Culture Pat Benatar refuses to sing 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' in the wake of mass shootings: 'I just can't' - Fire AWAYYYYY. Also her feelings on her music and abortion rights.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pat-benatar-wont-sing-hit-me-with-your-best-shot-after-mass-shootings-212118829.html

Rocker Pat Benatar's recent setlists are missing one of her most popular songs: "Hit Me With Your Best Shot."

The reason, she told USA Today in an interview published Thursday, is directly related to current event

"We're not doing 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' and fans are having a heart attack," Benatar said, "And I'm like, 'I'm sorry, in deference to the victims of the families of these mass shootings, I'm not singing it.' I tell them, 'If you want to hear the song, go home and listen to it.."

Lyrics of the 1980 song suggested it was about a physical fight: "Put up your dukes, let's get down to it," she sang in the first verse. But she then sings in the chorus, "Hit me with your best shot. Fire away."

"(The title) is tongue in cheek, but you have to draw the line. I can't say those words out loud with a smile on my face, I just can't," Benatar said. "I'm not going to go on stage and soap box — I go to my legislators — but that's my small contribution to protesting. I'm not going to sing it. Tough."

Mass shootings in the United States have increased overall in the last few years, as illustrated by the Washington Post, based on statistics collected by the non-profit Gun Violence Archive.

Benatar had something to say, too, about another major news story of 2022: the Supreme Court's ruling to overturn their 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which said women had a constitutional right to abortion.

The singer was then asked how these events of 2022 affect the "tenor of the work you're singing from 30 or 40 years ago."

"Well, 'Invincible' is really important," she said of her Grammy-nominated hit, which served as the theme for the 1985 movie The Legend of Billie Jean. "I'm worried, like all of us, about fundamental autonomy rights. This is a slippery slope. It's not about abortion for me. I'm concerned that people are not paying attention to what this actually means."

In that song, she sings, "We can't afford to be innocent," and later adds that it's a "do or die situation."

 

[Dysnomia]

Sucks she feels this way as I really like her music.

It's one of her biggest hits. And it's not about shooting up your school. Why not donate money to the survivors instead?

Same here, I thought she joined the 27 Club.

Holy Mandela Effect.

Maybe you are thinking of Mia Zapata or Amy Winehouse?

"I'm worried, like all of us, about fundamental autonomy rights. This is a slippery slope. It's not about abortion for me. I'm concerned that people are not paying attention to what this actually means."

Their heads are in the sand because hot button issue.

 

[Beavis]

What group was this?
I'm slightly fascinated by the groups that filled arenas in the 80s/90s but end up doing shows in local Indian casinos for 200 people.

Guessing new kids on the block? I remember flipping the channels and seeing Jordan Knight trying to sell a Christmas album on QVC.

 

[Sparkletor 2.0]

What if we're all wrong and Pat really wrote the song about wanting to get shot with literal bullets?

 

[Super-Chevy454]

I guess this song won't be featured in Stranger Things anymore.

 

[Bland Crumbs]

Love is a Battlefield and Invincible have some pretty violent messaging better stop singing those as well!

 

[Jason Wynn]

Why must everything I enjoy always capitulate to the woke mob?

 

[jackwire]

Pat, if I've got to eat the bugs and live in a pod, then you've got to sing the fucking song. I may own nothing, but I'm sure as fuck gonna be happy whether you like it or not.

 

[WhiskeyJack]

If decades of spousal abuse didn't stop her, why would some rando glowies with tax-payer supplied varmint rifles be an issue?

 

[Comandante Marcos]

What group was this?
I'm slightly fascinated by the groups that filled arenas in the 80s/90s but end up doing shows in local Indian casinos for 200 people.

IIRC the big headliner was Boyz II Men. There were a couple others that back in their heyday had all been with the same record label/mogul, I am thinking Bell Biv Devoe was there too, but I can't remember the others. I'm not sure how many people showed up to watch, but I doubt it was more than 200.

A Pat Benatar (or any big 80s artist) concert in current year would probably be fucking lulzy to watch-the geriatric star sitting in a chair the whole time because they are too weak to dance, and the almost equally geriatric fans who can't do anything except sit in folding chairs and nod their heads to the music.

 

[White Devil]

One hit wonder refuses to sing their one hit live.

She's not though. She's had plenty of hits. The song in question isn't even her best.

 

[frozenrunner]

> create edgy AMV of extreme violence set to old-ass song
> tweet video to Benatar
> profit

 

[thyme's up]

If decades of spousal abuse didn't stop her, why would some rando glowies with tax-payer supplied varmint rifles be an issue?

Explain, please. She was abused, or just abuse in general?

A Pat Benatar (or any big 80s artist) concert in current year would probably be fucking lulzy to watch-the geriatric star sitting in a chair the whole time because they are too weak to dance, and the almost equally geriatric fans who can't do anything except sit in folding chairs and nod their heads to the music.

I don't think musicians have to hang up their mics and guitars because of their age. If people are willing to pay to see them, why not put on a show? That's what they do. Now if their voice/chops are gone and they've forgotten the words/notes, then yeah, retirement time.

I get more annoyed with old metal heads still dressing and acting like they're in their 20s 24/7.

 

[Wormy]

Love is a Battlefield and Invincible have some pretty violent messaging better stop singing those as well!

And let's not even get into "Hell is for Children".....

 

[Dysnomia]

IIRC the big headliner was Boyz II Men. There were a couple others that back in their heyday had all been with the same record label/mogul, I am thinking Bell Biv Devoe was there too, but I can't remember the others. I'm not sure how many people showed up to watch, but I doubt it was more than 200.

A Pat Benatar (or any big 80s artist) concert in current year would probably be fucking lulzy to watch-the geriatric star sitting in a chair the whole time because they are too weak to dance, and the almost equally geriatric fans who can't do anything except sit in folding chairs and nod their heads to the music.

Michael Bivens was the member of Bel Biv Devoe that had the record label. He was fleeced by the management of New Edition before he was even old enough to drive and made his own label. So the group is likely under that umbrella. It's Biv 10 Records.

 

[mold]

do you retards not understand how the music industry works? you work hard, you tour, you play shitty venues, then maybe you hit it big and you sell out big venues, then for most people, you spend the rest of your career playing state fairs and casinos, maybe cruises. there's a tiny handful of acts that can sell out large venues forever or get a permanent gig in vegas, but that's the normal trajectory.