‘The Warrior’ is a song by American rock band Scandal featuring Patty Smyth, from the album Warrior, written by Holly Knight and Nick Gilder. The song went to number seven in the United States and number one in Canada, as well as number one on the US Rock Top Tracks chart, and won a BMI Airplay Award in 1984. It was also a hit in Australia, where it peaked at number six, and in New Zealand and South Africa, peaking at number 11 in both countries. The music video for the song was directed by David Hahn.
This was written by Holly Knight along with Nick Gilder of ‘Hot Child in The City’ fame. With the battle/love theme, the song is similar to Pat Benatar's ‘Love Is a Battlefield,’ which Knight also wrote. She told Songfacts: "Rather than a love song or a fighting song, it was more empowerment. I never realized before I wrote that song how much the warrior spirit is inside of me, and it means a lot to me - which I'm writing about in my memoirs - to stand up for the things that you believe in and to follow through believing that those dreams can come true. Basically not taking s--t from people but still trying to have some class and be open-minded and listen. It's all part and parcel for me."
Holly Knight added, "I think that idea of being a warrior had been inside me for a long time. I grew up in a somewhat 'dysfunctional' family where there was a lot of drama and fighting. I was always more interested in fighting FOR something rather than fighting with someone, and without being cognizant of it, it was a constant theme in my psyche, and hence, my songs."
This was the biggest hit for Scandal, whose lead singer Patty Smyth had a #2 US hit in 1992 with ‘Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough,’ a duet with Don Henley. Smyth married tennis star John McEnroe in 1997.
The song had staying power - it appears in the video game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the '80s, and it was the theme song for the Wigan Warriors, a popular British rugby team. This is the theme song for the Netflix series GLOW, a fictional rendering of a real TV show about female professional wrestlers set in 1985. Patty Smyth told Spin that she didn't get notice that it was being used for the show because she didn't write the song - she heard about it through friends. Holly Knight explained why it's such a good fit: "That show was literally about fighting, but also fighting for identity. It is also about individuality, because all the girls had to take on an alter ego persona and dress a certain way, and they all picked people that to them were empowering."
Label – Columbia
Songwriters – Nick Gilder, Holly Knight
Producer – Mike Chapman
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]You run, run, runaway
It's your heart that you betray
Feeding on your hungry eyes
I bet you're not so civilized
Well isn't love primitive?
A wild gift that you wanna give
Break out of captivity
And follow me stereo jungle child
Love is the kill
Your heart's still wild
[Chorus]
Shooting at the walls of heartache
Bang, bang!
I am the warrior
Well, I am the warrior
And heart to heart you'll win
If you survive the warrior
The warrior
[Verse 2]
You talk, talk, talk to me
Your eyes touch me physically
Stay with me we'll take the night
As passion takes another bite
Who's the hunter, who's the game?
I feel the beat call your name
I hold you close in victory
I don't wanna tame your animal style
You won't be caged in the call of the wild
[Chorus]
Shooting at the walls of heartache
Bang, bang!
I am the warrior
Well, I am the warrior
And heart to heart you'll win
If you survive the warrior
The warrior
I am the warrior
[Bridge]
Shooting at the walls of heartache
(Shooting at the walls of heartache)
The warrior
I am the warrior
And heart to heart you'll win
Heart to heart you'll win
If you survive the warrior
The warrior
[Outro]
Shooting at the walls of heartache
Bang, bang!
I am the warrior
Yes, I am the warrior
And victory is mine
(Shooting at the walls of heartache)
The warrior
I am the warrior
Shooting at the walls of heartache
Bang, bang!
I am the warrior
Well, I am the warrior