You’ve heard that driving drumbeat. You’ve definitely heard the growling, defiant vocals that sound like they're ready to take on the entire world at once. It’s one of those songs that practically defines the neon-soaked grit of the mid-1980s. But strangely, if you ask a room full of people who sings i am the warrior, you’ll get a handful of different answers. Some people swear it’s Pat Benatar. Others might guess Bonnie Tyler or maybe even a young Tina Turner if they aren't listening closely.
They're all wrong.
The voice belongs to Patty Smyth, fronting her band Scandal.
Released in 1984, "The Warrior" became an inescapable anthem. It’s a track that feels like it belongs in the climax of a movie where the underdog finally stands up for themselves. It peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100, and honestly, it’s one of the few songs from that era that hasn't aged into a "guilty pleasure" category. It’s just a great rock song. But the story of how Patty Smyth became the face of this battle cry—and why people constantly misattribute the song—is a weirdly fascinating slice of music history.
The Powerhouse Behind the Mic: Patty Smyth and Scandal
Scandal wasn't a veteran band when they hit it big. They were a New York City group that basically became a vehicle for Smyth’s incredible pipes. Patty has this specific rasp. It’s not just loud; it’s textured. When she shouts "Shooting at the walls of heartache," you actually believe she’s got a quiver full of arrows ready to go.
By the time "The Warrior" dropped, the band was already fraying at the edges. Internal tensions were high. In fact, by the time the song was dominating MTV, the band was pretty much over. That’s a recurring theme in 80s rock: a massive hit acting as a beautiful, loud funeral song for a group of musicians who can’t stand being in the same room anymore.
Smyth was the star. Everyone knew it. Even Eddie Van Halen knew it. There’s a famous piece of rock lore—which Patty has confirmed in multiple interviews, including with Rolling Stone—that Eddie actually asked her to replace David Lee Roth in Van Halen. Just imagine that for a second. The history of rock would have looked completely different. She turned him down, though. She was pregnant at the time and didn't think she'd fit into the wild, high-octane Van Halen lifestyle. Instead, she stayed the course and eventually pivoted to a solo career that gave us that massive 1992 duet with Don Henley, "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough."
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Why Everyone Thinks Someone Else Sings I Am the Warrior
It’s the Pat Benatar effect.
Seriously, if you look at the YouTube comments on any upload of "The Warrior," half of them are people saying, "I went 30 years thinking this was Pat Benatar!" It makes sense. Both women had that powerful, classically trained yet rock-edged delivery. They both favored that punchy, dramatic production style that Mike Chapman (who produced Benatar) made famous.
But there’s a subtle difference. Benatar is a bit more operatic, more controlled. Smyth is raw. She’s got a bit more of a New York street sensibility in her delivery.
Another reason for the confusion is the songwriter. "The Warrior" wasn't actually written by the band. It was penned by Holly Knight and Nick Gilder. Holly Knight is basically the queen of 80s empowerment anthems. She wrote "Love Is a Battlefield" for Benatar and "The Best" for Tina Turner. Because Knight has such a distinct songwriting "thumbprint"—big choruses, metaphorical lyrics about combat or survival, and heavy synth-rock arrangements—it’s easy to see why listeners lump all those songs together under one singer's name.
The Music Video and the 80s Aesthetic
You can't talk about who sings i am the warrior without mentioning that fever dream of a music video. If you haven't seen it recently, go find it. It’s a masterpiece of 1980s theatrical excess.
It looks like a post-apocalyptic Broadway play. There are dancers in strange, tattered outfits performing what looks like interpretive combat dance. Patty Smyth is right in the middle of it, wearing face paint that looks like a warrior’s mask, belting out the lyrics while people leap over her. It was directed by David Mallet, the same guy who did Queen’s "I Want to Break Free" and David Bowie’s "Ashes to Ashes."
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The video cemented Smyth's image as a fierce, independent woman in a genre that was still very much a boys' club. She wasn't just a "singer"; she was the commander of the scene. The visual of her with that colorful streak across her eyes is as iconic to the 80s as Billy Idol’s sneer or Cyndi Lauper’s orange hair.
The Lasting Legacy of a Battle Cry
Why does this song still show up in Grand Theft Auto, GLOW, and countless commercials?
Because it’s a perfect "pump-up" track. The lyrics are vague enough to apply to anything—a breakup, a bad job, a literal fight—but specific enough to feel personal. "Victory is mine" is a hell of a thing to sing along to when you’re stuck in traffic.
Interestingly, Patty Smyth herself has had a bit of a complicated relationship with the song over the years. In various retrospectives, she's mentioned how she wasn't initially sure about the "Warrior" persona because it was so stylized. But she’s embraced it. It’s her legacy. It’s the song that ensures her voice will be played in arenas and bars for as long as people need a reason to feel tough.
It’s also worth noting the contribution of the band members who often get overshadowed by Patty’s star power. Zack Smith, the founder of Scandal, was a huge part of their early sound. But by the time they recorded the Warrior album, the lineup was shifting. The session musicians and the polish of the 80s studio system took over, creating that "wall of sound" that defined the record.
Beyond the Warrior: What Happened to Patty Smyth?
After the firestorm of "The Warrior," Smyth didn't just disappear, even though Scandal did. She released a solo album, Never Enough, in 1987. It was good, but it didn't have that one "lightning in a bottle" hit that could rival her previous success.
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Then came 1992. The Don Henley duet.
"Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" was a massive, massive hit. It showed a different side of her voice—softer, more melodic, more vulnerable. It proved she wasn't just a "warrior" with face paint; she was a world-class vocalist who could hold her own next to one of the Eagles.
She eventually married tennis legend John McEnroe in 1997. Since then, she’s been relatively quiet on the recording front, popping up for occasional tours and the occasional Scandal reunion. She seems content. And honestly, if you sang one of the most recognizable choruses in history, you'd probably feel pretty accomplished too.
Actionable Takeaways for Music Fans
If you're diving back into the world of 80s rock or just trying to win a trivia night, keep these points in mind:
- Verify the Artist: Always remember that Patty Smyth and Scandal are the ones behind "The Warrior," despite the frequent confusion with Pat Benatar.
- Explore Holly Knight’s Catalog: If you love the vibe of "The Warrior," look up other songs by Holly Knight. You’ll find a goldmine of tracks by Tina Turner, Heart, and Aerosmith that share that same DNA.
- Listen to the "Scandal" EP: Before the big Warrior album, the band released a self-titled EP in 1982. It’s a bit more "new wave" and features hits like "Goodbye to You," which is arguably just as good as their bigger hit.
- Don't Sleep on the Duets: If you only know the rocking side of Patty Smyth, go back and listen to her work with Don Henley. It’s a masterclass in vocal harmony.
Next time you hear that synth intro and those tribal drums, you can tell whoever is listening: "That's Patty Smyth. And no, she didn't join Van Halen, but she definitely could have."