| Hands to Heaven | |
| Cover: | Breathe - Hands to Heaven.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Breathe |
| Album: | All That Jazz |
| B-Side: | Life and Times |
| Released: | 20 October 1987 |
| Length: | 4:18 |
| Label: | Siren, A&M |
| Producer: | Bob Sargeant |
| Prev Title: | All That Jazz |
| Prev Year: | 1987 |
| Next Title: | Any Trick |
| Next Year: | 1988 |
"Hands to Heaven" is a ballad by English new wave band Breathe, taken from their debut studio album, All That Jazz (1987). The song released as their fifth UK single on 20 October 1987 by A&M Records and as the band's second single in the US the following year. It was written by group members David Glasper and Marcus Lillington, and produced by Bob Sargeant. The B-side features an instrumental track "Life and Times".
"Hands to Heaven" was Breathe's breakthrough hit internationally. The single peaked at 4 on the UK Singles Chart in August 1988.[1] That same month in the United States, it logged two weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also reached No. 2 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.[2] "Hands to Heaven" also became a top-10 hit in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and Norway.
The music video, directed by Eamon McCabe, features the group in a surreal dream sequence, with the lead singer falling asleep in a black London taxicab and waking at the end, being driven away by the driver.
All songs were written by David Glasper and Marcus Lillington and published by Virgin Music, Inc.
UK 7-inch single (SIREN SRN68)
A. "Hands to Heaven" – 4:18
B. "Life and Times" – 4:46A special limited edition of the 7-inch single which included photos, lyrics and Fan Club address was released in the UK (SRNL 68).
US 7-inch single and cassette single (A&M AM-2991/TS-2991)
A. "Hands to Heaven" – 4:17
B. "Life and Times" – 4:44
UK 12-inch single (SIREN SRNT68)
A1. "Hands to Heaven" (extended Heaven) – 6:23
B1. "Hands to Heaven" (radio mix) – 4:18
B2. "Life and Times" – 4:46A special limited edition of the 12-inch single featured a poster sleeve.
UK CD single (SIREN SRCD 68)1
Band
Guest musician
Production
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[3] | 13 |
| US Cash Box Top Singles[4] | 2 |
| Chart (1988) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5] | 54 | |
| UK Singles (OCC)[6] | 44 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 9 | |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[8] | 4 | |
| US Cash Box Top Singles[9] | 13 |
The song was used for the Michael and Julia characters on the American soap opera Santa Barbara.[11]