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BENNY MARDONES
INTO THE NIGHT

Guitar 1: Clean Electric
Format
 

SV-TABS

Intensity
  

BEGINNER

About the Track

Co-written with Robert Tepper, the song was reportedly inspired by Mardones’ kindness toward a struggling neighbor family in Miami. A 16‑year‑old girl named “Heidi” walked his dog, leading Tepper to joke, “She's just 16, leave her alone,” which sparked the song's opening lyric 

Mardones described this as a pure, platonic interaction that later became musically romantic—but not intended as predatory

Chart Performance

In 1989, after being featured in a radio “Where Are They Now?” segment in Phoenix, the song was added to L.A.'s Pirate Radio and saw a resurgence, peaking again at No. 20 on the Hot 100 and spending 19 weeks on the Adult Contemporary chart 


It remains one of only about ten singles in history to break the Top 20 twic

Fun Fact

The original 1980 video showcases a romanticized narrative: a 30‑something Mardones serenading a teenage girl with him breaking into her home and flying off on a magic carpet, ending with a kiss 


The song's opening lyric—“She’s just sixteen years old”—has sparked debate around its appropriateness. Some radio stations initially hesitated to play it until Polydor’s explanation of the story behind the lyric was circulated 

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Artist Notes

When this song became a hit, Benny Mardones suddenly found himself with a great deal of money and fame, which he didn't handle very well. He developed a cocaine addiction and got in the habit of drinking a bottle of whiskey every night. He recorded the album Too Much To Lose the next year, but when it came time to tour and promote it, he was in Miami, wasted out of his mind. His momentum was stopped cold and his record company, Polydor, lost interest. He continued his descent until 1985, when his son Michael was born and he stopped using drugs. His best friend pulled him together and flew him to Syracuse, where Benny started a new life away from the temptations of Miami. The only white stuff he saw was snow - and plenty of it. Benny became a local celebrity, met various women who helped raise his son (Michael's mom was in worse shape than Benny), and was a big concert draw in the area for the next 10 years.
Patrick Jones - Course author
MEET THE INSTRUCTOR

STAYCE ROBERTS

Electric, Acoustic and 12-String Guitars
With over 40 years of dedication to the instrument, Stayce has taken his love of songwriting, guitar playing and producing that allows him to bring a fresh, professional style to his Online Instructional Videos, making him a top tier instructor in song and lesson tutorials.