Wonder Woman of the Week: Pat Benatar

This week’s hero is a music revolutionary that took rock & roll to a new level. Her music brought issues of appearance, talent, and women’s roll in music to a new stage. This week’s Wonder Woman is Pat Benatar.

Patricia Mae Andrzejewski was born and raised in Brooklyn, NYC. She held a central role in her high school band having been inspired by her opera-singing mother. Nobody in her family was surprised when Pat was accepted into Juliard her senior year of high school. Patricia opted however to marry her high school sweetheart instead of going to college and moved to Virginia with her husband Dennis Benatar. Eventually they divorced and Pat Benatar moved back to the NYC performing classic songs on the club scene. She caught the attention of a lot of talent agents- but Benatar spoke adamantly about wanting only to be the leader of a rock and roll band. [1]

After a performance at the aptly named club “Catch a Rising Star,” club owner Rick Newman knew he had caught the greatest star he’d ever heard. He immediately struck a deal with Benatar as her manager- a gig that lasted for fifteen years. On Halloween night in 1977, Benatar attended a costume contest with her friends before heading to Catch a Rising Star for a performance. Without time to change, Benatar had to perform in her spandex Halloween costume and the crowd loved it. Pat Benatar’s signature look was born. Eventually Chrysalis Records signed Benatar with rising guitarist Neil Giraldo and they instantly formed the perfect duo. Their first album In the Heat of the Night went platinum and included hits like “Heartbreaker” and “We Live for Love.”Their second album Crimes of Passion went quintuple platinum and included hits like “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” and “You Better Run.” [2]

Pat Benatar’s music challenged gender norms. Her songs “Heart Breaker” and “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” feature women’s strength and resilience. Plus, she rocked! Her music was incredible and her time at the top of the music charts lasted nearly a decade. She sang about kicking ass and showed women could be rockers and badasses at the same time. [3]

Benatar’s music still rocks the airwaves of radio today and the whole time, Pat was in charge. She decided where to take her own music- and it was somewhere in the direction of amazing. Her songs continue to inspire men and women- and they make for a great work out playlist. Don’t forget to take some time to listen to your favorite hits from this week’s Wonder Woman: Pat Benatar.

"Pat Benatar." Bio.com. Accessed February 12, 2015. http://www.biography.com/people/pat-benatar-213028#early-life.

"Benatar | Giraldo." Benatar | Giraldo. Accessed February 12, 2015. http://benatargiraldo.com/biography.

Brittner, Ashley. "Adventures In Feministory: Pat Benatar." Bitchmedia. August 9, 2009. Accessed February 12, 2015. http://bitchmagazine.org/post/adventures-in-feministory-pat-benatar.