Why Pat Benatar Removed ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ from Her Setlist

Pat Benatar kicked off her latest tour on June 23, and fans have noticed the singer hasn't included "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" -- one of her biggest hits -- on her setlist. There's a reason for that.

Benatar told USA Today, "We have what we call the 'holy 14,' songs that if we don’t play them, you’ll give us (a hard time). And we’re not doing 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' and fans are having a heart attack and I’m like, I’m sorry, in deference to the victims of the families of these mass shootings, I’m not singing it. I tell them, if you want to hear the song, go home and listen to it. (The title) is tongue-in-cheek, but you have to draw the line. I can’t say those words out loud with a smile on my face, I just can’t. I’m not going to go on stage and soapbox – I go to my legislators – but that’s my small contribution to protesting. I’m not going to sing it. Tough."

USA Today follows up by asking how major events, from mass shootings to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, impact songs she recorded decades prior. Benatar replied, "Well, 'Invincible' is really important. I’m worried, like all of us, about fundamental autonomy rights. This is a slippery slope. It’s not about abortion for me. I’m concerned that people are not paying attention to what this actually means."

Benatar and husband/writing partner Neil Giraldo are on tour throughout Summer 2022 with a complete list of tour dates available at BenatarGiraldo.com. This Fall will be an eventful one for the longtime married couple, too; Benatar and Giraldo will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November along with fellow artists Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie and Carly Simon.

Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo got married on February 20, 1982. They remain one of the longest-lasting marriages in classic rock. They're also among the most successful.

Benatar and Giraldo were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the 2022 induction class. Interestingly, Benatar was asked in a 2021 interview with CBS Sunday Morning whether it bothered her to not be in the Rock Hall. She said then that it didn't and noted, "Listen, when you win things, it's really fun. But the point is, does this validate, not validate what we've done? No."

Together, they've sold over 35 million albums worldwide. Benatar has also won countless honors, including four Grammy Awards. The husband and wife pairing even collaborated on a stage musical called Invincible -- The Musical. As previously reported, Invincible -- The Musical is a new reworking of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The production features versions of many of the songs Benatar and Giraldo have written and performed together for over 40 years.

In a September 2013 interview with the Arizona Republic, Benatar fondly looked back on meeting Giraldo. She said the first song they recorded together was the hit "Heartbreaker." Benatar said she and Giraldo clicked instantly. Even though there was a definite attraction from the beginning, Benatar was still married, and Giraldo was also in a relationship.

" ... We made [1979's 'In the Heat of the Night'] not romantically involved, which was a challenge," said Benatar. "Which is what made it so much fun, and I think you can hear all that on that record."

Needless to say, Benatar and Giraldo have more than defied the odds against them. However, Benatar and Giraldo are far from the only music marriage that has gone the distance. In honor of Benatar and Giraldo's anniversary, here are some of classic rock's other longest-lasting marriages.