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
Treat Me Right
Pat Benatar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You ask me to come back, you turn and walk away
You want to be lovers, and you want to be friends
I'm losing my patience, you're nearing the end
One of these days you're gonna reach out and find
The one that you count on has left you behind
Don't want to be no martyr, with no one, no say
Treat me right, treat me right
Open your eyes, maybe you'll see the light
Do you think I'm a fool, well you better think twice
I've had enough baby, it's time you realized
That you can't have it both ways, it's no way to live
You've done all the takin', it's your turn to give
One of these days you're gonna reach out and find
The one that you count on has left you behind
Don't want to be no martyr, with no one, no say
Oh my, my baby, before it's too late
Treat me right, treat me right
Open your eyes, maybe you'll see the light
Oh, treat me right
You want me to leave, you want me to stay
You ask me to come back, you turn and walk away
You want to be lovers, and you want to be friends
I'm losing my patience, you're nearing the end
Treat me right, treat me right
Open your eyes, maybe you'll see the light
Oh, treat me right
Treat me right
Treat me right
Treat me right
Treat me right
Treat me right
Treat me right
Treat me right
Treat me right
The lyrics of Pat Benatar's "Treat Me Right" delve into a relationship that's on the rocks. The song tells the story of a woman who is fed up with her partner's inability to decide what he wants from their relationship. The lyrics start with the woman's partner trying to push her away and then, reaching out to her to come back when he notices that she might be leaving. He is confused and unsure of what he wants, which pushes the woman to the edge of her patience. She tells him that he can't have it both ways and that he needs to make a decision. She warns him that if he continues to take her for granted, he will eventually be left behind.
The lyrics "treat me right, treat me right, open your eyes, maybe you'll see the light" is a plea from the woman to her partner. In other words, she's asking him to start treating her with the respect, love, and care that she deserves. The song doesn't end on a high note, however, as the lyrics suggest that the woman's partner is still far away from making a decision about their relationship. It is a raw portrayal of a relationship on the edge, and Benatar's powerful voice emphasizes the emotion behind the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
You want me to leave, you want me to stay
You are sending mixed signals about our relationship and it's difficult for me to know where I stand with you.
You ask me to come back, you turn and walk away
You say you want me back, but your actions suggest otherwise.
You want to be lovers, and you want to be friends
You are unsure about what you want from our relationship and it's causing confusion and frustration for me.
I'm losing my patience, you're nearing the end
I'm getting tired of the mixed signals and uncertainty in our relationship and if you don't make up your mind soon, we may have to end things.
One of these days you're gonna reach out and find
You will eventually realize that you have taken me for granted and that I am no longer willing to put up with it.
The one that you count on has left you behind
You will realize that you have lost someone who cared about you and was there for you, but you didn't treat them right.
Don't want to be no martyr, with no one, no say
I don't want to be a victim in this relationship, with no say in what happens and no control over my own happiness.
Oh my, my baby, before it's too late
I hope you realize the gravity of the situation and make the necessary changes in our relationship before it's too late and I'm gone for good.
Treat me right, treat me right
I'm asking you to treat me with respect and honesty in our relationship.
Open your eyes, maybe you'll see the light
If you take a step back and see things from my perspective, you may realize what you need to do to improve our relationship.
Do you think I'm a fool, well you better think twice
I'm not naïve or foolish and I won't put up with being treated poorly in our relationship.
I've had enough baby, it's time you realized
I have reached my limit in our relationship and it's time for you to acknowledge what you've been doing and make things right.
That you can't have it both ways, it's no way to live
You can't expect to have the benefits of our relationship without putting in any effort or treating me with respect, it's not a healthy way to live, for either of us.
You've done all the takin', it's your turn to give
You have taken me for granted and not done your part in our relationship, it's time for you to step up and reciprocate or we can't continue.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOUGLAS HARDEN LUBAHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind