This song was not about him wanting a 16 y.o., its about him living in an apartment building and the girl being abused, and him wanting to take her away from it. He has a video explaining it.

Benny said in an interview that he knew a family who lived in his building and the dad ran off and left them to fend for themselves. The young boy in the family went grocery shopping for Benny and Benny would let him keep the change. Benny would pay the 16 year old girl to walk his dog. One night Benny and his writing partner had stayed up all night working on this song. When the girl showed up at his door to walk the dog before school, the writing partner made a crack about the girl and Benny said she's just 16 leave her alone. The part about "separated by fools" and "where nobody has a heart" is about their dad leaving. Years later the daughter married a rich guy and her mom and family lived with her. 🎶🎵💚

I never thought this song was creepy. I was too blown away by the melody and those frickin vocals 💚🎶🎵

Benny got in a lot of trouble for this one. We didn’t think twice about it because we were all teenagers too!

I heard or read that Benny was demonsttating with his voice how he wanted a saxophonist to play a solo in the middle and during the outro of the song, but his vocals were so agonizingly powetful they used them instead. I also read and saw interviews that it was about a neighbor's daughter who had a bad family situation and the song was about her deserving better. Apparently she herself has been interviewed. I just always loved the emotional impact and THAT VOICE!

His last name is pronounced Mar-DOE-nes. RIP, Benny. P. S. as another reviewer mentioned, @ProfessorofRock interviewed Benny shortly before he passed away from Parkinson's. Highly recommend checking it out. Benny was truly a nice guy.

Watch the live version of this. This is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Back in those days, I wore of 3 of his cassettes!! So many other great songs.Back during his service in the Vietnam Nam war, he would sing to his fellow soldiers. They called him The Voice! Great song that will endure the test of time!! RIP,angel Benny.

Lyrics She's just 16 years old Leave her alone, they said Separated by fools Who don't know what love is yet But I want you to know If I could fly I'd pick you up I'd take you into the night And show you a love Like you've never seen, ever seen It's like having a dream Where nobody has a heart It's like having it all And watching it fall apart And I would wait 'til the end Of time for you And do it again, it's true I can't measure my love There's nothing to compare it to But I want you to know If I could fly I'd pick you up I'd take you into the night And show you a love Oh, if I could fly I'd pick you up I'd take you into the night And show you a love Like you've never seen, ever seen, yeah Oh Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh If I could fly I'd pick you up I'd take you into the night And show you a love Oh, if I could fly I'd pick you up And take you into the night Oh, oh (fly into the night) (Fly into the night) (Fly into the night) If I could fly I'd pick you up Oh, into the night I'd fly, oh I'd pick you up (fly into the night)

This was released in 1980,then released again in 1989 with same lyrics.There have been a couple of different reasonings for the lyrics,Mardones co wrote the song with Robert Tepper.

Every single girl l knew at high school would melt at this song. It’s only in this day and age that people are thinking it’s creepy. We were all in love with our friends’ older brothers!

Rip Benny, actually I thought the same thing about this song but was wrong. The Professor of rock interviewed Benny not long before he died from Parkinson's, great interview and a good story but that explains how it was written and what about

It's not that this type of music is about being infatuated with young girls, most of was written with teenagers in mind.most of it was written by teenagers. This song is about being in an abusive situation. love your show.keep it up!

Love this song, always have. Also the story of the song isn't what u think...read the comments below.

Into The Night - The Story Behind The Song

RIP BENNY MADONES 06/29/20😢#THE VOICE ❤

I’m older than dirt now. But way back I was asked out by guys that didn’t know I was 14. They ranged from 17 to 28. Thank God I met my soulmate both of us 21.

"If you do 16, you'd do 15". That's classic! True, it seemed to be a different time. As we evolve we understand more that a 16 year old is still just a child.

I remember this!

R Kelly referred to Allyia when she was 12, in one of his songs. Then married her 3 years later.

HEY!!! YOU MY FRIEND KNOW HOW TO REACT TO SONGS BY NEVER EVER STOPPING THE SONG AND LISTENING UNTIL THE END BEFORE COMMENTING!!! WATCHING YOUR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS DURING THE SONG IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT!!! I NEVER THOUGHT THE SONG WAS WEIRD GROWING UP...HE WASN'T INTO YOUNG GIRLS...THE 16 YO HE SINGS ABOUT WAS HIS NEIGHBOR...HER FATHER UP AND LEFT HER AND HER FAMILY. THIS WAS ALSO A ONE HIT WONDER...LOOK UP HIS STORY IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE...BUT I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALSO LISTEN TO THE LYRICS OF THE SONG B/C THAT IS IMPORTANT!!! HIS VOCALS ARE GREAT...GOOSEBUMPS ALL OVER EVERY TIME I HEAR IT W/O FAIL AND I HAVE HEARD THE SONG A 1000+ TIMES!!! RIP BENNY MARDONES...YOU ARE NOW FLYING!!!

He did a really good version of "Running scared" by Roy Orbison

BANGER 🔥🔥🔥 LOVE U n Ur reaction Brooo ❤❤❤💕

This song appealed to the right audience..16 and 17yr olds. After all they were the ones buying the records!! ❤

It’s pronounced Benny Mar done is saw him at a night club in St Martinville Louisiana when this song was a hit this night club had everyone who was anyone before they made it… fantastic performance he would reach up and age us crazy then he would make it as quite as a pin drop

It's about a family and abuse... He can sing!!!

Great reaction! Yes this is a beautiful song but the lyrics and especially this video creeped a lot of people out. It is actually about a girl that lived in his apartment building and her family was mistreated and abandoned by their father.

🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦 Really like to see your reaction to "Ry Cooder " Live studio Song is 🎵prodigal son 🎶 You're gonna adore this song too ,Keep the good work Biz ✌️ 👏 👍🏻

Another Fantastic and Amazing artist and song is ⏩ GINO VANNELLI - " I Just Wanna Stop ( 1978 ) " ⏪ live performance with great studio sound and to find this groovy video, include ( 1978 ) it's part of the title song. It is totally Groovin' just like this song by Benny Bardones 🎸🎹

The guy sang his face off. RIP

15 will get ya 20!

I totally get it, I was always conflicted with those lyrics. Loved the song. I'm not sure if some of it was directed at their audience of young people. Forbidden love, senerio??? Would 21 have worked as well? I don't know. I get what you're saying, it creeped me out too.

no it's not what it seems - there are info to back up the song

Salvation by the Cranberries

Mar Dun is is the pronunciation

In the not so old days people would get Married at 13 for the girl and 15 for the man and stayed married until death 5 children 11 grand children who says what is right

In many states 16 is the age of consent..

Don’t forget Romeo and Juliet were 14.

Also back then marriage was still the way to go.. those are marrying ages .. after 18-21 you are an old maid

Not sure if you want the shlyrics for this one. lol

Well it is one of the best love songs ever written and recorded . I don’t buy that Benny Merdonez explanation .There is a video to this song that Benny did where he actually knocks on a door and a bearded man who is the father shoos him off . He goes to the window where she is and she is breathtakingly young and beautiful . As song progresses he lifts her up on a magic carpet and they go flying off into the night and eventually they start passionately kissing . She looks every bit pre 18 but the information is that the girl who starred in the video is actually 22 . Fair enough and I am not accusing Benny of anything . Statutory laws are weird and differ in every state . A young guy past 18 and say a 16 year old hooking up does occur and older men do have their fantasies even if they don’t act on them but yeah 16 will get you 20 in most states . Still Into The Night is a great song !

nooooooooo - check out the facts

This was a panty-dropper back in the day. Not my style but it was ubiquitous at the time.

At least Benny didn’t urinate on her?

Has Benny been arrested yet?

Great reaction to a great song, thanks Biz 👍 As @deegomez2089 said, that reference wasn't to anything sinister.