The Air That I Breathe
Albert Hammond, Mike Hazlewood and The Hollies
In 1972, British songwriting duo Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood wrote the beautiful ballad, “The Air That I Breathe.” They came up with the song shortly after they moved to Los Angeles.
The song’s protagonist doesn’t need anything besides the love of his girlfriend. Hammond recorded the original version of “The Air That I Breathe” for his 1972 album, It Never Rains in Southern California.
In 1974, “The Air That I Breathe” became a major hit for English rock group, The Hollies.
Inspired by love, loneliness and LA smog
The story behind “The Air That I Breathe” is poignant. Hammond had moved to LA to be with a girl he’d met. The song is about her. And yet, it’s not.
“I just fell in love with a girl. We had some kind of short affair. I just fell in love so bad, I guess I needed to be with my family. I was so lonely in Los Angeles.” Albert Hammond
“The Air That I Breathe” is inspired more by loneliness than by love. It’s also inspired by LA smog, hence the line “the air that I breathe.”
“I think Mike came up with [the line] ‘the air that I breathe.’ More than my story, it was because we lived in LA, and for the first time in…
