“Heartbreaker” is a 1979 song by Pat Benatar from her debut album In the Heat of the Night that served as her commercial breakthrough, peaking at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track was originally written by British songwriters Geoff Gill and Cliff Wade and first recorded by English singer Jenny Darren in 1978.
Benatar significantly revised the song to suit her American audience and artistic vision. She rewrote the lyrics to remove British colloquialisms (such as “A to Zed” and “moonraker”) and changed the perspective from male to female, a shift she felt was essential for her performance.
The recording history involved several pivotal changes:
- Initial Rejection: The label, Chrysalis Records, initially ignored the track, believing it had too much guitar for the disco era, and released two other singles that failed to chart.
- Musical Direction: Producer Mike Chapman brought in guitarist Neil Giraldo to help shape Benatar’s rock sound.
- Final Version: “Heartbreaker” was the first song recorded after Chapman departed the project, with Giraldo and engineer Pete Coleman completing the album. Benatar described the session as “blistering,” and the resulting track defined her hard-driving rock persona.
[Verse 1]
Your love is like a tidal wave
Spinning over my head
Drownin’ me in your promises
Better left unsaid
[Pre-Chorus]
You’re the right kind of sinner
To release my inner fantasy
The invincible winner
And you know that you were born to be
[Chorus]
You’re a heartbreaker, dream-maker
Love-taker, don’t you mess around with me
You’re a heartbreaker, dream-maker
Love-taker, don’t you mess around, no, no, no
[Verse 2]
Your love has set my soul on fire
Burnin’ out of control
You taught me the ways of desire
Now it’s takin’ its toll
[Pre-Chorus]
You’re the right kind of sinner
To release my inner fantasy
The invincible winner
And you know that you were born to be
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[Chorus]
You’re a heartbreaker, dream-maker
Love-taker, don’t you mess around with me
You’re a heartbreaker, dream-maker
Love-taker, don’t you mess around, no, no, no
[Instrumental Break]
[Pre-Chorus]
You’re the right kind of sinner
To release my inner fantasy
The invincible winner
And you know that you were born to be
[Chorus]
You’re a heartbreaker, dream-maker
Love-taker, don’t you mess around with me
You’re a heartbreaker, dream-maker
Love-taker, don’t you mess around with me
You’re a heartbreaker, dream-maker
Love-taker, don’t you mess around with me
You’re a heartbreaker, dream-maker
Love-taker, heartbreaker
[Guitar Solo]
