ROCK MOMENT – Pat Benatar ‘All Fired Up
When Pat Benatar released ‘All Fired Up‘ in 1988, it marked both a triumphant comeback and a bold evolution in her sound. Known throughout the early ’80s for powerhouse anthems like Hit Me with Your Best Shot‘ and ‘Love Is a Battlefield,‘ Benatar entered the late decade determined to prove she still had plenty of fire left. The song became the centerpiece of her album Wide Awake in Dreamland and one of her final major hits of the MTV era.
Originally written by Kerryn Tolhurst, an Australian musician from the band The Dingoes, ‘All Fired Up‘ was first recorded by Australian singer Rattling Sabres in 1987. Benatar and her husband/guitarist Neil Giraldo discovered the song while searching for fresh material and immediately recognized its potential. They reworked it into a soaring rock anthem that perfectly fit Benatar’s signature mix of strength and vulnerability.
Recording took place in Los Angeles, with Giraldo producing. Benatar’s fierce vocals were laid over driving guitars and a thunderous rhythm section that built the track into a rousing call for resilience and passion. The lyrics—“Now I believe there comes a time / When everything just falls in line”—reflected Benatar’s own determination to keep pushing forward in a changing musical landscape dominated by pop and glam metal.
When the single dropped, MTV played a major role in its success. The music video, featuring Benatar and her band performing amid flashing lights and blazing imagery, captured her fiery stage persona and reintroduced her to a new generation of fans. The video went into heavy rotation, propelling the song up the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 19 in the U.S. and hit the Top 10 in several other countries.
‘All Fired Up‘ went on to earn a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, solidifying Benatar’s place as one of rock’s most powerful voices. Even decades later, the song remains a staple of her live shows—an anthem of empowerment, perseverance, and pure rock energy that continues to ignite audiences just as it did on MTV screens in 1988.
