Benny Mardones was an American rock singer known for his great success, Into the Night, written with Robert Tepper, where Benny (34 years old at the time) falls in love with a 16-year-old blonde schoolgirl.
Into the Night music video (1980) (screenshot)
Into The Night is the third track on the 1980 album ‘Never Run, Never Hide’, by Polydor Records. The success was immediate, skyrocketing to #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in that year.
‘Never Run, Never Hide’ album cover (1980)
In the music video, Benny goes to the girl’s house, but her father insists that he leave. After this, Benny calls her, goes to her house, they both exchange touches and finally, Benny takes her onto a flying carpet, where they kiss passionately, ending the video.
Into the Night music video (1980) (ending)
The video is simple in production, but it was enough material to disturb people and be censored for a long time. It was not so recently made available on YouTube. Below are the lyrics and the video can be found here.
She’s just sixteen years old
Leave her alone, they say…
Separated by fools
Who don’t know what love is yet…
But I want you to know…
If I could fly
I’d pick you up
I’d take you into the night
And show you a love
Like you’ve never seen—ever seen…
It’s like having a dream
Where nobody has a heart…
It’s like having it all
And watching it fall apart…
And I would wait till the end
Of time for you
And do it again, it’s true…
I can’t measure my love
There’s nothing to compare it to…
But I want you to know…
If I could fly
I’d pick you up
I’d take you into the night
And show you a love…
If I could fly
I’d pick you up
I’d take you into the night
And show you a love
Like you’ve never seen—ever seen…
If I could fly
I’d pick you up
I’d take you into the night
And show you a love…
If I could fly
I’d pick you up
I’d take you into the night…
Also, I strongly recommend watching the live version too. It’s one of Benny’s best performances, with a lot of passion and quality. The final part where he takes more freedom, looks like a wounded animal: a raging vocal, tremendous skills.
Benny has given some rare interviews about the origin of this song. In one of them, he sums up that he met the girl who inspired him in this song while living in Miami. I find it much more interesting to hear the story directly from Benny than to read my summary. However, for those with little time available, I give a brief summary below.:
During his time in Miami, this 16-year-old blonde schoolgirl lived with her family who had financial difficulties, in the same apartment block as Benny and co-writer Tepper.
The girl was known by both, due to mundane daily interactions. After a while she and Benny became friends.
On a certain day, the girl showed up at Benny’s apartment, in tears, explaining that her parents had suddenly split up. Benny comforted her and her brother, then offered her $50 a week to walk his dog every day before she went to school.
After another night with little sleep, Benny and Tepper were still struggling to make progress writing the song. Early in the morning, someone knocked on the apartment door; it was the girl, to talk with Benny. Tepper was mesmerized by the 16-year-old’s beauty in traditional school clothes: uniform, short skirt, knee socks, with hair done. Benny quickly tells him “She’s just 16 years old. Leave her alone…”. This phrase clicked with them, and fit perfectly with the harmony they developed up to that point.
With this small interaction is born one of the most iconic lines of rock. After that, the music flowed quickly and both managed to finish it in the next few hours.
After the tremendous success of the song, the girl became a celebrity, met a guy, and got married. The girl has always been grateful to Benny for how this song changed her life, always writing to him on Christmas. And Benny was always grateful for how this girl changed his life.
Benny had serious financial and health problems in his senior years, mostly due to drugs. He developed Parkinson’s and had many difficulties paying for the treatment, relying on friends and relatives to help.
Still, Benny at 71 years old gave a last performance of Into The Night in 2017 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in New York, where he said goodbye to the public. Benny amazed with the vocals (really, really awesome) and said thanks a lot to the audience, accompanied by a fevered response from his illustrious presence. Months later, Benny died from complications from Parkinson’s. Check out this link to his last live performance.
It’s one of my favorite songs. Hope you enjoy it.
This was a big top 40 hit at the time. Always remembered it a melodic middle finger to victorians.
Thanks for the story and r.i.p. benny.
Gary Puckett and the Union Gap had a hit song in 1968 with “Young Girl”, about a man who realizes that the woman who is interested in him is actually an underage girl, and he tells her to go home to her mother.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Girl_(song)
They also sang “This Girl is a Woman Now”, about a woman’s first sexual experience, but presumably they were referring to a young adult, not a teenager.
I have presented in Poets and Lovers many songs about young girls, in particular about love for a girl aged less than 16: https://agapeta.art/category/topic/music/
I have a list of such songs, it includes the one presented here. A long list of intergenerational love songs can be found on Newgon: https://www.newgon.net/wiki/Music
In a more sensationalist way, there is also https://www.ranker.com/list/creepy-rock-songs-about-young-girls/anncasano
Thanks to cobalt Blue for the article and to Christian for the lists of other songs. I remember hearing Into the Night, on radio, and I liked the music. I did not pay much attention to the lyrics until I read this article. Thanks for calling my attention to the lyrics.
On the lists of songs from Christian, I was surprised that the song “Does your Mother Know” by ABBA is not listed. It was very popular back int he day. “I can read in your face that your feelings are driving you wild. Ah, but girl, you’re only a child.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MJT42wEGqQ Cripple Creek is another classic. “The girls up Cripple Creek about half grown, jump on a boy like a dog on a bone.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1CzMgGs_Lk
“Does your Mother Know” by ABBA is covered in Poets and Lovers, in the second page of the above link.
Christian, thank you for the lists. I really enjoy your website.
The song Petite Fille du Soleil I’ve found really beautiful. Its one or rare occasions where I listen to something in French, so it’s quite different to my ear.
Moko, Does Your Mother Know is really fun to listen to. The mixture of dancy music with spicy lyrics is top notch.
I’m surprised that I didn’t knew the songs from Simon and Garfunkel, Depeche Mode and Bruce Springsteen. Well, thanks a lot!
I am reminded of the immortal classic “Christine Sixteen” by Kiss (covered by Gin Blossoms and, in a bluegrass style, by Hayseed Dixie). Another example of many songs of the era that celebrated (if that’s the right word) young girls blossoming into womanhood. The 1970s and early 80s were, as the saying goes, a very different time, the time of Star Magazine and the so-called “baby groupies” like Lori Maddox and Sable Starr. And Bebe Buell, the mother of Liv Tyler. Those of us who were around then will tell you it was a much more – and at the same time less – innocent time. Whether things are better or worse today I will leave up to others to consider.
Another great rock song that I’ve missed, somehow.
Indeed, by the lyrics, what amazes me is how the artists just made the song in a unapologetic way, without fear of backlash, and everything was fine.
Same with Don’t Stand So Close To Me, by The Police:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNIZofPB8ZM
The 80s were quite different…