She was born in the neighborhood of Greenpoint in Brooklyn, New York City, New York on January 10, 1953 as Patricia Andrzejewski. She graduated from Lindenhurst High on Long Island in 1971. She married her lead guitarist, Neil "Spyder" Geraldo, in 1982, and she has two children, named Haley and Hana.
In 1973, Benatar quit her job as a bank teller to pursue a singing career after being inspired by a Liza Minnelli concert she saw in Richmond. She got a job as a singing waitress at a flapper-esque nightclub named "The Roaring Twenties", and got a gig singing in lounge band Coxon's Army. They garnered enough attention to be the subject of a never-aired PBS special, and the band's bassist, Roger Capps, would go on to be the original bass player for the Pat Benatar band.
This period also yielded Benatar's first solo single – 1974's "Day Gig" – until her eventual major label debut on Chrysalis Records in 1979. The song was released via Trace Records, and was both written and produced by Coxon's Army band leader Phil Coxon.
Benatar's big break came in 1975 at an amateur night at the comedy club "Catch a Rising Star" in New York City. Her rousing rendition of Judy Garland's "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" earned her a call back by club owner Rick Newman, who would later become her manager.
After many years of producing big budget albums, Neil and Pat have continued to produce albums together, even though they have decided to end their association with major labels. They have chosen instead to place the care of their children above industry demands, and make records at home in their own professional quality studio. Each summer when their girls get out of school for vacation, they all pack up, board a tour bus, and set out to play as many shows as they can fit into the summer months. Pat and Neil maintain a close, and much more personal, relationship with their fans, than they were able to do in 80's during the heights of their commercial success.
http://www.benatargiraldo.com
Cool Zero
Pat Benatar Lyrics
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Sprayed like bullets into concrete face
Everywhere you turn, knuckles are crackin'
Suburban monkeys break ghetto habits
Body guns loaded for a dime
See `em shed their celebrity skin
For a life of trash and crime
[CHORUS:]
Cool Zero
You want to know where the wild ones go
Cool Zero
You want to know where the bodies are burned
Crawlin' under every rock, you gotta see what time forgot
Cool Zero (Cool Zero) Cool Zero
Nothin' stops the hit parade
Money makers will be shaken down
Everywhere you go, fingers are snappin'
Commercial prophets shout revolution
Throwin' dirt upon a good mans name
Watch `em sell his soul for shoes
And dance upon his grave
[CHORUS]
In this junk food civilization
They will eat and not think twice
For a dance in the dragons jaws
They will gladly pay the price
An' eat their fill - Ooh, Ooh - Hey
Headlines turn in violent days
Run like blood across the printed page
Everywhere you look, atoms are smashin'
Politicians smilin' for the camera
And the pictures make you want to scream
Maybe baby, we'll just play it cool
Like Elvis at 19
[CHORUS]
Cool Zero (Cool Zero) Cool Zero ....
Pat Benatar's song "Cool Zero" speaks of the societal pressures we face on a daily basis. The lyrics describe the turbulent and violent environment we live in, and how it is forcing people to lose their true identity and conform to the norms of society. The "art attacks from subway walls" are a representation of the rebellious spirit that has been suppressed by the concrete face of our conformist society. The "knuckles crackin'" signifies the physical and mental strain we go through under these circumstances.
The chorus of the song speaks about the quest to find where the "wild ones go," those who reject societal norms and live life on their own terms. The lyrics suggest that they are the ones who know where the bodies are burned, meaning they have seen and experienced the dark side of life. The verse also mentions the "commercial prophets" who are promoting revolution, but are ultimately capitalizing on people's desire to be different, selling their souls for shoes and dancing upon their graves.
The song also comments on the increasing violence and corruption in society, with "headlines turnin' violent days" and "politicians smilin' for the camera", creating a world where "atoms are smashin'." Ultimately, the lyrics suggest that to survive in this world, sometimes we need to play it cool like Elvis did when he was just 19 years old.
Line by Line Meaning
Art attacks from subway walls
Graffiti appearing on subway walls like artwork
Sprayed like bullets into concrete face
Graffiti is harshly imposed on a concrete wall
Everywhere you turn, knuckles are crackin'
Violence is prevalent in every direction
Suburban monkeys break ghetto habits
People from the suburbs try to adopt the ways of the ghetto
Body guns loaded for a dime
People are armed with cheap weapons
See `em shed their celebrity skin
Celebrities change their image to fit in with the crowd
For a life of trash and crime
The criminal way of life attracts people
Cool Zero
A phrase used to describe an unconventional lifestyle
You want to know where the wild ones go
Curiosity about where people with unconventional lifestyles hang out
You want to know where the bodies are burned
Curiosity about where the tragedies and disasters occur
Crawlin' under every rock, you gotta see what time forgot
Exploring forgotten, unusual places to find something interesting
Nothin' stops the hit parade
The successful keep getting more and more successful
Money makers will be shaken down
Successful people are constantly targeted for their money
Everywhere you go, fingers are snappin'
People are always snapping their fingers to music
Commercial prophets shout revolution
Advertising tries to create a sense of revolution and change
Throwin' dirt upon a good mans name
Slandering and ruining the reputation of a good person
Watch `em sell his soul for shoes
People are willing to give up their values for material possessions
And dance upon his grave
People celebrate the downfall of others
In this junk food civilization
A society that values instant gratification and convenience
They will eat and not think twice
People will consume without considering the consequences
For a dance in the dragons jaws
People will take risks for excitement, even though it may put them in danger
They will gladly pay the price
People are willing to sacrifice for the sake of pleasure
Headlines turn in violent days
News is often full of violent events
Run like blood across the printed page
Headlines are presented in a graphic and violent manner
Everywhere you look, atoms are smashin'
People are always trying to create something new and break old conventions
Politicians smilin' for the camera
Politicians put on a false persona to please their constituents
And the pictures make you want to scream
Images can be overwhelming and frustrating
Maybe baby, we'll just play it cool
Perhaps it's best to adopt a laid-back attitude
Like Elvis at 19
Like the young, cool Elvis Presley
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MYRON GROMBACHER, NEIL GIRALDO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind