Barely Breathing

1996 single by Duncan Sheik

"Barely Breathing"

Single by Duncan Sheik
from the album  Duncan Sheik
B-side| "Home"
Released| May 3, 1996 (1996-05-03)
Genre|

* Pop rock[1]
* folk-pop[2]

Length|

* 4:15 (album version)
* 3:56 (radio edit)

Label| Atlantic
Songwriter(s)| Duncan Sheik
Producer(s)| Rupert Hine
Duncan Sheik singles chronology
|  | "Barely Breathing"
(1996)  | "She Runs Away"
(1997)

|
|

Music video
"Barely Breathing" by Duncan Sheik on YouTube

"Barely Breathing" is a song by American singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik from his eponymous debut studio album (1996). It was released as the lead single from the album on May 3, 1996, by Atlantic Records. Sheik is the sole writer of the song, while production was helmed by Rupert Hine. The song became a chart hit in North America in early 1997, receiving several accolades in the years following its release.

## Critical reception

[edit]

Larry Flick of Billboard magazine called the song's hook "breezy and memorable" and its lyrics "intelligent".[2]

## Chart performance

[edit]

"Barely Breathing" peaked at number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and remained on the chart for 55 weeks.[3] At the time, it was the fourth-longest-running single on the Hot 100.[4] It also reached number one on the Billboard Triple-A chart and number two on the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart.[5][6] In Canada, the song peaked at number 12 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and number 20 on the RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.[7][8] "Barely Breathing" also found success in Iceland, peaking at number 40 on the Íslenski Listinn Topp 40.[9]

## Accolades

[edit]

"Barely Breathing" was ranked number 88 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the '90s".[10][better source needed] and number eight on their 40 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 90s list.[citation needed] Additionally, "Barely Breathing" earned Sheik a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance[11] and a BMI Award for Most Played Song of the Year in 1997.[12][better source needed]

## Music video

[edit]

The music video was directed by Tom Oliphant in Brooklyn, New York, in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.[13]

## Track listings and formats

[edit]

* US CD single and cassette[14][15]

1. "Barely Breathing" – 4:15
2. "Home" – 4:48

* European CD single[16]

1. "Barely Breathing" (radio edit) – 3:57
2. "The End of Outside" (live) – 5:02
3. "Rubbed Out" (live) – 5:19

## Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits and personnel are adapted from the Duncan Sheik album liner notes.[17]

* Duncan Sheik – lead vocals, harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, E-Bow, piano, sampler
* Pino Palladino – bass
* Jean-Michel Biger – drums
* Rupert Hine – percussion, background vocals
* Fran Banish – slide guitar

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

| Chart (1996–1997)  | Peak
position

|

Canada Top Singles (RPM)[7] | 12
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[8] | 20
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[9] | 40
US Billboard Hot 100[3] | 16
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[5] | 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[18] | 19
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[6] | 2
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[19] | 10

### Year-end charts

[edit]

| Chart (1996)  | Position

|

US Triple-A (Billboard)[20] | 3
Chart (1997)  | Position

|

Canada Top Singles (RPM)[21] | 79
US Billboard Hot 100[22] | 18
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[23] | 1
US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[24] | 27
US Triple-A (Billboard)[25] | 32
Chart (1998)  | Position

|

US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[26] | 94

## Release history

[edit]

Region  | Date  | Format(s)  | Label(s)  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

United States  | May 3, 1996  |

* Modern rock
* triple A radio

| Atlantic | [27]
October 29, 1996  | Contemporary hit radio | [28]
November 12, 1996  |

* CD
* cassette

| [citation needed]

## Cover versions

[edit]

"Barely Breathing" was one of the songs covered by the cast of Glee during the October 12, 2012, episode "The Break Up".[29]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Kelly McCartney. "Duncan Sheik – Duncan Sheik". AllMusic. Retrieved October 31, 2019. "the pop/rock hit 'Barely Breathing.'"
2. ^ a b Flick, Larry (November 9, 1996). "Reviews & Previews – Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 45\. p. 68. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
3. ^ a b "Duncan Sheik Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
4. ^ "Hip Online: Artists: Duncan Sheik". Archived from the original on October 31, 2006. Retrieved December 26, 2006.
5. ^ a b "Duncan Sheik Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
6. ^ a b "Duncan Sheik Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
7. ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3176." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
8. ^ a b "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3197." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
9. ^ a b "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (20.3. '97 – 26.3. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). March 21, 1997. p. 16. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
10. ^ "VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s". www.ultimate-guitar.com.
11. ^ "New awakening spurs 2nd Grammy bid for Sheik". DeseretNews.com. February 1, 2008.
12. ^ "Duncan Sheik: CV". Archived from the original on November 29, 2006. Retrieved December 26, 2006.
13. ^ Flinner, Amanda. "Thom Oliphant: Song Writing". Songfacts. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
14. ^ Barely Breathing (US CD single liner notes). Duncan Sheik. Atlantic Records. 1996. 2-87027.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
15. ^ Barely Breathing (US cassette single liner notes). Duncan Sheik. Atlantic Records. 1996. 4-87027.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
16. ^ Barely Breathing (European CD single liner notes). Duncan Sheik. Atlantic Records. 1996. 7567-85464-2.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
17. ^ Duncan Sheik (Inlay cover). Duncan Sheik. Atlantic. 1996. 82879-2.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
18. ^ "Duncan Sheik Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
19. ^ "Duncan Sheik Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
20. ^ "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Triple A Tracks". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53\. December 27, 1996. p. 24.
21. ^ "RPM '97 Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved August 16, 2019 - via Library and Archives Canada.
22. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1997". Archived from the original on June 11, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
23. ^ "The Year in Music 1997: Hot Adult Top 40 Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 52\. December 27, 1997. p. YE-83.
24. ^ "Best of '97: Top 40/Mainstream Singles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52\. December 26, 1997. p. 38.
25. ^ "Best of '97: Triple A Tracks". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52\. December 26, 1997. p. 28.
26. ^ "Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 1998". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52\. December 25, 1998. p. 55.
27. ^ Reece, Doug (April 5, 1997). "Atlantic's Tireless Efforts Break Sheik". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 14\. p. 9.
28. ^ "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1169\. October 25, 1996. p. 41. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
29. ^ "Barely Breathing (Glee Cast Version)". Amazon.com. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Retrieved September 20, 2012.

## External links

[edit]

* "Barely Breathing" (official music video) by Duncan Sheik on YouTube

* v
* t
* e

Duncan Sheik

Studio albums|

* Duncan Sheik
* Humming
* Phantom Moon
* Daylight
* White Limousine
* Whisper House
* Covers 80s
* Legerdemain

Compilations|

* Brighter/Later: A Duncan Sheik Anthology
* Brighter: A Duncan Sheik Collection

Singles|

* "Barely Breathing"
* "She Runs Away"
* "Reasons for Living"
* "Wishful Thinking"
* "Bite Your Tongue"
* "On a High"

Musicals|

* Spring Awakening
* Alice by Heart
* American Psycho
* The Secret Life of Bees

Additional Works|

* A Home at the End of the World (soundtrack)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

|

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