first in France, where it’s still one of the biggest singles in that country’s history. Then, all over the rest of the world. It peaked at #16 on the U.S. Hot 100 and topped the U.S. Billboard National Disco Action chart!
