PAT BENATAR - HELL IS FOR CHILDREN

Estrena: 5 d'agost de 1980

Àlbum: Crimes of Passion

Inspirada per diversos articles del New York Times sobre l'abús infantil, Pat Benatar va coescriure la potent cançó “Hell Is For Children” amb Neil Giraldo i el baixista Roger Capps per al seu àlbum “Crimes of Passion”. Tot i que no es va llançar com a single oficial, la cançó va agradar als oients i es va fer popular a les emissores de rock, arribant al número 7 a la llista de Tunecaster Rock Tracks. Una versió en directe es va llançar posteriorment com a cara B del seu senzill "Love Is a Battlefield" el 1983. Amb els anys, ha estat versionada per diverses bandes de hard rock.

En una entrevista, Pat Benatar va parlar sobre la inspiració darrere de “Hell Is For Children”, explicant que una sèrie d'articles del New York Times sobre l'abús infantil la van afectar profundament. Criada en un petit poble de Long Island, es va sorprendre en descobrir la gravetat del problema de l'abús a Amèrica. Emocionada per aquestes revelacions, Benatar va voler canalitzar el dolor i el patiment de les víctimes a través de la música de la cançó, demanant al seu marit, Neil Giraldo, que composés alguna cosa que transmetés el dolor intens que patien els nens. El resultat va ser un himne que va triomfar tant entre el públic com entre els afectats.

Neil Giraldo va explicar que Benatar va començar a escriure la lletra, a la qual també va contribuir el baixista Roger Capps. Giraldo es va encarregar de desenvolupar la melodia, treballar la tornada i compondre el final. L'objectiu de Giraldo era fer que la cançó fos intensament emocional, començant amb un to trist i augmentant gradualment la intensitat. Al final, Giraldo volia que els oients se sentissin emocionalment exhausts, capturant el missatge poderós i dolorós sobre l'abús infantil.

Benatar va compartir que fins i tot van iniciar una fundació per a nens maltractats després de rebre cartes d'adults que lloaven la cançó per tractar el tema de manera tan poderosa i poc habitual dins del món del rock. Per a Benatar, la cançó segueix evocant records d’aquella tarda emocional quan ella i Giraldo van discutir per primera vegada la seva creació.

Molts oients creien erròniament que la cançó es basava en la seva experiència personal amb l'abús infantil, però no era així. Neil Giraldo va aclarir que Benatar va tenir una infantesa feliç i idíl·lica, similar a la sèrie Happy Days. Tot i que hi havia algun abús verbal a la família de Giraldo, l'abús físic descrit a la cançó no era personal per an ells. Malgrat aquesta confusió, Giraldo va expressar satisfacció amb el resultat de la cançó, qualificant-la com una de les seves preferides a causa del seu impacte emocional.

PAT BENATAR - HELL IS FOR CHILDREN

Released: August 5, 1980

Album: Crimes of Passion

Inspired by several New York Times articles on child abuse, Pat Benatar co-wrote the powerful song “Hell Is For Children” with Neil Giraldo and bassist Roger Capps for her “Crimes of Passion” album. Although it wasn't released as an official single, the song resonated with listeners and became popular on album-rock radio, reaching #7 on the Tunecaster Rock Tracks Chart. A live version was later released as the B-side to her hit single "Love Is a Battlefield" in 1983. Over the years, it has been covered by various hard rock bands.

In an interview Pat Benatar discussed the inspiration behind “Hell Is For Children” explaining that a series of New York Times articles about child abuse deeply affected her. Raised in a small Long Island town, she was shocked to learn about the widespread issue of abuse in America. Moved by these revelations, Benatar wanted to channel the pain and suffering of the victims into the song's music, asking her husband, Neil Giraldo, to compose something that conveyed the intense pain the children were enduring. The result became an anthem, resonating with both audiences and survivors. 

Neil Giraldo explained that Benatar started the lyrics, which were then contributed to by bassist Roger Capps. Giraldo took over by developing the melody, working on the chorus, and composing the outro. He aimed to make the song intensely emotional, starting with a sad tone and gradually building the intensity. By the end, Giraldo wanted listeners to feel emotionally exhausted, capturing the powerful and painful message about child abuse.

Benatar shared that they even started a foundation for abused children after receiving letters from adults who praised the song for addressing the issue in such a powerful and unheard-of way within the rock world. For Benatar, the song continues to evoke memories of that emotional afternoon when she and Giraldo first discussed its creation.

Many listeners mistakenly believed that the song was based on her personal experience with child abuse, but that was not the case. Neil Giraldo clarified that Benatar had a happy, idyllic upbringing, similar to the show “Happy Days”. While there was some verbal abuse in Giraldo's family, the physical abuse depicted in the song wasn't personal to them. Despite the misconception, Giraldo expressed satisfaction with how the song turned out, calling it one of his favorites due to its powerful emotional impact.