Seven the Hard Way

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For the progressive metal band, see Seven the Hardway.

Seven the Hard Way
Benasev.jpg
Cover photography by Moshe Brakha
Studio album by
Pat Benatar
ReleasedOctober 30, 1985
Recorded1985
StudioCapitol Studios, Cherokee Studios, Conway Recording Studios and Oasis Studios, Hollywood,
Soundcastle Studios, Los Angeles,
MCA Whitney Recording Studios, Glendale, California
GenreRock, hard rock
Length37:05
LabelChrysalis
ProducerNeil Giraldo, Joe Chiccarelli, Mike Chapman
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
AllMusic3/5 stars[1]
Rolling Stone(positive)[2]

Seven the Hard Way is American rock singer Pat Benatar's sixth studio album, and her seventh album overall, released on October 30, 1985. It debuted on the US Billboard 200 album chart the week of December 14 and peaked at No. 26,[3] producing the hits: "Invincible", "Sex as a Weapon", and "Le Bel Age".[4] The album was certified Gold in US.[5]

The Grammy nominated single "Invincible" was produced by Mike Chapman and recorded for the soundtrack of the Matthew Robbins' movie The Legend of Billie Jean, which, although doing poorly at the box office, became a cult classic to MTV fans in general. The song became a hit single and was included in the album, despite its musical style being quite different 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 the last Pat Benatar 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.

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

Track listing[]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sex as a Weapon"Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg4:15
2."Le Bel Age"Guy Marshall, Robert Tepper5:11
3."Walking in the Underground"Neil Giraldo, Myron Grombacher4:39
4."Big Life"Giraldo, Grombacher2:40
5."Red Vision"Giraldo, Grombacher3:50
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."7-Rooms of Gloom" (Four Tops cover)Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland3:33
7."Run Between the Raindrops"Giraldo, Grombacher4:27
8."Invincible" (Theme from The Legend of Billie Jean)Simon Climie, Holly Knight4:28
9."The Art of Letting Go"Philip Allen Brown, Richard Feldman, Grombacher4:02

Personnel[]

Band members[]

Additional musicians[]

Production[]

  • Joe Chiccarelli – associate producer, engineer, mixing
  • Mike Chapman – producer of "Invincible"
  • William Whittman – engineer and mixing on "Invincible"
  • Daren Klein, Dave Hernandez, George Tutko – engineers
  • Brian Scheuble, Charlie Paakkari, Gary Hollis, Mark DeSisto, Paul Ericksen, Richard McKernan, Robert Corti, Samii Taylor, Scott Church, Steve Himelfarb – assistant engineers
  • Mike Frondelli – mixing on tracks 4, 5, 9
  • George Marino – mastering at Sterling Sound, New York

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[19] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[20] Gold 7,500^
United States (RIAA)[21] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

External links[]

References[]

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Pat Benatar - Seven the Hard Way review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. 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. ^ "Pat Benatar Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  4. ^ "Pat Benatar Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  5. ^ "RIAA Searchable database: search for " Pat Benatar"". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  6. ^ Grein, Paul (January 11, 1986). "Benatar's Music, Image in Transition". Billboard. Vol. 96 no. 2. p. 48. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  7. ^ Ponti, Aimsel (April 21, 2012). "Review: Benatar rocks the State". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. pp. 32–33. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0624". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  10. ^ "European Hot 100 Albums" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2 no. 51/52. December 23, 1985. p. 31. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  11. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  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. ^ "Pat Benatar Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  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.
  21. ^ "American album certifications – Pat Benatar – Seven the Hard Way". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
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