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
Kingdom Key
Pat Benatar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every vow you ever taken, every oath you ever swore
Every kiss you ever stolen, every moment that you waste
Everything you ever loved, and all you've come to hate
It's a great temptation, in your hour of need
But there's no shortcut to salvation
Searchin' for the Kingdom Key
Every hope that you rejected, every truth that was a lie
Every road you ever travelled, everyone you turned away
Everything you ever loved, and all that you betrayed
[Chorus]
It's a great temptation, in your hour of need
But there's no shortcut to salvation
Searchin' for the Kingdom Key
And the light before him was all that he could see
Like fingerprints on the hands of glory wrapped 'round the rosary
His love is like a chain
That would not set him free, would not set him free
Lonely soul on a mission of mercy, Hey Yeah... Mmm
Just like every cross you ever carried, every badge you ever wore
Every vow you ever taken, every oath you ever swore
Everything you ever loved, and all you've come to hate
[Chorus: x2]
In the song Kingdom Key by Pat Benatar, the lyrics suggest that everything a person has done in their life will inevitably lead them to a moment of great temptation. It highlights the importance of taking responsibility for one's past actions and accepting that there is no easy way out when searching for salvation. The first verse speaks of all the things a person has ever carried or worn, every promise and every mistake they have made. The second verse adds to this by mentioning every dream that they let die and every truth they chose to ignore. The chorus emphasizes that there is no easy way out when trying to find the Kingdom Key, implying that salvation is not something that can be easily obtained or purchased.
The final verse suggests that the singer of the song is on a mission of mercy, searching for something that will relieve the burden of his past actions. The metaphor of fingerprints on the hands of glory wrapped around the rosary suggests that he is searching for a way to be forgiven for his sins, but that this is not something that can be casually achieved. The repetition of the chorus at the end of the song emphasizes that finding the Kingdom Key is not something that can be shortcutted or taken for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Just like every cross you ever carried, every badge you ever wore
All the burdens you've ever carried and honors you've ever received.
Every vow you ever taken, every oath you ever swore
All the promises you've ever made and commitments you've ever upheld.
Every kiss you ever stolen, every moment that you waste
All the moments of pleasure you've had and time you've wasted.
Everything you ever loved, and all you've come to hate
All the things you've ever cherished and those you now despise.
It's a great temptation, in your hour of need
When you're desperate, it's tempting to take a shortcut.
But there's no shortcut to salvation
However, salvation cannot be obtained through shortcuts.
Searchin' for the Kingdom Key
Looking for the way to salvation.
Just like every vision you neglected, every dream you left to die
All the aspirations you've neglected and ambitions you gave up on.
Every hope that you rejected, every truth that was a lie
All the optimistic thoughts you turned down and falsehoods you believed.
Every road you ever travelled, everyone you turned away
All the paths you've taken and people you've ignored.
And the light before him was all that he could see
He could only see the light ahead of him.
Like fingerprints on the hands of glory wrapped 'round the rosary
The power of the divine is apparent from the rosary's markings.
His love is like a chain
Love can be restraining and suffocating.
That would not set him free, would not set him free
In fact, love trapped him, he was not set free.
Lonely soul on a mission of mercy, Hey Yeah... Mmm
A solitary soul on a benevolent quest, singing with enthusiasm.
It's a great temptation, in your hour of need
During your darkest time, temptations are always harder to resist.
But there's no shortcut to salvation
There is no fast-track to redemption.
Searchin' for the Kingdom Key
Continuously seeking the pathway to salvation.
Chorus: x2
Repeats the main theme of the song twice.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind