You’re driving late at night, the streetlights are blurring into long yellow streaks, and suddenly that smooth, yearning guitar riff kicks in. It’s unmistakable. But if you’ve ever found yourself asking who sings the song Into the Night, you aren’t alone. It’s one of those tracks that exists in a weird pop-culture limbo. Most people know every single word, yet they can't quite put a face to the name.
The voice belongs to Benny Mardones.
It’s a name that doesn’t carry the weight of a Springsteen or a Petty, but for a brief window in 1980—and then, bizarrely, again in 1989—Mardones was everywhere. "Into the Night" isn't just a soft-rock staple; it is a statistical anomaly in the history of the Billboard charts.
The Man with the Powerhouse Voice: Benny Mardones
Benny Mardones wasn’t a manufactured pop star. He was a soulful, gritty singer from Cleveland who grew up in Maryland, and he possessed a vocal range that could shatter glass. When he recorded "Into the Night" for his second album, Never Run, Never Hide, he was tapping into a very specific brand of 1980s blue-eyed soul.
The song was written by Mardones and Robert Tepper. If Tepper’s name sounds familiar, it’s probably because he later went on to record "No Easy Way Out" for the Rocky IV soundtrack. Together, they captured a mood that was equal parts desperate and romantic.
Mardones had a rough edge. He wasn't polished. When he sings the climax of the song, you can hear his voice almost breaking under the weight of the emotion. It’s that raw quality that helped the song climb to the Top 20 in 1980. But then, things got complicated. Mardones struggled with the sudden onslaught of fame and spiraling substance abuse issues. He stepped away from the limelight, and for most artists, that would have been the end of the story.
🔗 Read more: Love Island UK Who Is Still Together: The Reality of Romance After the Villa
The 1989 Miracle: Lightning Strikes Twice
Usually, once a song drops off the charts, it stays off. Forever.
But "Into the Night" is a ghost that refused to leave the machine. In 1989, a radio station in Arizona started playing the track again. Maybe it was nostalgia, or maybe it was just a slow news week in the desert, but the phone lines lit up. People wanted to know who sings Into the Night, thinking it was a brand-new release from a new artist.
The surge in popularity was so intense that Curb Records re-released the song. Benny Mardones actually went back into the studio to record a slightly updated version, though many fans still prefer the 1980 original for its unvarnished grit.
Against all odds, the song cracked the Billboard Hot 100 again. This made Mardones one of only a handful of artists to ever hit the Top 20 with the same song twice. It’s a feat he shares with legends like Chubby Checker and The Righteous Brothers. He became a "two-hit wonder" with only one song.
That Controversial Opening Line
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the sixteen-year-old in the room.
💡 You might also like: Gwendoline Butler Dead in a Row: Why This 1957 Mystery Still Packs a Punch
The song begins with the lyrics: "She's just sixteen years old / Leave her alone, they say." In 1980, this was seen as a standard "star-crossed lovers" trope, a narrative choice common in rock and roll since the 1950s. Think about the Beatles’ "I Saw Her Standing There" or "You’re Sixteen" by Ringo Starr. However, as cultural sensibilities shifted, the lyrics became a point of intense scrutiny.
Mardones was often asked about the inspiration. He consistently maintained that the song wasn't about a predatory relationship. According to Mardones, he was inspired by a young girl he saw in his neighborhood who had a difficult home life. He claimed the song was about wanting to protect someone and take them away from a bad situation, rather than something more illicit.
Does the explanation hold up? It depends on who you ask. For many, the soaring melody and Mardones' incredible vocal performance overshadow the lyrical "creep factor." For others, it’s a cringey relic of a different era. Regardless of how you feel about the lyrics, the song’s status as an adult contemporary powerhouse is undeniable.
Why We Still Care About Into the Night
Music is a time machine. When people search for who sings the song Into the Night, they aren't just looking for a name to win a trivia night. They are looking for a feeling.
The track represents a specific era of production—massive reverb, soaring choruses, and unabashed sentimentality. It’s the "yacht rock" that stayed out too late and got a little bit dirty.
📖 Related: Why ASAP Rocky F kin Problems Still Runs the Club Over a Decade Later
- Vocal Dynamics: Mardones moves from a whisper to a scream in a way that very few modern singers can replicate without heavy digital correction.
- The Bridge: The instrumental break and the buildup to the final chorus are masterclasses in 80s tension.
- The Mystery: Because Mardones didn't have a string of other massive hits, the song exists in a vacuum. It belongs to the listener more than the artist.
Mardones passed away in 2020 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He never reached those chart heights again, but he didn't really need to. He had already achieved immortality through four minutes of audio.
Other Songs Titled Into the Night
Just to keep things confusing, there are several other tracks with the same name. If you’re looking for a different vibe, you might be thinking of these:
- Santana (feat. Chad Kroeger): A Latin-rock infused track from 2007. It's much faster, features a lot of guitar noodling from Carlos, and has that distinct Nickelback-style vocal from Kroeger.
- The Weeknd: His song "In the Night" is often confused with "Into the Night." It's a high-energy, Michael Jackson-inspired pop track from 2015.
- Julee Cruise: If you’re a fan of Twin Peaks, you know her haunting, ethereal "Into the Night." It sounds nothing like Benny Mardones. It sounds like a dream you can't wake up from.
The Legacy of a One-Song Wonder
Benny Mardones may not be a household name like Michael Jackson or Prince, but he accomplished something nearly impossible. He created a piece of art that stayed relevant across decades without the help of a massive PR machine or a social media following.
If you’re trying to master this song at karaoke, good luck. You need a set of lungs made of leather and gold to hit those high notes at the end.
For those looking to dive deeper into this specific corner of music history, look for the 1980 version of the album Never Run, Never Hide. It’s a fascinating look at an artist who was right on the edge of superstardom but somehow stayed just outside the door.
Next Steps for the Curious Listener:
- Compare the Versions: Listen to the 1980 original and the 1989 re-recording back-to-back. Notice how the production slickness of the late 80s changes the emotional resonance of the vocals.
- Check out Robert Tepper: If you like the songwriting style, listen to Tepper's album No Easy Way Out. It carries that same high-stakes, cinematic energy.
- Explore "The Warrior": Mardones actually wrote "The Warrior" (made famous by Scandal), though he didn't record the hit version. It gives you a better sense of his songwriting range during that peak period.