Pat Benatar has said she will not perform her hit song ‘Hit Me with Your Best Shot’ in honor of the families of victims of this year’s US mass shooting.
in an interview with United States of America today Regarding his current tour, 69-year-old Benar said that although the song’s title is “tongue-in-cheek”, a line has to be drawn. “We’re not doing ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ and the fans are having heart attacks and I’m like, I’m sorry, in honor of the families of the victims of these mass shootings, I’m not singing this song. I tell them, if you want to hear the song, go home and listen.
“I can’t say those words out loud with a smile on my face, I just can’t,” she said. I am not going on stage and soap box – I go to my MLAs – but I have a small contribution in protesting. I’m not going to sing it. Tough.”
‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ was written by Eddie Schwartz and released by Benatar in 1980. With sales of over one million copies, the single was certified gold by the RIAA and marked Benatar’s first top ten release in the US.
The song has been featured frequently at sporting events in the US, but is perhaps better known for its interactive melodies in blockbuster films. Banatar performed the song in the 1982 film spring Feverwhile in 2012 rock of Ages The song was used in a dance scene featuring actress Catherine Zeta-Jones. In television, the song was featured in the sixth episode of season three of gleeBlended with Blondie’s One Way or Other.
Benatar is to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year along with Dolly Parton, Eminem, Lionel Richie and Duran Duran.
