Pat Benatar is a four-time Grammy winning musician with six platinum and fo… Read Full Bio ↴Pat Benatar is a four-time Grammy winning musician with six platinum and four gold albums to her credit. Singing such hit singles as "I Need a Lover", "Heartbreaker", "Fire and Ice", "Treat Me Right", "Hit Me with Your Best Shot", "Hell Is for Children", "Shadows of the Night", and "Love Is a Battlefield", Benatar is acknowledged as one of the leading female rock vocalists in the industry.

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

Payin' The Cost To Be Boss
Pat Benatar Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You act like you wanna listen
When I'm talkin' to you
You think you oughta do baby
Anything you wanna do

You must be crazy baby
You just gotta be outta your mind
As long as I'm payin' the bills

I'm payin' the cost to be the boss

I'll drink if I wanna
And play a little poker too
I don't want to hear nothin' from ya
As long as I'm takin' care of you

As long as I'm workin' baby
Payin' all the bills
I don't want no mouth from you
'Bout the way I'm supposed to live

You must be crazy baby
You just gotta be, outta your mind
As long as I'm footin' the bill
I'm payin' the cost to be the boss

Now that you got me huh
You act like you're ashamed
You don't act like my man
You're just usin' my name

I'm gonna have all the money baby
I don't want no back talk
You don't like how I'm doin'
You can pick up your things and walk

You must be crazy baby
You just gotta be, outta your mind

As long as I'm payin' the bills
I'm payin' the cost to be the boss

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Pat Benatar's "Payin' The Cost To Be Boss" explore a dynamic between the singer and their partner. The singer is expressing their frustration with their partner's lack of appreciation for the hard work and financial responsibility that the singer has taken on for the relationship. They assert their autonomy and independence, emphasizing that as long as they are the ones providing for the relationship, they will live their lives as they see fit. The chorus of the song highlights the singer's attitude towards their partner - they believe that as long as they are keeping the household afloat financially, their partner has no room to criticize or judge their behavior.

This song can be seen as a statement of personal power and autonomy, as well as a critique of gendered power dynamics in relationships. The singer is depicted as someone who is willing to take on the responsibility of providing for the household, but who also demands respect and autonomy in return. The chorus of the song, in which the singer emphasizes their power within the relationship, can be read as a response to patriarchal norms which often encourage women to be subservient and deferential to their partners.

In terms of songwriting, "Payin' The Cost To Be Boss" is notable for its catchy melody and its adherence to classic rock conventions. Even today, the song remains a popular choice for classic rock radio stations and has been covered by several other artists. The song's message resonated with audiences in the 1980s, a decade in which many women were questioning traditional gender roles and asserting their independence.

Payin' The Cost To Be BossPat Benatar Lyrics

Payin' The Cost To Be Boss
Pat Benatar Lyrics