B-side "Prisoner of Love" Format Vinyl record (7") | Released September 15, 1980 Recorded 1979 Length 2:51 | |
"Hit Me with Your Best Shot" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter Eddie Schwartz. It is best known for its cover version by American rock singer Pat Benatar. 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.
Contents
- Structure
- Sampling
- Video games
- TV commercials and reality TV programs
- Sports
- Movies
- TV shows
- Alternate song versions and covers
- References
"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
Eddie Schwartz, writer of the song, 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. 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, although Benatar has commented that in hindsight she would have preferred to replace the C# minor (vi) chord with F# minor (ii). The song was released as a single in the USA, and possibly other markets, in a mix with an additional lead guitar track. The song was later one of the songs available to put on a free mail-order customized mix CD with every pizza order as a part of a Pizza Hut promotion for their "New Yorker"-style pizza.
Sampling
The song was sampled by D12 in a song of the same name. It was originally made for Eminem's seventh studio album Recovery, released in 2010, but it did not make the final cut. In early 2011, however, the song was leaked on the Internet.
Video games
TV commercials and reality TV programs
Sports
Movies
TV shows
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.
Fictional music group Alvin and the Chipmunks recorded a male rendition for their 1982 album Chipmunk Rock.
Aberdonian Singing Sensation Karen Sinclair performed a cover of "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" to qualify for the Globe Inn 2015 'Can You Front a Rock Band' competition, with local rock band FUBAR.