“Born to Be Alive”- Patrick Hernandez & Jean Vanloo : a story of rags to riches to rags and Madonna's First Break

The Twelve Inch 145 : Born To Be Alive (Patrick Hernandez)

The Disco Anthem That Stole the Show at the Paralympics 2024

Do you remember the Paris Paralympics opening? A ceremony sparkled with the electrifying performance of “Born to Be Alive” by Christine and The Queens. However, one name was notably absent: Patrick Hernandez, the original artist. This iconic song, a disco anthem of 1979, has a story as fascinating as its beat, spanning cross-border music rivalries, the rise of Eurodisco, and an early brush with a young Madonna.

The Franco-Belgian “Disco Duel”: Is “Born to Be Alive” Belgian or French?

A tug-of-war sometimes arises over “Born to Be Alive.” The French proudly claim it as their own thanks to Patrick Hernandez’s Parisian roots. But dig deeper, and you’ll find the song was crafted by Belgian top producer Jean Vanloo, making it a gem of Belgian disco ingenuity. Franco-Belgian rivalry aside, the story of “Born to Be Alive” encapsulates the magic and mayhem of the 1970s music industry.

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Welcome, I’m Pe Dupre and this is “The Twelve Inch”, a newsletter that tells the history of dance music between 1975 and 1995, one twelve inch at a time.

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Jean Vanloo: From Rock Promoter to Disco Visionary

The journey begins in Mouscron, a small Belgian town bordering France, where Jean Vanloo transformed the local music scene. His early success organizing rock gigs for legends like The Moody Blues and Jimi Hendrix paved the way for his career as a producer. He was a visionary with a knack for spotting musical trends and understanding exactly what audiences craved. Jean Vanloo began with a band called The Sunlights, honing his production skills and crafting simple, catchy tracks. The French dismissively labeled these as “belgeries,” reflecting the cultural tension between Paris, the artistic capital, and the provinces. Yet, these so-called “belgeries” sold millions, cementing Vanloo’s reputation as a powerhouse in the music industry. For French-speaking Belgians, France is/was the obvious next step—a lucrative but competitive market where media exposure was crucial for success.

Jean Claude Pellerin, the much needed French connection

Everything changed when Jean Vanloo began collaborating with Jean Claude Pellerin, whose extensive media connections opened doors to the French media & market. By the 1970s, Vanloo pivoted to disco, and his first major success came with Amadeo—a dance teacher to stars like Claude François and Dalida. This breakthrough hit not only shed the “belgeries” label but also caught the attention of international record labels.

One early project was a disco album for CBS featuring Ashla Puthli, a jazz diva poised to become the next Donna Summer. The album was recorded at Philadelphia’s iconic Sigma Sound Studios, a hub for groundbreaking disco production.

Vanloo’s method reflected a hallmark of European top producers of the time: blending current trends to craft something fresh. Like many of his peers, he prioritized talent that could be molded to fit his vision over raw star power. This approach likely inspired Pellerin to introduce Patrick Hernandez to Vanloo, recognizing the potential.

From Session Singer to Disco Icon: Patrick Hernandez

Patrick Hernandez, born in a Parisian suburb, spent years working as a session singer before writing “Born to Be Alive” as a rock track for his band Paris Palace Hotel. When Jean Vanloo heard it, he envisioned it as a disco anthem—a concept Hernandez initially resisted, as he wasn’t a fan of the genre. Hernandez recalls their pivotal conversation: Vanloo asked, “You like rock, The Beatles… but do you like The Bee Gees?” Hernandez admitted he did. “Do you like what they did for Saturday Night Fever?” Again, Hernandez said yes. Vanloo proposed, “I want to make it like that—just more danceable. Let me handle the production, and you can add the rock elements you want.”

One of the other major Belgian disco hits : Dan Lacksman & Telex

Vanloo’s vision, however, leaned even further into disco. Drawing inspiration from Giorgio Moroder’s style and Sylvester’s “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real),” he aimed for a bold, synth-heavy sound. To achieve this, he enlisted Dan Lacksman, a pioneering European synthesizer artist and member of Telex, who had been releasing electronic music since the early 1970s. Lacksman crafted the iconic synths that became the heartbeat of “Born to Be Alive.”

When the final track was completed, Hernandez realized they had created something extraordinary—a song destined to become a major hit.

Jean Claude Pellerin - Patrick Hernandez - Jean Vanloo

The Rocky Road to Stardom

Success was far from immediate. When Jean Vanloo first tested “Born to Be Alive” in a local club, the dance floor cleared, signaling a rough road ahead. For the next six months, Vanloo and Hernandez pitched the track to record labels across Paris, but none showed interest.

The turning point came through a friend of Patrick Hernandez, who suggested trying a contact in Milan. That contact released the song immediately, and within weeks, it shot to No. 1 in Italy. Belgium soon followed, sparking curiosity from the French media. Once the song topped the charts in France, the rest of Europe quickly caught on, and its growing success caught the attention of American DJs, always on the lookout for fresh sounds. From there, “Born to Be Alive” became an unstoppable international hit.

Madonna’s Parisian Interlude & first break

As “Born to Be Alive” approached American success, Jean Vanloo decided Patrick Hernandez needed a troupe of dancers to enhance the show. They organized a massive audition on Broadway, attracting 800 hopefuls. Among them was an ambitious young dancer named Madonna. Like all the others, Vanloo asked her to sing. Initially refusing, she eventually relented and sang “Happy Birthday.” Impressed, Vanloo signed her to a production contract and brought her to Paris.

Madonna stayed in Paris for several months, supported financially by Vanloo. However, creative differences soon emerged, and Vanloo’s busy schedule left little time to focus on her career. After a year, homesick and frustrated, Madonna decided to return to New York. Vanloo provided her ticket, and she left, never to return.

Years later, after recording her first single, Madonna called Vanloo at the insistence of her label, SIRE Records, to discuss a contract buyout fee. Vanloo, more passionate about music than business, declined to demand any payment. Instead, he tore up the contract and returned it to her—a decision that would unknowingly forfeit a fortune. If only he had known what was to come.

The Rise and Fall of a Disco Dream

“Born to Be Alive” became a major US hit in 1979, topping the dance charts for three weeks and reaching No. 16 on the Hot 100. What fueled its success? According to Patrick Hernandez, it was how the disco audience interpreted the song: “The track took on a meaning of positivity and a love of life, something I hadn’t envisioned while writing it. That’s why it resonated so strongly with the diverse minorities that made up the disco crowd.” Its appeal was similar to Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”—an anthem of empowerment. Additionally, the song’s flawless alignment with the popular Eurodisco sound of the time played a significant role in its widespread acclaim.

Patrick Hernandez & Madonna

But what became of Jean Vanloo? Unfortunately, the financial side of the business wasn’t handled perfectly his French partner, Jean Claude Pellerin, who spent recklessly, adopting the mantra that it was better to spend than pay taxes. When French tax authorities intervened, freezing all accounts for up to a decade during an investigation, it spelled financial disaster for Vanloo.

Even so, Vanloo never lost his talent for spotting opportunities. He later made a mark on the early house music scene, contributing to the success of the influential nightclub At The Villa in Mouscron, his hometown. There, he once again brought together Belgian and French audiences, leaving a lasting impact on the dance music landscape.

Why “Born to Be Alive” Still Matters

Jean Vanloo’s journey is one of rags to riches—and back again. More than a producer, he was a true creator, driven by vision and talent. But his lack of cutthroat business instincts ultimately shortened his career. Despite facing immense challenges—bankruptcy, depression, and even vocal cord cancer—Vanloo never gave up. A glass-half-full kind of person, he continued to make his mark. Though he passed away in anonymity in 2000, his influence on the music of the 1960s to the 1980s remains undeniable.

Patrick Hernandez, meanwhile, rode the wave of “Born to Be Alive” for three years, touring the globe and earning 54 gold records. However, the song’s colossal success cast a shadow on his subsequent releases, compounded by the disco backlash of 1979. While Hernandez became one of those quintessential “one-hit wonders,” it’s a hit that continues to provide for him to this day. (He still, apparently, makes up to 1.500 euro/day from this song)

Your Turn: Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

Did you knew the song “Born To Be Alive”? What was your favorite late seventies disco song ? Share the story and let us know

Further reading (or should I say watching)

There are a number of interesting video’s/links :

1. The official video

2. Looking for inspiration to nail some slick dance moves to Born to Be Alive? We’ve got you covered! 🕺💃 😁

3. Watch this live performance on a French TV show in 2021 and see how the audience instantly lights up as soon as the song is announced! 🎶👏

So You Wanna Hear More ?

I thought you would !

It’s fun to write about music but let’s be honest. Music is made to listen to.

Every week, together with this newsletter, I release a 1 hour beatmix on Mixcloud and Soundcloud. I start with the discussed twelve inch and follow up with 10/15 songs from the same timeframe/genre. The ideal soundtrack for…. Well whatever you like to do when you listen to dance music.

The MIXCLOUD Mix Of The Week

So what’s in this week’s mix ?

This week’s mix dives headfirst into the shimmering world of disco and Hi-NRG, opening with “Born to Be Alive”—a quintessential end-of-the-’70s disco anthem. The first half-hour pays homage to tracks that share its DNA: European-produced grooves rich in electronic instrumentation, capturing the vibrant, synth-driven pulse of the era.

The electronic influence wasn’t confined to disco. It also seeped into the emerging post-punk dance scene, as showcased in Blondie’s iconic “Atomic” and the quirky brilliance of “Is There More to Life Than Dancing” by Noël, a mysterious and cheeky side project of the Mael brothers (better known as Sparks).

The mix builds to a euphoric finish with Peaches & Herb’s 1979 club hit “Shake Your Groove Thing,” Linda Clifford’s fabulous “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, and Frankie Valli’s timeless “Soul.”

Enjoy !

The first episode of 2025 focuses on the youngest of nine siblings. Her brothers had already achieved worldwide fame, with one reigning as the biggest star of the moment. Could she rise to their level of success? Next week, we’ll take you back to where her incredible journey began.