Next up on our Random Runners-Up long weekend, it’s a classic from the seventies…
‘The Air That I Breathe’, by The Hollies
#2 for 1 week, from 17th – 24th March 1974 (behind ‘Billy – Don’t Be a Hero’)
Like Fleetwood Mac yesterday, The Hollies had more succesful eras than the one we’re covering today. Between 1963 and 1970 they racked up a very impressive sixteen Top 10 hits, including the chart-topping ‘I’m Alive’. Also like Fleetwood Mac, by the time their biggest seventies hit came along, two founding members – Graham Nash and Eric Haydock – had left for pastures new.
‘The Air That I Breathe’ is a big, beast of a song. The sort of song that you know is going to be huge from its opening, extended guitar chord. It crams a lot into its four and half minute runtime, including that soaring chorus, and a couple of chiming guitar solos. But for me the best bit is the first bridge, as Alan Clarke floats in the Makin’ love with you, Has left me peaceful, Warm and tired… line without taking a breath. Plus, any pop song which has the confidence to make you wait almost two minutes for the first chorus gets a nod of approval from me.
‘The Air That I Breathe’ has a bit of history to it, before and after this version. It was originally written and recorded by Albert Hammond in 1972, then covered by Phil Everly before becoming a worldwide smash thanks to The Hollies. Twenty years later, and Radiohead fairly obviously cribbed the verse melody for their breakthrough hit ‘Creep’. Hammond and co-writer Mike Hazlewood sued, but accepted only a small amount of co-writing royalties as Radiohead were ‘honest’ about their recycling. Radiohead themselves took Lana Del Rey to court when she released ‘Get Free’ in 2017, again borrowing what is clearly a very potent melody.
A famous sixties act scoring a hit in the seventies is a big thing, as it sometimes feels like there was a clear line in the sand drawn after the Beatles split. The Stones managed it, obviously, and The Who, but most others struggled. ‘The Air That I Breathe’ was The Hollies’ swansong, their last visit to the Top 10. Or should I say it was their ‘first’ swansong, as of course ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ found a new lease of life thanks to Miller Lite, and belatedly made #1 in 1988. As much as I do admire ‘He Ain’t Heavy…’, I do rather wish it had been ‘The Air That I Breathe’ that was given a second run at the charts. I’m not sure it’s my favourite Hollies’ song, as some of their sixties beat hits hit just the right spot for me, but its certainly their most epic.
Tomorrow, its a runner-up from the ’90s…
The UK Number Ones Blog 
The random generator is doing its stuff well. This was indeed another epic, and one of those records that almost everybody still remembers and loves. It did in fact get another modest UK chart run as a reissue after HAHHMB in 1988 (making No. 60). But it’s bizarre that The Hollies became one of those classic 60s/early 70s bands with a sparkling track record for hits that just suddenly went out of fashion, despite continuing to make very good singles – ‘I’m Down’ later in 1974 won praise from John Peel, and ‘Sandy’ the following year was probably the first cover by a major act of a song from the then little-known Bruce Springsteen. Possibly a few ballads too many? Still, for any band that kept going into the 21st century, still recording new material and featuring at one stage ex-members of The Move, Mud and The Tom Robinson Band in their line-up, that must say something.
John Van Der Kiste
I LOVE this song! It’s one of the first songs I remember hearing as a small kid. I remember the day and where I was…it just got my attention. Beat out by…Billy Don’t Be A Hero? Really? It’s one of my favorite songs of all time and certainly the favorite of any Hollies song….and I like the Hollies.
Yep, anothe classic kept at number two by a not-so-classic…
yes a classic and still fave of mine. The Hollies kept having occasional minor hits into the 80’s – and some decent ones like Soldier’s Song in 1980 – but for me their best track is Bus Stop, Teenage Graham Gouldman on top form there. Stop Stop Stop, I’m Alive, Sorry Suzanne, Long Cool Woman, and many more greats in their back catalogue, they’d been all but forgotten in the 21st century oddly, despite being one of the big 60’s singles hitmakers, so anything like this that pushes up their profile is most welcome!
Yes, that’s true, they have been forgotten while the other big bands of the time live on. I love ‘Just One Look’ and ‘Sorry Suzanne’, from either end of their sixties run.
I like 60s Hollies better too, but that’s a potent chorus.