Q: You’ve been singing those big vocal songs including “Heartbreaker” on this tour. You’ve also been playing (The Beatles’) “Helter Skelter.” Why that song?
Benatar: Because I want to have some (expletive) fun! We’re doing a lot of songs we don’t always play like “In the Heat of the Night” and “I Need a Lover.” We have what we call the “holy 14,” songs that if we don’t play them, you’ll give us (a hard time). And we’re not doing “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” and fans are having a heart attack and I’m like, I’m sorry, in deference to the victims of the families of these mass shootings, I’m not singing it. I tell them, if you want to hear the song, go home and listen to it. (The title) is tongue-in-cheek, but you have to draw the line. I can’t say those words out loud with a smile on my face, I just can’t. I’m not going to go on stage and soapbox – I go to my legislators – but that’s my small contribution to protesting. I’m not going to sing it. Tough.
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