PAT BENATAR - PROMISES IN THE DARK

Released: September 25, 1981

Charts:  US: #38 

"Promises in the Dark" is a song released as the second single from the album “Precious Time”. Written by Benatar and her guitarist Neil Giraldo, the song addresses the emotional turmoil and vulnerability that comes with broken promises in a relationship. The track showcases Benatar's powerful voice, building from a soft, emotive verse to a fiery and explosive chorus, a hallmark of her style.The song peaked at #38 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #16 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart. 

Pat Benatar revealed in a 1984 interview that she sometimes dislikes singing in the first person, as it feels too personal, preferring to use more general pronouns like "we" or "they." This sentiment hints at the personal nature of this song. Her guitarist Neil Giraldo, told that he recognized the song's hit potential early on. Originally a ballad, Giraldo came up with a signature guitar riff during rehearsals and sped up the tempo, transforming the song. He felt confident that this change made it more powerful and commercially viable.

Neil Giraldo explained that Pat Benatar had a melody idea, which he built upon by writing the music on the piano in their home studio. While composing, his favorite guitar fell and broke, which he humorously saw as a curse. Despite this setback, the song came together, although they were missing the last verse when they entered the studio. Giraldo ended up writing the final verse during the recording session, completing the song.

Pat Benatar was one of the pioneering American artists making music videos before MTV's launch. Since finding an American director was difficult at the time, she worked with British director Keith MacMillan, also known as Keef, who had directed videos for artists like Motörhead, Paul McCartney, and Kate Bush. The video for "Promises in the Dark" was simple, showing Benatar and her band performing on stage for a small audience. It was shot back-to-back with the "Fire and Ice" video, with no costume change, making it a quick and straightforward production.