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| Pat Benatar, one of the most prolific artists of the 1980s, battled sexism and a record company blazing a trail for female performers to follow. Source: http://penelopepupsvintage.blogspot.com/2009/09/ (May be subject to copyright) |
These were just some of the battles singer/songwriter Pat Benatar fought throughout the 1980s, blazing the trail for all the female performers who would come to follow.
But there were more battles in Benatar’s life.
It was six years ago that I started reading “Between a Heart and a Rock Place” and I just finished it yesterday (Aug. 20, 2020).
Battling the record company
From the time she signed her first recording deal, Pat Benatar was in a pressure cooker to produce another album – and another, and another. Even while she sat with a hit single climbing the charts, and an album selling like hot cakes, the record company kept saying, “What have you done for me lately?”
From the time she signed her first recording deal, Pat Benatar was in a pressure cooker to produce another album – and another, and another. Even while she sat with a hit single climbing the charts, and an album selling like hot cakes, the record company kept saying, “What have you done for me lately?”
She was essentially forced to put out an album a year, whether she was ready or not, and whether she had enough material or not.
It eventually wore her out, as sales and popularity slowly began to dwindle.
Battling to save her marriage
Pretty much every battle Pat Benatar fought somehow had the record company at its roots. She got married to the love of her life, Neil Giraldo, who is a gifted musician and song writer. He is just as much a part of the Pat Benatar sound as she is.
Pretty much every battle Pat Benatar fought somehow had the record company at its roots. She got married to the love of her life, Neil Giraldo, who is a gifted musician and song writer. He is just as much a part of the Pat Benatar sound as she is.
Yet, the record company discouraged her from getting married. They were trying to create this image of her as a fiery, sexy, single woman. They would go out of their way to try and alienate Giraldo by denying him credit for producing records and writing songs. At one point it worked, and he and Benatar did split up.
However, that did not last and they got back together – and are still married.
Battling to have a family
The record company also frowned on the idea of Pat Benatar having a family. Again, they were playing up the image of a sexy woman, and children did not fit into that. There was intense pressure for her not to have a family, but eventually she did.
I still recall her video for the “Ooh Ooh Song.” She essentially stood on stage behind a mike singing – and very pregnant. I thought back then, “Good for you.” Now, even more so.
The record company also frowned on the idea of Pat Benatar having a family. Again, they were playing up the image of a sexy woman, and children did not fit into that. There was intense pressure for her not to have a family, but eventually she did.
I still recall her video for the “Ooh Ooh Song.” She essentially stood on stage behind a mike singing – and very pregnant. I thought back then, “Good for you.” Now, even more so.
Battling sexism
On top of all these other battles, was her battle against sexism, which is really at the heart of most of these other battles. She really was told the only reason people came to listen to her was because of the way she looked. She really was chased around a piano by an amorous songwriter. And she really was told an interview with a radio announcer would not start until she sat on his lap.
On top of all these other battles, was her battle against sexism, which is really at the heart of most of these other battles. She really was told the only reason people came to listen to her was because of the way she looked. She really was chased around a piano by an amorous songwriter. And she really was told an interview with a radio announcer would not start until she sat on his lap.
One of the things she really battled against was the photography used on her album covers. She insisted she was part of a band, a group, a team. Yet the record company continually used photos that were sexy, suggestive, and featured Pat Benatar alone in them. It infuriated her but, like the demand to keep turning out albums, the record company had an airtight contract, allowing them to to tell her what to do and control everything.
Over time, she achieved some success and, ultimately, her freedom when her record company went out of business and she became a free agent.
The music
Through all her battles, Pat Benatar kept turning out great music, and winning awards.
Through all her battles, Pat Benatar kept turning out great music, and winning awards.
Her first album, “In the Heat of the Night” was released in 1979 and featured her first hit single, “Heartbreaker” which went all the way to number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album also had “You Better Run”, which was the second song ever on MTV after “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles.
Her second album, “Crimes of Passion”, released in 1980, was her breakout with the smash single, “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”. It went all the way to number nine on the Billboard chart, making it her first top 10 single.
Benatar’s third album came out in 1981, with the singles “Fire and Ice”, which went to number 17 and “Promises in the Dark” which went to number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Her fourth album, “Get Nervous” came out in 1982, featuring the single “Shadows of the Night” which peaked at number 13. The video for that song also featured then unknown actors Judge Reinhold and Bill Paxton, in a Second World War themed production.
“Live from Earth” was Benatar’s fifth album, released in 1983. It had two studio tracks as well as her hits. One was “Love is a Battlefield” which went all the way to number five on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1984, Benatar released her sixth album, “Tropico”, which featured the singles, “We Belong” which peaked at number five and the “Ooh Ooh Song”, which went to number 36.
Her seventh album, released in 1985, fittingly was called “Seven the Hard Way”. It featured the singles, “Invincible” which peaked at number 10 and was the theme for the movie “The Legend of Billie Jean”, and “Sex as a Weapon”, which went to number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Benatar released her final album of the decade, her eighth album overall, in 1988. It was called “Wide Awake in Dreamland” and featured the single, “All Fired Up”, which peaked at number 19.
Recognition
Pat Benatar dominated the Grammys winning four straight for “Best Female Rock Vocal Performance” in 1981 for “Crimes of Passion”; in 1982 for “Fire and Ice”; in 1983 for “Shadows of the Night“; and in 1984 for “Love is a Battlefield”.
Pat Benatar dominated the Grammys winning four straight for “Best Female Rock Vocal Performance” in 1981 for “Crimes of Passion”; in 1982 for “Fire and Ice”; in 1983 for “Shadows of the Night“; and in 1984 for “Love is a Battlefield”.
She was nominated in 1986 for “Invincible”; in 1987 for “Sex as a Weapon”; in 1989 for “All Fired Up”; and in 1990 for “Let’s Stay Together”. She was also nominated for “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” in 1986 for “We Belong”.
To say she dominated the decade is an understatement.
Mixed tape
Oddly, I never owned one single Pat Benatar album. The only song I did own was “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”, which was on one of those cheap mixed tapes of the year’s best songs. You usually found them at Radio Shack or the SAAN Store.
Oddly, I never owned one single Pat Benatar album. The only song I did own was “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”, which was on one of those cheap mixed tapes of the year’s best songs. You usually found them at Radio Shack or the SAAN Store.
I also used that tape, and Benatar’s song on it, when I made the soundtrack for a play I wrote in Grade 12. The song was intended to be the backdrop of a high-school intramural basketball game that doesn’t go so well for our main character.
The years after
Pat Benatar continued to write, record and perform. She has two daughters with husband Neil Giraldo.
She also performed a during the Lilith Fair tour, which celebrated women in music, and did some concerts in the wake of the 911 terrorist attacks.
Pat Benatar continued to write, record and perform. She has two daughters with husband Neil Giraldo.
She also performed a during the Lilith Fair tour, which celebrated women in music, and did some concerts in the wake of the 911 terrorist attacks.
Parting thoughts
Reading Pat Benatar’s memoir, reveals she was a leader and a trailblazer for women in music. She battled sexism, resisted pressure to be objectified, and made life just a little bit easier for the female artists who came after her.
Reading Pat Benatar’s memoir, reveals she was a leader and a trailblazer for women in music. She battled sexism, resisted pressure to be objectified, and made life just a little bit easier for the female artists who came after her.
It is interesting to see how prolific she was in the 1980s, putting out virtually an album a year, knowing she was under constant pressure from the record company to do that.
What is truly impressive is how she was able to maintain such a high standard for so long.
For all she battled, and all she achieved, she got hit with everyone’s best shot and not only survived by thrived.
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