Breathe Again

Album

Toni Braxton

Label

LaFace

Genre

Rhythm & Blues

Composer(s)

Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds

Entered Chart

Oct 16, 1993

Peak Date

Jan 22, 1994

Released

August 6, 1993

Recorded

1992

Catalog #

LaFace 24054

B-Side

(instrumental)

The accompanying music video for "Breathe Again" was directed by Randee St. Nicholas. It was filmed in England and is set in black-and-white format. The concept was Braxton running through a maze, clearing her thoughts of a special kind of love. On her DVD, From Toni with Love... The Video Collection, two other versions of the video are also featured: the "European version" and the "Spanish version".[22] On the same DVD, Braxton commented about the video, saying, "This video was originally filmed in color and Randee St. Nicholas, the director, didn't like the maze part, she said it looked like piles of dirt, instead of these beautiful green [...], she said it looked like chunks of rock, so she put it in black and white."[22] About her look, she said, "I remember my stylist was going crazy, trying to find a 17th-century dress, and my hair was short, and I didn't want to wear wigs and my stylist put these little extensions in my hair and It was so cold and the dress was so heavy."[22] The video for "Breathe Again" was later published on Braxton's official YouTube channel in October 2009. It has amassed more than 56 million views as of September 2021.[23] Track listings and

This is a song by American R&B singer Toni Braxton from her self-titled debut album. The ballad was released as the album's second single, and was the most successful release from the album, peaking at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and later #2 on the UK singles chart. Braxton won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Female Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance for this song. It was her second consecutive Grammy award. Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds wrote the song. He also co-produced the track along with LA Reid and Daryl Simmons. Babyface later recalled in May 2010 interview with Singersroom.com: "'Breathe Again' was written in Atlanta, Georgia inside a studio with Coco (Cheryl "Coko" Clemons from the group SWV). It was at LA Reid's house, we had a studio we built there in the guest house. We were trying to come up with more songs for her record. It was kind of one of those songs that I kind of sat down and started playing these cords and the words and melodies just kind of floated out. It was really written quickly; probably a couple of hours." Speaking to Billboard in a 2018 interview, Braxton said this is the one song she never gets tired of performing. "It's my go-to song that I can sing anytime," she explained. "If I need to warm up, if I need to impress you with my vocal skills, if I want to feel good as I help heal people with broken hearts, that's the song I'm going to sing. It's like that classic black Chanel dress that goes with everything. You just change it up with accessories."

If I never feel you in my arms again
If I never feel your tender kiss again
If I never hear "I love you" now and then
Will I never make love to you once again?
Please understand, if love ends
Then I promise you, I promise you that
That I shall never breathe again (breathe again, breathe again)
That I shall never breathe again (breathe again)

Well
And I can't stop thinking about
About the way things used to be
And I can't stop thinking about
About the love that you made to me
And I can't get you out of my head
How in the world will I begin
To let you walk right out my life
And throw my heart away?
And I can't stop caring about
About the apple of my eye
And I can't stop doing without
Without the center of my life
And I can't get you out of my head
And I know I can't pretend
That I won't die if you decide if you won't see me again

If I never feel you in my arms again (again)
If I never feel your tender kiss again (again)
If I never hear "I love you" now and then (again)
Will I never make love to you once again?
Please understand, if love ends
Then I promise you, I promise you that
That I shall never breathe again (breathe again, breathe again)
That I shall never breathe again (breathe again)

And I can't stop thinking about
About the way my life would be
No, I can't stop thinking about
How could you love me then leave?
And I can't get you out of my mind
God knows how hard I've tried
And if you walk right out my life, God knows I'm sure to die
And I can't stop doing without, no
(Without the rhythm of my heart)
No, I can't stop doing without, no
(For I will surely fall apart)
And I can't get you out of my mind
('Cause I know I can't deny)
And I would die if you decide you won't see me again

If I never feel you in my arms again (if I never, ever see you)
If I never feel your tender kiss again (no, no, no, no)
If I never hear "I love you" now and then (now and then)
Will I never make love to you once again? (never make love, never make love)
Please, please, please understand, if love ends (if it should ever end)
Then I promise you, I promise you that
That I shall never breathe again, no, no, no (breathe again, breathe again)
That I shall never breathe again (breathe again)