The story of Breathe by The Prodigy

11 November 2023, 15:00 | Updated: 8 November 2024, 14:36

It's one of the band's biggest tunes and featured on their seminal album The Fat of The Land.

By Radio X

@RadioX

The Prodigy's Breathe single was released on 11th November 1996.

It was the second track to be taken from the band's The Fat of The Land album, which followed on 30th June 1997. Breathe packed a huge punch and so did its unnerving accompanying video.

The song is an undeniable banger, but there's much more about the follow-up to Firestarter than meets the eye.

Find out more about the epic track here.

1. Breathe was released on 11th November 1996

   

2. It became the Essex outfit's second consecutive UK No.1 after Firestarter

   

   The Prodigy - Firestarter (Official Video)

3. The track's songwriters are named as Liam Howlett, Keith Flint and Maxim Reality

   

4. The Prodigy's former studio and live guitarist Jim Davies plays guitar on the track

   

5. The song samples a drum break from Thin Lizzy's Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed

   

   Thin Lizzy - Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed

6. It also takes the swooshing sword effect from the beginning of Wu-Tang Clan's Da Mystery of Chessboxin'

   

   Wu-Tang Clan - Da Mystery Of Chessboxin' (Official Music Video)

7. The freakish music video, which came complete with bugs, cockroaches and a crocodile, was directed by Walter Stern

   

   The Prodigy - 'Breathe'

8. The video won the 1997 Viewer's Choice MTV VMA Award and the 1997 International Viewer's Choice Award for the MTV EMAs

   

9. It also sees dancer Leeroy Thornhill make his last appearance in a Prodigy video

   

10. The song became an anthem for Serbia's youth after it was performed in Belgrade on 8 December 1995, not long after breakup of Yugoslavia.

    

    The Prodigy - Breathe (Live @ Pionir Hall, Belgrade, Serbia, 08-12-1995)

11. The song featured in an Australian TV advert for Tooheys Extra Dry beer

    

    Tooheys Extra Dry "Nocturnal Migration" TVC - AdNews