Seven the Hard Way
Studio album by
Pat Benatar
ReleasedOctober 30, 1985
Recorded1985
Studio
Genre
Length37:05
LabelChrysalis
Producer
Pat Benatar chronology
Tropico
(1984)		 Seven the Hard Way
(1985)		 Best Shots
(1987)
Singles from Seven the Hard Way
  1. "Invincible"
    Released: July 6, 1985
  2. "Sex as a Weapon"
    Released: November 4, 1985
  3. "Le Bel Age"
    Released: January 20, 1986
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Rolling StonePositive[2]

Seven the Hard Way is the sixth studio album by American singer Pat Benatar, released on October 30, 1985, by Chrysalis Records. It debuted on the US Billboard 200 for the week of December 14 and peaked at number 26,[3] spawning the singles "Invincible", "Sex as a Weapon", and "Le Bel Age".[4] The album has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[5]

The Grammy Award-nominated single "Invincible" was produced by Mike Chapman and recorded for the soundtrack of the Matthew Robbins film The Legend of Billie Jean, which, despite underperforming at the box office, became a cult classic to MTV fans in general. The song became commercially successful and was included on the album, despite its musical style differing from Benatar's at that time and more reminiscent of her earlier efforts.[6] Benatar often commented at her concerts before performing the song that it "is from one of the worst movies ever made."[7]

Seven the Hard Way was Benatar's last album to feature bassist Donnie Nossov, who along with drummer Myron Grombacher went on to play with Lita Ford on her breakthrough album, Lita (1988), and on the supporting tour. Grombacher would return to Benatar's band for her follow-up album, Wide Awake in Dreamland, released after the three-year hiatus that followed Seven the Hard Way.

In 1998, BGO Records reissued Seven the Hard Way on CD with Tropico.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sex as a Weapon"
4:15
2."Le Bel Age"
5:11
3."Walking in the Underground"
4:39
4."Big Life"
  • Giraldo
  • Grombacher
2:40
5."Red Vision"
  • Giraldo
  • Grombacher
3:50
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."7 Rooms of Gloom" (Four Tops cover)
3:33
7."Run Between the Raindrops"
  • Giraldo
  • Grombacher
4:27
8."Invincible" (theme from The Legend of Billie Jean)
4:28
9."The Art of Letting Go"
3:58

Personnel

Band members

Additional musicians

Technical

  • Neil Giraldo – production (tracks 1–7, 9)
  • Joe Chiccarelli – associate production, engineering (tracks 1–7, 9); mixing (tracks 4, 5, 9)
  • Mike Chapman – production (track 8)
  • William Wittman – engineering, mixing (track 8)
  • Dave Hernandez, Daren Klein, George Tutko – additional engineering
  • Scott Church, Robert Corti, Marc DeSisto, Paul Ericksen, Steve Himelfarb, Gary Hollis, Richard McKernan, Charlie Paakkari, Brian Scheuble, Samii Taylor – engineering assistance
  • Scotty Bem, Jeff Chonis – production coordination
  • Michael Frondelli – mixing (tracks 1–3, 6, 7)
  • George Marino – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York City)

Artwork

  • Moshe Brakha – photography
  • Larry Vigon – art direction, design

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Seven the Hard Way
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[19] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[20] Gold 7,500^
United States (RIAA)[5] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Pat Benatar – Seven the Hard Way". AllMusic. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  2. ↑ Holmes, Tim (January 16, 1986). "Album Reviews: Pat Benatar – Seven the Hard Way". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 30, 2007. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Pat Benatar Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Pat Benatar Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  5. 1 2 "American album certifications – Pat Benatar – Seven the Hard Way". Recording Industry Association of America. March 4, 1986. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  6. ↑ Grein, Paul (January 11, 1986). "Benatar's Music, Image in Transition". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 2. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  7. ↑ Ponti, Aimsel (April 21, 2012). "Review: Benatar rocks the State". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  8. ↑ Kent 1993, pp. 32–33.
  9. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0624". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  10. ↑ "European Hot 100 Albums". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 51/52. December 23, 1985. p. 31. OCLC 29800226.
  11. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Pat Benatar". Sisältää hitin – Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish) (2nd ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 28. ISBN 978-952-7460-01-6.
  12. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Pat Benatar – Seven the Hard Way" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  13. ↑ AA.VV. (April 25, 2006). Album Chart-Book Complete Edition 1970~2005. Tokyo: Oricon. ISBN 978-487-1-31077-2.
  14. ↑ "Charts.nz – Pat Benatar – Seven the Hard Way". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Pat Benatar – Seven the Hard Way". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  17. ↑ Kent 1993, p. 438.
  18. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1986". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Pat Benatar – Seven the Hard Way". Music Canada. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  20. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Pat Benatar – Seven the Hard Way". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 21, 2019.

Bibliography

  • Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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