  Pat Benatar was born Patricia
Andrzejewski in New York in January 10, 1953.
In the 1980s, Pat reigned supreme as the
biggest solo female rocker in the U.S. and
possibly the world. It could be said that Pat
came from meager beginnings in Long Island,
New York. Her dad was a sheet metal worker
and her mom was a cosmetologist. Pat's
earliest jobs including working at a
Friendly's restaurant and a bank. She began
singing and practicing her vocals while
young: "...we were too poor to have air
conditioning and so we had to keep out
windows open during the hot weather... I used
to do my vocal lessons everyday and the kid
across the street would shout 'shut up' and
throw rocks at me... so I had to run across
the street all the time and beat him
up." After singing in New York during
the late 70s, Pat was discovered at the
"Catch A Rising Star" club and soon
had a major record label deal in 1978 with
Chrysalis Records.
 Pat's debut LP, In
The Heat Of The Night was released
and gave Pat her first Top 40 hit, "Heartbreaker." Pat also had
success with the tracks "We Live For Love" and "I Need
A Lover." The LP went Platinum.
 # 14
Singles Artist of the Year
 Pat hit the Top 40 with "Heartbreaker."
In
The Heat Of The Night was certified gold.
 Pat hit the Top 40 with "We Live For Love."
Crimes
Of Passion was released.
Other hits from the LP included
"Treat Me Right," "You
Better Run" and "Hell Is For
Children."
 The LP went on to sell over 4
million copies in the U.S.
Pat hit the Top 40 with "You
Better Run."
Crimes
Of Passion was certified platinum.
Pat hit the Top 40 with "Hit Me With Your Best
Shot."
 In
The Heat Of The Night was certified
platinum.
 # 25
Singles Artist of the Year
 The single "Hit Me With Your Best
Shot"
was certified gold.
Pat hit the Top 40 with "Treat Me Right."
Pat won a Grammy
Award for Best Rock Vocal
Performance - Female (Crimes
Of Passion).
 Pat hit the Top
10
with "Treat Me Right."
Pat released Precious
Time which contained the hits "Fire And Ice" and "Promises
In The Dark" The LP sold over 2
million copies in the U.S.
 Pat hit the Top 40 with "Fire And Ice."
Pat hit the Top 10 with "Fire And Ice."
Pat hit the Top 40 with "Promises
In The Dark."
 Precious
Time was certified platinum.
Pat topped the Billboard 1981
Year-End Chart Toppers as the Top Pop Artist
- Female (singles & albums) and Top Pop
Album Artist - Female.
 # 98
Singles Artist of the Year
Pat won an American Music
Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist.
 Pat won a 2nd Grammy
Award for Best Rock Vocal
Performance - Female ("Fire & Ice").
Pat released Get
Nervous.
Pat hit the Top 40 with "Shadows Of The Night."
Pat married her
producer/guitarist, Neil Giraldo.
 Pat hit the Top 10 with "Shadows Of The Night."
 # 21
Singles Artist of the Year
Pat won a 3rd Grammy
Award for Best Rock Vocal
Performance - Female ("Shadows Of The Night").
 Pat hit the Top 40 with "Little Too Late."
Get
Nervous was certified platinum.
Pat hit the Top 40 with "Looking
For A Stranger."
 Pat released a live LP, Live
From Earth which also contained her
biggest hit "Love Is A Battlefield." The LP
showcased Pat's energy in concert and her
powerful vocals.
Pat hit the Top 40 with "Love Is A Battlefield."
 Pat hit the Top 10 with "Love Is A Battlefield."
Live
From Earth was certified platinum.
 # 64
Singles Artist of the Year
 Pat won an American Music
Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist.
Pat won a 4th Grammy
Award for Best Rock Vocal
Performance - Female ("Love Is A Battlefield").
The video for "Love Is A Battlefield" was nominated
for a MTV Video Music
Award for Best Female Video.
 When Tropico was released, Pat's
LPs weren't selling as fast, but she
continued to receive radio airplay and chart
on the pop charts. Tracks such as "We
Belong" and a song from the movie The
Legend of Billie Jean,
"Invincible" were Top 10 hits.
Pat's future LPs saw little platinum status,
but continued Pat's ability to create strong
rock from a female perspective.
Crimes
Of Passion was certified 4x platinum and Precious
Time was certified 2x
platinum.
Tropico was certified
platinum.
 Seven
The Hard Way was released with the Top 40
single "Sex As A Weapon."
Pat and Neil also had their
first child together - a daughter.
 # 126
Singles Artist of the Year
Pat won an American Music
Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female
Video Artist.
Pat was nominated for a Grammy
Award for Best Rock Vocal
Performance - Female ("We Belong").
Seven
The Hard Way was certified gold.
Pat's video for "Sex As A
Weapon" was nominated for 7 MTV Video Music
Awards including Best Direction, Best Special Effects, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Most Experimental Video, and Best Choreography.
Pat was nominated for a Grammy
Award for Best Rock Vocal
Performance - Female ("Sex As A Weapon").
 # 102
Singles Artist of the Year
 Wide
Awake In Dreamland was released with the
hit "All Fired Up."
Pat underwent emergency
abdominal surgery.
Wide
Awake In Dreamland was certified gold.
The single "Love Is A Battlefield" was certified
gold.
Melissa was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal
Performance - Female ("All Fired Up").
 Best
Shots was released.
Pat starred in an ABC
Afterschool Special, Torn Between Two
Fathers.
Pat was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal
Performance - Female ("Let's Stay Together").
Best
Shots was certified gold.
 Pat changed her style to
incorporate blues with the release of True
Love. The LP was a commercial and
critical disappointment.
Pat released Gravity's
Rainbow with the scathing rock track,
"Everybody Lay Down."
 A 2-CD hits collection was
released called All
Fired Up: The Very Best Of Pat Benatar.
In addition to the movie song
"Invincible," Pat recorded other
songs for movies and compilations:
"Rescue Me" (Speed
soundtrack), "Sometimes The Good Guys
Finish First" (Secret Of My Success
soundtrack), "Here's My Heart" (Metropolis
soundtrack), "Shooting Star" (Harry
Chapin tribute LP), "The Effect You Have
On Me" (Edith Piaf tribute LP), and
"Tell Me Why" (Disney's For Our
Children).
Pat released Heartbreaker:
16 Classic Performances.
 Pat released her latest LP, Innamorata and made some
appearances with the Lilith Fair tour.
8-15-80 was released - a live
recording of Pat's hits recorded in
California and New York in 1979 and 1980.
Ranked # 39 on the VH1: 100
Greatest Women of Rock & Roll.
 A 3-CD box set was released: Synchronistic
Wanderings: Recorded Anthology 1979-1999. The set includes all
of Pat's hits, soundtrack and compilation
tracks, as well as some live tracks and
demos.
VH1: 100
Greatest Artists of Hard Rock includes Pat at # 74.
 VH1: 100
Greatest Videos includes:
# 73
- "Love Is A Battlefield."
Best
Shots was certified platinum.
Pat ranked #
66 on VH1: 100
Sexiest Artists.
 Pat performed on VH1's Divas
Duets 2003.
VH1: 100 Best
Songs of the Past 25 Years includes "Hit Me With Your Best
Shot"
at # 89.
Pat released Go.
 # 74 on the Top Pop Artists
of the Past 25 Years chart.
Greatest
Hits was released.
VH1: 100
Greatest Songs of the 80's included "Love Is A Battlefield" at # 30.
Greatest
Hits was certified gold.
|
In The Heat Of The Night
Released: October, 1979
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 12
Tracks: "Heartbreaker" - "I
Need A Lover" - "If You Think
You Know How To Love Me" - "In
The Heat Of The Night" - "My
Clone Sleeps Alone" - "We Live For Love" -
"Rated X" - "Don't Let It
Show" - "No You Don't" -
"So Sincere" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Crimes Of Passion
Released: August, 1980
US: 4x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 2
Tracks: "Treat Me Right" - "You Better Run" -
"Never Wanna Leave You" -
"Hit Me With Your
Best Shot" - "Hell Is For
Children" - "Little
Paradise" - "I'm Gonna Follow
You" - "Wuthering Heights"
- "Prisoner Of Love" -
"Out-A-Touch" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Precious Time
Released: July, 1981
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 1 (for 1 week)
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "Promises In The Dark" - "Fire And Ice" - "Just
Like Me" - "Precious Time"
- "It's A Tuff Life" -
"Take It Any Way You Want It" -
"Evil Genius" - "Hard To
Believe" - "Helter
Skelter" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Get Nervous
Released: November, 1982
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 4
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "Shadows Of The
Night" - "Looking For A Stranger" -
"Anxiety (Get Nervous)" -
"Fight It Out" -
"Victim" - "Little To
Late" - "I'll Do It" -
"I Want Out" - "Tell It To
Her" - "Silent Partner" |
|
Live From Earth
Released: October, 1983
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 13
Rolling Stone
review:
Live Tracks: "Fire And Ice" - "Looking For A Stranger" - "I
Want Out" - "We Live For Love" - "Hell
Is For Children" - "Hit Me With Your
Best Shot" - "Promises In The Dark" - "Heartbreaker" - Additional
Tracks: "Love Is A
Battlefield" - "Lipstick
Lies" |
|
Tropico
Released: November, 1984
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 14
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "Diamond
Field" - "We Belong" -
"Painted Desert" -
"Temporary Heroes" - "Love
In The Ice Age" - "Ooh Ooh
Song" - "Outlaw Blues" -
"Suburban King" - "Crazy
World Like This" - "Takin' It
Back" |
|
Seven The Hard Way
Released: December, 1985
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 26
Tracks: "Sex As A
Weapon" - "Le Bel Age" -
"Walking In The Underground" -
"Big Life" - "Red
Vision" - "7-Rooms Of
Gloom" - "Run Between The
Raindrops" - "Invincible"
- "Art Of Letting Go" |
|
Wide Awake In Dreamland
Released: July, 1988
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 28
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "All Fired
Up" - "One Love" -
"Let's Stay Together" -
"Don't Walk Away" - "Too
Long A Soldier" - "Cool
Zero" - "Cerebral Man" -
"Lift 'Em On Up" - "Suffer
The Little Children" - "Wide
Awake In Dreamland" |
|
Best Shots
Released: November, 1989
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 67
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Love Is A
Battlefield" - "Promises In The Dark" - "One
Love" - "All Fired Up" -
"We Live For Love" - "Hell
Is For Children" - "Shadows Of The
Night" - "Hit Me With Your
Best Shot" - "We
Belong" - "Invincible"-
"Fire And Ice" - "Heartbreaker" -
"Suffer The Little Children / Hell
Is For Children" (live) -
"Painted Desert" - "Outlaw
Blues" |
|
True Love
Released: April, 1991
Billboard
peak:
# 37
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Bloodshot
Eyes" - "Payin' The Cost To Be
The Boss" - "So Long" -
"I've Got Papers On You" -
"I Feel Lucky" - "True
Love" - "Good Life" -
"Evening" - "I Get
Evil" - "Don't Happen No
More" - "Please Come Home For
Christmas" |
 |
Gravity's Rainbow
Released: May, 1993
Billboard
peak:
# 85
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Pictures Of
A Gone World" - "Everybody Lay
Down" - "Somebody's Baby"
- "Ties That Bind" - "You
And I" - "Disconnected" -
"Crazy" - "Every Time I
Fall Back" - "Sanctuary" -
"Rise, Pt. 2" - "Kingdom
Key" - "Tradin' Down" |
|
All Fired Up: The Very
Best Of Pat Benatar
Released: November, 1994
Tracks: "I Need A
Lover" - "If You Think You Know
How To Love Me" - "Heartbreaker" - "We Live For Love" - "You Better Run" - "Hit Me With Your
Best Shot" - "Treat Me Right" - "Hell
Is For Children" - "Fire And Ice" - "Promises In The Dark" -
"Shadows In The Dark" - "Little Too Late" - "Looking For A Stranger" -
"Anxiety (Get Nervous)" -
"Love Is A
Battlefield" - "Lipstick
Lies" - "We Belong" -
"Ooh Ooh Song" -
"Temporary Heroes" -
"Invincible" - "Sex As A
Weapon" - "Le Bel Age" -
"All Fired Up" - "Don't
Walk Away" - "Let's Stay
Together" - "One Love" -
"True Love" - "Payin' The
Cost To Be The Boss" - "So
Long" - "Everybody Lay
Down" - "Somebody's Baby"
- "Crazy" - "Every Time I
Fall Back" |
 |
Heartbreaker: 16 Classic
Performances
Released: July, 1996
Tracks: "Heartbreaker" - "I
Need A Lover" - "We Live For Love" - "Hell
Is For Children" - "Promises In The Dark" - "Looking For A Stranger" - "Love Is A
Battlefield" - "We
Belong" - "Ooh Ooh Song" -
"All Fired Up" - "Sex As A
Weapon" - "True Love" -
"Crazy" - "So Long" -
"Helter Skelter" (live) -
"Hit Me With Your
Best Shot" (live) |
|
Innamorata
Released: June, 1997
Billboard
peak:
# 171
Tracks: "Guitar
Intro" - "Only You" -
"River Of Love" - "I Don't
Want To Be Your Friend" -
"Strawberry Wine" -
"Purgatory"- "Papa's
Roses" - "At This Time" -
"Dirty Little Secrets" -
"Angry" - "In These
Times" - "Innamorata" -
"Gina's Song" |
 |
8-15-80
Released: July, 1998
Live Tracks: "I Need A
Lover" - "Treat Me Right" - "I'm
Gonna Follow You" - "Out Of
Touch" - "You Better Run" - "Hit Me With Your
Best Shot" - "In The Heat
Of The Night" - "Little
Paradise" - "Heartbreaker" - "No
You Don't" - "Hell Is For
Children" - "My Clone Sleeps
Alone" |
|
Synchronistic
Wanderings: Recorded Anthology 1979-1999
Released: October, 1999
Tracks: "Heartbreaker" - "We Live For Love" - "My
Clone Sleeps Alone" - "I Need A
Lover" - "In The Heat Of The
Night" - "You Better Run" - "Hit Me With Your
Best Shot" - "Treat Me Right" -
"Wuthering Heights" -
"Hell Is For Children" - "Fire And Ice" - "Promises In The Dark" -
"Precious Time" - "Shadows Of The
Night" - "Little Too Late" - "Looking For A Stranger" -
"Anxiety (Get Nervous)" -
"Love Is A
Battlefield" (Demo Version) -
"Love Is A
Battlefield" - "Ooh
Song" - "We Belong" -
"Painted Desert" - "Outlaw
Blues" - "Invincible" -
"Sex As A Weapon" - "Le
Bel Age" - "New Dream
Islands" - "Run Between The
Raindrops" - "One Love" -
"True Hearts" - "Let's
Stay Together" - "All Fired
Up" - "Shooting Star" -
"Cancion Ooh Ooh" -
"Payin' The Cost To Be The
Boss" - "True Love" -
"Good Life" - "I Feel
Lucky" - "Please Come Home For
Christmas" - "Tell Me Why"
- "Crying" - "Sometimes
The Good Guys Finish First" -
"Somebody's Baby" -
"Everybody Lay Down" -
"Rise, Pt. 2" - "Rise, Pt.
1" - "Temptation" -
"Every Time I Fall Back" -
"Effect You Have On Me" -
"Rescue Me" - "Strawberry
Wine" - "I Don't Want To Be
Your Friend" - "Here's My
Heart" |
|
Go
Released: August, 2003
Billboard
peak:
# 187
Tracks: "Go" -
"Brave" - "I Won't" -
"Have It All" -
"Sorry" - "Please Don't
Leave Me" - "Girl" -
"Out Of The Ruins" - "In
My Dreams" - "Tell Me" -
"Brokenhearted" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Greatest Hits
Released: June, 2005
US: Gold
Tracks: "Heartbreaker" - "We Live For Love" - "Hit Me With Your
Best Shot" - "Hell Is For
Children" - "Treat Me Right" - "You Better Run" - "Fire And Ice" - "Promises In The Dark" -
"Precious Time" - "Shadows Of The
Night" - "Little Too Late" - "Looking For A Stranger" - "Love Is A
Battlefield" - "We
Belong" - "Ooh Ooh Song" -
"Invincible" - "Sex As A
Weapon" - "Le Bel Age" -
"All Fired Up" - "One Love
(Song Of The Lion)" |
| Note: Song title and
position links lead you to the song's Top
40 chart run (from the ARC Weekly Top
40)
and LP links take you to Amazon.com for that LP (often
including track listings and sound
samples). |
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