Candi Staton is telling the heartbreaking story behind her hit disco basic, “Younger Hearts Run Free.”

In a PEOPLE unique clip of the PBS documentary Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution, the singer, 84, revealed that the monitor, launched in 1976, was impressed by a near-death expertise she had by the hands of a “harmful” ex-husband.

Staton recalled the ultimate night time of a stint in Las Vegas opening up for Ray Charles, during which she determined to take a seat within the viewers and watch the headliner’s set, angering her unnamed ex, whom she noticed in search of her however ignored.

“That is the night time when he went utterly nuts,” the “Nights on Broadway” singer mentioned within the movie clip.

“My suite was…method up on the Twentieth-something ground and he pushed me….was pushing me during the foyer to the elevator,” mentioned of the moments after her abuser discovered her.

Once they received to their room Staton remembered her then-husband saying, “I am gonna kill you tonight” and including, “I am going to let you know what I am gonna do, I am gonna throw you off the balcony.”

Staton then mentioned that the person picked her up in his arms and demonstrated how he was holding her over the banister of the lodge suite balcony.

She recalled considering, “This man goes to kill me tonight,” earlier than saving her personal life.

“I mentioned, ‘You understand, you are on this lodge and it is owned by the mafia….we’re in Las Vegas now,” Staton mentioned within the documentary.

“I mentioned, ‘you gotta get out of right here. You gotta stroll out of right here. How are you going to really feel with my physique splattered on the backside and my identify is on the marquee,” she continued, pointing along with her arms as she spoke.

“And I mentioned, ‘You will not make it out of Vegas,'” she went on, noting that her accomplice considered her level and “introduced me again in.”

However in line with Staton’s reminiscence, he wasn’t completed threatening her. When she was on her toes he mentioned, “I am going to let you know what I am gonna do, I am simply gonna shoot you.”

“I used to be so drained, I simply laid down on the mattress. I mentioned, ‘Okay, shoot me.’ I went to sleep,” she informed the cameras, including that he had a gun.

“He had the gun like this,” she mentioned pointing. “I mentioned, ‘Simply shoot me, I will not comprehend it…neglect it.'”

On the finish of the clip, she mentioned that have was the inspiration for “Younger Hearts Run Free.”

The tune begins with the lyrics, “What’s the sense in sharing this one and solely life/Ending up simply one other misplaced and lonely spouse.”

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Per a 2021 Dig article, the tune’s producer David Crawford wrote the tune for Stanton after she informed him she was struggling to get out of her abusive relationship whereas they had been having lunch collectively in Los Angeles.

It is unclear if she informed him about her night time of near-death experiences in Las Vegas on the time, however he reportedly informed her he was going to jot down her an empowerment anthem.

“I’m gonna write you a tune that’s gonna final perpetually,” he informed his pal per Dig.

The tune has since come to encourage teams of people that expertise discrimination, just like the LGBTQIA neighborhood.

Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution airs June 18 on PBS. PBS can be providing a particular early streaming to viewers on PBS.org and the PBS app starting June 1.

If you’re experiencing home violence, name the Nationwide Home Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is out there 24/7 in additional than 170 languages.