DON T GET ME WRONG THE PRETENDERS FULL

The identity of the subject of Hynde’s love and devotion is never made clear, but pop doesn’t come much more perfect or evocative than this, with her achingly tender vocal and Honeyman-Scott’s tremendous soloing – a sublime hybrid of Duane Eddy and Roy Orbison – elevating the song to classic status.Ģ) “Back on the Chain Gang” ( Learning to Crawl, 1984) This is pure, basic, rootsy rock’n’roll at its best, with new guitarist Robbie McIntosh immediately putting his own mark on The Pretenders’ sound – and yes, that’s Hynde blowing up a storm on harmonica on the outro.Ĭoming hard on the heels of their debut single, a lovely cover of the Kinks’ “Stop Your Sobbing”, The Pretenders retained that record’s sixties vibe for follow-up hit “Kid”. There’s at least a handful of classics on the album, none more so than “Middle of the Road”, on which Hynde touches upon the trappings of fame and the passage of time while resolutely facing up to the demands of motherhood. The Pretenders’ third record and their first without Farndon and Honeyman-Scott was much better than anyone had a right to expect. The real mystery about this song may be what, exactly, is a Cuban Slide? However, four decades on, the track remains a stunning achievement.ĥ) “Middle of the Road” ( Learning to Crawl, 1984)

DON T GET ME WRONG THE PRETENDERS FULL

6) “Mystery Achievement” ( Pretenders, 1980)īringing the debut album to a barnstorming close is the mighty “Mystery Achievement”, a full-on, bass-driven rocker with trademark tremolo vocals from Hynde, powerhouse drumming from Chambers, and Honeyman-Scott demonstrating the full range of his virtuosity.

Don t get me wrong the pretenders