Hit Me with Your Best Shot
"Hit Me with Your Best Shot" | ||||
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![]() Artwork for U.S. vinyl single | ||||
Single by Pat Benatar | ||||
from the album Crimes of Passion | ||||
B-side | "Prisoner of Love" | |||
Released | September 15, 1980 | |||
Recorded | 1980 | |||
Genre | Power pop | |||
Length | 2:51 | |||
Label | Chrysalis | |||
Songwriter(s) | Eddie Schwartz | |||
Producer(s) | Keith Olsen | |||
Pat Benatar singles chronology | ||||
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"Hit Me with Your Best Shot" is a song recorded by American rock singer Pat Benatar and written by Eddie Schwartz. In 1980, it was released as the second single from her second album Crimes of Passion. It hit No. 7 in Cash Box, and reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her first Top 10 hit.
"Hit Me with Your Best Shot" sold well over a million copies in the U.S., achieving a gold certification by the RIAA. The song is one of Benatar's most recognizable tracks. Heard at many baseball and soccer games, the song has been featured on many compilation albums, including both multi-artist works as well as those just focusing on Benatar (such as 10 Great Songs and Greatest Hits).
Structure
Schwartz said that he came up with the title of the song after attending a "pillow punching" therapy session in Toronto, but stated that the title is to be taken metaphorically.[1] The song is in E major and features a general chord progression of I-IV-vi-V, with occasional added chords built on passing and neighboring tones,[2] although Benatar has commented that in hindsight she would have preferred to replace the C# minor (vi) chord with F# minor (ii).[3]
Chart performance
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Appearances in other media and popular culture
Video games
- A version of the song is a playable track in the game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, while the original master track is playable in Guitar Hero On Tour for the Nintendo DS and Guitar Hero: Smash Hits for consoles.[6][7][8]
- This song also is a downloadable song in the Rock Band series, and is playable in Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock.[9][10]
- A live version appeared in Guitar Hero Live.
- In Pokemon Red and Blue and their remakes, a hiker trainer in Rock Tunnel references the chorus to the player during pre-battle and post-battle.[11]
- This is one of the songs that plays in Lego DC Super-Villains when Harley Quinn takes out her boombox during gameplay.
- This song can be sung via karaoke in Sleeping Dogs (video game).
TV commercials
- American band My American Heart recorded the song for a commercial for the French online video game service GameTap.
- American band Valencia recorded the song.
- American band New Atlantic recorded the song.
- The song was featured in a Prestone Antifreeze Coolant commercial in 1999.
- The song was featured in a 2017 TV commercial for Walmart to promote the 2017 film Star Wars: The Last Jedi.[12]
- The song is featured in a 2019 TV commercial for Applebee's.[13]
Movies
- The song is performed by Pat Benatar in the 1982 movie Spring Fever.
- The song is used in the end credits and performed by the cast and crew of the 2004 film Bring It On Again.
- The song is sung a cappella in the 2012 film Pitch Perfect.
- It is covered in the 2012 movie Rock of Ages by Catherine Zeta-Jones featuring a dance scene.
- The song is covered on the Birds of Prey soundtrack by ADONA.
Alternate song versions and covers
Other artists who have performed the song live include singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson, whose version of "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" received praise by Time.[14]
See also
References
- ^ Wilhite, Jud (2007). That Crazy Little Thing Called Love: The Soundtrack of Marriage, Sex, and Faith. Standard Publishing. p. 105. ISBN 978-0-7847-1944-2.
- ^ "Benatar Pat "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" Chords". Tablaturas.buanzo.com.ar. 1997-06-30. Archived from the original on 2012-04-26. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
- ^ "Interview with Geoff Reynolds, "Pat Benatar Fires Away on Marriage, Middle Age, and the Future of Rock and Roll," Rocker Quarterly, Vol. IX, No. 4 (Winter 1995-96), p. 47.
- ^ "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 50 Singles 1988". Aria.com.au. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
- ^ a b "Top 100 Hits of 1981/Top 100 Songs of 1981". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
- ^ Inc, Activision. "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - Xbox 360: Video Games". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
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has generic name (help) - ^ Inc, Activision. "Guitar Hero Smash Hits: Nintendo Wii: Video Games". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
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has generic name (help) - ^ Inc, Activision. "Guitar Hero: On Tour: Video Games". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
{{cite web}}
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has generic name (help) - ^ "Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar // Songs // Rock Band®". Rockband.com. 2007-11-20. Archived from the original on 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
- ^ ""Hit Me With Your Best Shot" - Xbox.com". Marketplace.xbox.com. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
- ^ Braid, Scott. "Hidden Messages In Pokémon Red, Blue, And Yellow They Don't Think You'll Notice". TheGamer. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
- ^ "Walmart TV Commercial, 'Be Jedi Ready' Song by Pat Benatar". ispot.tv. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
- ^ "Applebee's Loaded Fajitas TV Commercial, 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' Song by Pat Benatar". ispot.tv. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
- ^ Samantha Grossman. "Kelly Clarkson Best Covers: Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Nick Jonas". TIME.com.