Well you're the real tough cookie with a long history
Of breaking little hearts like the one in me
That's okay, let's see how you do it
Put up you dukes, let's get down to it

Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away

You come on with it, come on
You don't fight fair
But that's okay, see if I care
Knock me down, it's all in vain
I get right back on my feet again

Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away

Well you're the real tough cookie with a long history
Of breaking little hearts like the one in me
Before I put another notch in my lipstick case
You better make sure you put me in my place

Hit me with your best shot
C'mon, hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away

Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away


Lyrics submitted by kaan

Hit Me With Your Best Shot Lyrics as written by Edward Schwartz

Lyrics © ROUND HILL CARLIN, LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Hit Me with Your Best Shot song meanings
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21 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    you're a real tough crookie

    ThePlaygroundMiracleon April 01, 2008   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    To me, the meaning is in the first verse. She seems to be talking to a man who is known as a heart-breaker. A guy that Perhaps even uses women and then leaves them. But Pat is saying that even though she knows this about him, she still wants to be with him. Then the third verse line of "Before I put another notch in my lipstick case" seems to be saying that she is really just like him and that's why she wants to be with him. Like saying "push me away like all the other girls, but unlike them i'll keep coming back.

    ThePoetRazelon February 04, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The only purpose this song serves is to make a great night out with the girls at a karaoke bar! In the best way she could, I feel as if she was hinting that she as gay in the fist line of the song. " Well your a real tough cookie " Don't know many men that would be refereed to by a woman as a real tough cookie. I think Pat was reliving her story of her first lesbian experience and how different it was from that of any male relationships she had in the past. The tough cookie, putting another notch in my lipstick case is almost emphasizing her femininity which in fact was the polor opposite of who she was on state and in her actual life, I feel by her emphasizing the lipstick was almost stating that she was the fem in this relationship and threatening her female companion that she was now comfortable with the whole lesbian experience and was more then willing to leave her first experience and go for another woman. By referring to this woman as a real tough cookie, the woman probably knew she was Pat's first woman experience and had that dominance over her head but after she seen that Pat was starting to come out of her shell, thus the " Before I put another notch in my lipstick case, you better make sure you put me in my place.

    Fishoutofwater81on November 29, 2011   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    Isn't it obvious??? The first time I ever heard this song, when I was about 19 or so, I knew what it meant. It's very direct. The part of "hit me with your best shot, Fire Away" so OBVIOUSLY refers to the fact that she wants the guy to have sex with her and to "fire away", meaning shooting semen into her. Come on! Some of these comments are ridiculous. And the "putting another notch in my lipstick case" is a clever way of telling the guy to "put another notch on his belt", which traditionally indicates what a guy does (figuratively) after a conquest of a hot babe, usually referring to a stud type of guy who likes to brag about it. With Benatar, it's reversed; the lipstick case refers to a feminine way of saying the same thing. Also, it's obvious that the lipstick case, being that it's shaped like a penis, is symbolism, and not so subliminal or subtle, either! It doesn't take an authority on Ingmar Bergman films to figure out the very obvious lyrics of THIS song. I'd like to add that Benatar sounds pretty damned hot singing it, especially with these lyrics!

    glen107972on May 08, 2019   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    My sister says Pat Benatar rules!!!!

    EnspyreMeon June 05, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love 'Invincible'.

    Caiton June 11, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think this song gets right to the point. you're a heartbreaker and you've broken my heart, but ya know what? come back and ty again because, thanks to you, i'm not stronger... :)

    iheartmusicon June 13, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The lyrics are a little cheesy, and when this song was first released I was in 7th grade and was somewhat confused as I'd only begun to hear about things like S&M. Obviously this song isn't about that at all. But forget the words and the meaning, and listen to that guitar. Neil ‘Spyder’ Giraldo, Pat's husband, is way underrated as a guitar player! Granted this solo is no Eddie Van Halen trick instrumental, but listen to how many different sounds he crams into a 30 second lead break. Plus he's a really nice guy and has been faithfully married over 20 years. They get a strong C for lyrical content, but an A for musicianship. Next time it's on the radio don't be so quick to turn the dial; it's less than 3 minutes of your time, and if you open your mind and ears you'll hear some really great guitar work!

    Sharp Cheddaron June 01, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I wanted to add that certainly Giraldo is such a formidable guitar player and arranger of course! You can hear that specially on those last albums(end of 80's and up to the 90's) where the airplay wasn't very generous with Benatar...a pity!

    Oxxoneon August 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love this song. This lyrics are a little off instead of "Put up your terms, let's get down to it" it's "Put up your dukes, let's get down to it". And it's "You come on with a come on, you don't fight fair" not "You come on with a compound, you don't fight fair" As for the meaning, I always took it as sarcastic. The singer is saying, Come on, hit me again because obviously I'm not good enough for you. Like mocking whoever is abusing her. It's such an awesome song.

    OAMMon May 27, 2007   Link

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