Singer and songwriter Albert Hammond tells the story behind 'The Air That I Breathe' (a hit for The Hollies) and the link that the song has with 'Creep' by Radiohead. A short documentary by Top 2000 a gogo (Dutch Public TV) from 2013.
"It shouldn't be about money! - wow, Albert Hammond really seems like a genuine guy! Wonderful, I couldn't agree more! He's so down to earth and natural.
@@602lucas So if he doesn't think it should be about money, what does he do with the royalties he gets. Does he give them away to charity? I'd bet he doesn't!
@@gustavefrankfurter6462 as soon as i heard creep, i heard the hollies,[am nearly 60] i loved the air that i breath ,i also love radiohead. wonderful complement to a great song that turned into another great song.
Really? I heard Creep when it came out but didn't hear Air That I Breathe until years later when I was listening to satellite radio and it came on. The melodies in parts of the songs are exactly the same. I was with a buddy and I said "that's the melody to Creep". I didn't know what ATIB was called and I forgot about it until years later when I happened to catch the song again on the radio and this time the DJ said "that was the Hollies" so I looked up the song and sure enough Radiohead had ended up giving the writer of ATIB songwriting credit. I don't know how you could hear the two songs and not notice that parts are the same.
This is the most beautiful gift that someone can make for you. Write a song for someone you love and adore very much. It is so insane. Great person and so soulful and these are the simplest things in life that can give you so much.
Never heard of this dude until now but I would love to give him a hug. This guys philosophy is what humanity is supposed to be about. Keep it real brother. 👊
He also made a couple of songs in Soanish (a total idol in Latin America) and his son Albert Hammond jr is a founding member from The Strokes. His entire life has been a toal contribution to music. Awesome!!
Did write some HUGHE Pop Hits for other Artists, like Withney Houston (One Moment in Time) Julio Iglesias (To all the Girls I loved Before ) Leo Sayer (When I need You) and lots of Co Writing. Had a Hitsingle here in Europe with ,,Dont wanna Die in an Air Disaster, Free Electric Band and I am a Train.
This song is so beautiful no matter who sings it, but I think I love the Hollies so much because of the excellent harmony, instrumental arrangement and Tony Hicks haunting guitar riff. I feel it in my soul. Great story, thanks.
Hairyskinback Personally not cheated on first wife like CRAZY.. N WTF facial.surgery He is a nice guy...ive met him Hes okay.. Ive met bigger n better n bigger and worse like punch u.in the face CREEP worse to people..
What a wonderful sentiment... “music shouldn’t be about egos and greed, it should be about love etc...” If only everyone was as selfless as Albert Hammond ❤️ ✌️ happiness
Albert Hammond should write his Autobiography. .... The sheer volume of fantastic music that he wrote and/or produced and the list of top level stars he worked with in the 60's and 70's is just phenomenal. ..... MILLIONS of people want to read that book.
thank you ....glad for you....and for us getting to share......this is the true meaning of "more" love the song the firsttime i heard it many years ago...more today
Albert Hammond is got the right attitude. Music belongs to all of us and don't get so wrapped up with legalities. I liked how he said he got paid for another band using his song and still gets paid every time the song is in a movie or video game and, maybe, this was never his intent for the song but so what? He gets paid and the song lives on in the universe. What a cool dude. I admire Albert's attitude.
Love this song. She must have been an earth angel . Love it love how musicians evolve their life on a page and it’s our history as well . All power to you xoxo
I've enjoyed playing "Air That I Breath" and "Creep" both acoustically and electrified with a band for some time and I never once put that overlap together. That's a great story.
Beautiful story, it was my wedding song. Me and my now wife first heard it in the movie Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World and I was completely moved by it. Still am to his day.
"And I went around the world with these three chords." Pretty damn funny. And there's no way I would associate Creep with The Air That I Breathe. Who knew?
In reality, the whole thing was distorted and horribly magnified by a bunch of damned greedy lawyers that looked for (and sadly found) potential legal failures to be exploited... TATIB's chords are A#-D7-D#-D#m, while the ones in 'Creep' are G-B-C-Cm; not only the chords are different, although the progressions sound kinda similar, but the vocal melodies definitely set both songs apart and that's why Radiohead should've never been sued.
WOW, what a great story. Always loved this song. Amazing song. Albert didn't drive his lady to work that day, because he had this song bubbling up in him - like a volcano and when she got home and he played it for her, they both cried. Oh lord, that is so beautiful. I love this song even more now. Wonder what happened to his lady ? She must remember the song and be so thrilled at the Hollies, and other versions of it. Albert's such a nice, genuine guy. Anyway, thanks for these videos. These back stories are priceless !!
I felt Mr Hammond handled the situation quite well he understood at least he's getting something. Radiohead did one of the finest jobs addition to a existing song. Albert Hammond could see that with the song CREEP.
One of my favorite songs. I knew so when I fell in love with two versions of this song within one year. The Hollies in 1974 and Olivia Newton-John in 1975.
Good for you, Albert Hammond. Good attitude. I was just watching an interview with Nancy Wilson from Heart. She said the opening riff on Barracuda was stolen from a Nazareth version of a Joni Mitchell song called This Flight Tonight. She said they were royally pissed off......but no one sued anyone. And that is what is called taking the high road. Good on them.
I looked Albert Hamond up on Wiki and the main success was as a songwriter for other people. The list is endless of famous singers and groups that sang his songs. Queen Elizabeth give Albert Hammond the OBE, The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, which means he is Sir Albert Hammond.
I knew Creep sounded similar to a song, but didnt hear this song (The air that i breathe) for a long long time. Now i know where Radiohead got it's inspiration. Nice to know the stories behind both songs.
One of the 1st 5 songs I learned to play on guitar. Was just re remembering it and came across this vid. Albert you're a super cool dude and I just became a fan for life!
The title should have been more about Albert than the Hollies since he was the one who wrote it in the first place and the band be added later in the video since they covered it.
The song was a key part of the soundtrack of June of '74 in a pivotal time for me. Anytime I hear it it's transportive; it takes me _right_ back into the moment.
I'm so touched by what Albert has said about one being open to let others use what they write without thinking of money or one's ego - in sharp contrast to what I've read about copyright and royalties...
The title REALLY needs to reflect who’s song this is. The Hollies covered it. Great cover. Love it, but credit has to be given where it is due. I didn’t hear any Hollies claim it as their work. Says it all.
Its Albert Hammond's song. He wrote it. That's why they interviewed him for the story behind the song. They never said the Hollies claimed it as their work.
Would you expect him to title a future video "Lori Lieberman - Killing Me Softly With His Song"?She was the original artist and songwriter for that song,but let's face it,hardly anybody knows that,they either know it by Roberta Flack or The Fugees or likely both.There's nothing wrong with the titling of this video.
How interesting!..how the song took on a life of its own! Amazing! What is great about these videos is that they play a long enough clip of the music, to get a fill of it.
