The Pretenders are one of the best bands in the past 40 plus years. Chrissy Hynde is the best female lead singer in rock history. Her soulful, unique voice is what rock and roll is all about. Their hits include: "Middle Of The Road", " Talk Of The Town", Message Of Love", "Back On The Chain Gang". Their self titled debut is one of the best albums in rock history, and does not have a bad track: 1. " Precious 2. "The Phone Call 3. " Up The Neck 4. "Tattooed Love Boys" 5. "The Wait 6. " Stop Your Sobbing " 7. "Kid" 8. "Private Life" 9. "Brass In Pocket" 10. "Lovers Of Today" 11. "Mystery Achievement" A stunning classic.
I love Chrissy Hynde but to say "best female lead singer in rock history". Not sure how you can say that with so many great ones. Janis and Stevie Nicks come to mind.
A rock song addressing the perils of urban blight/bad planning/bad government...who says rock can't address serious issues? A bit of nostalgia mixed in too. The bass line is insane, great guitars. I love Chrissie Hynde singing too
I always wanted to grow up to be Chrissie Hynde, especially after seeing her in concert. The way she plays her guitar and not to mention her awesome voice 🤟LOVE The Pretenders🥰✌
Chrissy Hynde is one of my favorite female vocalists of all time . Totally unique voice . When you hear her you know it's her . If you watched the show Friends she played the singer who was hired to replace phoebe at the coffee shop in one episode. Most recently she sang with Paul McCartney at the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert in London
Yes indeed! My favorite song from The Pretenders. That Bass Line will really grow on you. It's reportedly based on a real life experience Chrissie had when returning to Akron and found her family had moved and didn't bother to tell her - so she ' stood on the backporch stunned and amazed ' , so it's not just about urban blight and malls killing downtown businesses (which was common in the '70s), but personal pain from "Progress".
This song grooves so hard. I watched this video while working out on the treadmill today, and by the end of the first bar of that bass intro, I had already changed my pace to match the groove. So freaking catchy.
I always dug the Pretenders. Rock with bit of jazzy, bluesy soul, a bit of punk and a lot of cool. Since Lex wasn't sure of the singer's sex, I guess you guys must have heard this before Brass in Pocket.
They are from Akron Ohio, And that city was hit pretty bad in the late seventies in early eighties, Along with the rest of the American rush belt the deterioration
This is one of those songs that checks all the boxes-- swaggering rock with a killer bass, lyrics that are meaningful but also fun, and a knockout "boba tea" vocal. Love this song.
Chrissy is a hottie! lol Awesome voice, and tough lady as well that hung with the guys. She's like Joan Jett, Wendy O (punk rock band Plasmatics), Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs!), Debbie Harry (Blondie), etc. She plays guitars and harmonica as well. They were a cool band. The Pretenders were a great late '70s, '80s and early '90s new wave, post-punk, dance-punk, alternative rock band. Many cool videos/songs from them. Check out more of their stuff! Yall have done 4 songs from them so far: "Middle of the Road" (on an '80s alternative stream awhile back), "Back on The Chain Gang" ('80s) . "I'll Stand by You" ('90s), and "Brass in Pocket" (late '70s), and this song (early '80s). Next videos to check out from them, "Tattooed Love Boys" (very punky), "Talk of the Town" (very post-punk/new wave), "Kids" (very post-punk/new wave), "Message of Love " (very new wave/post-punk), "Don't get me Wrong", "Precious" (very punky/new wave) , "Space Invader" (very post-punk, new wave), "Bad Boys get Spanked" (very punky/new wave), and many more! Yall need to check out 2000s band, Yeah Yeah Yeahs as well. Karen O (awesome voice like Chrissy) is their singer. Modern new waveish, post-punk, garage rock band. Many good songs from them. The Pretenders/Chrissy Hynde is one of their bigger influences. '90s/'00s bands No Doubt (Gwen Stefani), Elastica, The Breeders, Throwing Muses, L7, Garbage, PJ Harvey, etc were also influenced by The Pretenders. Lot of alt rock bands from the '90s and '00s were influenced by The Pretenders. BTW, this song here has some blues and rockabilly mood to it mixed in with post-punk (usually has strong good bass guitars) /alternative. A little new wave. Yes, classic rock (it's from the late '70s/early'80s lol) . They were a very versatile band. Would definitely be played at bars and some night clubs.
Yeah, they keep listening to the wrong songs. "Tattooed Love Boys", "Message of Love", "Bad Boys Get Spanked" "Mystery Achievement",... would be better choices.
If you’re stockpiling songs for the holiday season, The Pretenders have a great song called “2000 Miles” that is one a lot of people think is a Christmas song but it really is not. The live version of it floating around UA-cam is a great watch and listen.
If you are keeping with bands originating in Akron Ohio you've covered on your Channel Devo, Christie Hines from The Pretenders so now it's high time you play The Black Keys
You want rock-ie? Check out the Pretenders doing "Tattooed Love Boys" you will see Chrissie Hynder at her ultimate street punk biker girl - ----- this record you reviewed is more settled down in life.
I have to admit, after seeing her live, playing the guitar 20 feet from me at the Fox theatre in Bakersfield CA, I was amazed. She has a presence few have.
This was a come back after her bassist and guitarist both overdosed within months of each other. It was devastated by fans. They are in the Brass in Pocket vid.
I am from NE Ohio. When Chrissie Hynde grew up, the were lots of farms and small towns between Cleveland and Akron. Then urban sprawl happened. That's what the song is about.
Mellow Pretenders here, take another visit to the first album and try 'Tattooed Love Boys' (Based on an incident that actually happened to Chrissie) 'Precious' 'The wait' which you will need a lyric sheet for lol.
When you are trying to describe her voice, the word you are looking for is swagger. Chrissie Hynde exuded such heavy rock n roll swagger. It's like her voice is strutting.
From my hometown. She came back to play a show. She asked me for directions and having recognized her, I led her where she wanted to go. Reason being, it was different from when she left. Roads, buildings and such. Confused her. Months later this song came out. It was surreal to me to be part of that history. The song spurned a feud with the mayor. They later buried the hatchet.
Wow. that's a great story about Akron. Now the innerbelt is being torn up and Rolling Acres mall is now an Amazon warehouse. Chapel Hill is dead. Downtown is coming back somewhat.
Chrissie Hyndes... My first rock and roll girl crush in the eighties... Wicked eyes, played a dirty telecaster guitar and harmonica... she was so cool... Great reaction.
Chrissy was way ahead of the curve on this one, writing about suburban sprawl and urban decay even before many urban planners understood it. And she managed to do so without the slightest bit of nerdyness. I grew up east of Cleveland, bicycling the many country roads outside of town as a teen, and now I work in urban transportation planning, so this song has particular resonance for me.
@@chuckhunter77 Not a real fan of bike lanes. In most cases they prevent me from using time-tested defensive cyclist strategies. Besides, I live in Florida.
This is Rock! Not too soft, not too heavy, not crazy beats and syncapations...just a groovy rock beat. This is the type of music you can listen to at work, or in the car, or on the beach, or in the bar, or at the pool or ball game, or tending the BBQ in the backyard, or even just chilling in the garage or at computer desk...it fits everywhere and all the times. Love me some good ol Pretenders.
Chrissy Hynde grew up near Cleveland, Ohio, once a thriving industrial city on Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River, with Ford and Chevrolet assembly plants, steel mills, etc.. In the mid 70's when a confluence of world events, like the oil embargoes and the Chinese and Japanese undercutting American labor with cheap steel and automobiles, respectively, closed many of the manufacturing plants in Detroit, Cleveland, and Chicago, turning those cities int wastelands, a "rust belt" of America.. This is her ode to Cleveland, saying way to throw in the towel...My city was/is gone.
She grew up in Akron, made it in the London music scene, and returned home for a visit and found her family had moved and didn't bother to tell her. She "stood on the backporch stunned and amazed", quite literally. Not just urban blight, malls displacing downtowns and the best farmland in the world torn up for subdivisions and industrial parks, but a real sense of abandonment.
This is an authentic telling of her return home to Akron Ohio her hometown the song is about Akron Ohio and not Cleveland although the very same blight is evidence in both cities; I know first hand I live on the outskirts of Cleveland
When she sings from Seneca to Cuyahoga Falls it confused me because the city of Seneca and the City of Cuyahoga Falls are so far away from each other and has nothing to do with downtown Akron until I realize she was talking about Seneca Road to the Cuyahoga Falls River which makes more sense the Cuyahoga Falls River Runs past the city of Akron
Chrissy came from Ohio but went to England in the 70s to be a part of the burgeoning punk scene, eventually The Pretenders emerged and grew from her explorations. She was married for a time to Jim Kerr, lead singer of Scottish band Simple Minds
I bought this vinyl album in the 80s soon after it was released. I had been a huge fan of the Pretenders since the late 70s when I was in college. In terms of musical genres, the Pretenders was most often labeled “new wave.” These were bands with punk roots that were more melodic or quirky or jangly folky or synth based with power pop influences in the late 70s and 80s. Other examples of new wave bands include Blondie, Talking Heads, Devo, the Ramones, the Police, Flock of Seagulls, B-52s, the Knack, Modern English, etc. In the 80s, many new wave bands also became part of the “new romantic” scene - such as Duran Duran, ABC, Spandau Ballet, etc.
Sadly, I think of the late, great radio personality, Rush Limbaugh, and his opening theme music when i hear this song. i believe it was his from day one, August, 1988 until his death last year. R I P, Rush.
agree with Rush or not, he shook up MSM for the first time. He paid Chrissie a royalty yearly to use this music, and while she's not conservative at all, she said sure, her parents were big Rush fans
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD with video please. You can see the band burn down a venue with their energy and Chrissie Hynde reclaiming her gang after a few tragic and emotional distressing years. Fierce vocals backed by the full tilt of the Pretenders. Enjoy.
What a swinging rhythm section/bassline, right? And the lyrics are sung well and meaningful. Fantastic song. You guys need to react to Concrete Blonde. Preferably The Vampire Song but they got plenty of bangers.
True story. Was at a dance club. Was good friends with the DJ. Known him years. One night I suggested this song. He was mega sceptical. But he played it. The dance floor was packed. Told me he was gonna add it to the rotation.
They say, and have been saying for more than a century, that you can never go home again. Period... YOU CAN NEVER GO HOME AGAIN. Another good song about a city changing it's face from one's childhood is THRICE ALL AMERICAN by Neko Case. It's specifically about Tacoma, Washington (where I resided for quite a while and a great place to live, actually; right outside of Seattle) but the bittersweetness of the tune could be applied to any medium/large American city of industry.
Chrissie Hynde, top drawer, great voice, great stage presence and great song writer, love that girl. Saw her a few years back and she was brilliant, still rocking
I love this song very much. It really hits home with me, because I moved a lot as a kid, so when I go back to one of the cities (or towns) I lived it, so much has changed, and usually not in a good way.
Can’t help but think of Rush Limbaugh. He used this song forever to open his radio show. He explained that although Chrissie had different politics then him that she give him permission to use it because when her father was alive he always listened to Rush and he made him happy. Shows how music can bring folks together no matter their differences.
Rush made several offers to her but she didn't feel like she could take money from him. Yet she couldn't follow the admonitions of her friends and take away his rights to use it as his intro because her father was a fan. So the compromise was that he (Rush,) make a large contribution to PETA, which of course Rush accepted.
Pretenders were considered New Wave at the time of their peak in the early 80s because of its progressive nature, but they incorporated a lot of old styles, particularly rockabilly and blues.
You always cover the hits. Try branching out a little. They have a lot of awesome music, like Tattooed Love Boys or their cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Room Full Of Mirrors”.
the Pretenders are essentially a ROCKABILLY BAND, that was so freakin good they went mainstream. listen to their first charted song , "THUMBALINA"- and you will see exactly where they are coming from. And still are. It is a gem of a song anyway. one of the best bands of the era, hands down. you can tell they don't know what rockabilly is....ha
HER voice is Sexy!! The best way to describe it! Glad you are not reacting to a video, just kick back and listen. This is a great band!! Sort of laid back post-punk on this song and album
Chrissie Hynde was Johnny Rotten's gf during the hey day of the Sex Pistols, even tried to teach him guitar. Imo this is The Pretenders' best song & Chrissie Hynde will always be cool af.
Such a perfect blues song. It's always been one of my top ten favorites. Pretenders were part of the New Wave of the 80s. The were initially part of the UK Punk scene in the late 70s and then debuted with the pop "Brass in Pocket" which I loved as a 7th grader (hah!) but their actual sound from the rest of their debut album is way more punk. They went more mainstream rock in the mid 80s with Learning to Crawl, but My City was Gone is unique and timeless.
*Another Great one by them...and yes, Chrissie Hynde is awesome and she does Rock!* ♥ ...and Lex...I got one to go with your shirt, try: Drown by The Smashing Pumpkins (1992).*
The Pretenders are one of the best bands in the past 40 plus years.
Chrissy Hynde is the best female lead singer in rock history. Her soulful, unique voice is what rock and roll is all about.
Their hits include:
"Middle Of The Road", " Talk Of The Town", Message Of Love", "Back On The Chain Gang".
Their self titled debut is one of the best albums in rock history, and does not have a bad track:
1. " Precious
2. "The Phone Call
3. " Up The Neck
4. "Tattooed Love Boys"
5. "The Wait
6. " Stop Your Sobbing "
7. "Kid"
8. "Private Life"
9. "Brass In Pocket"
10. "Lovers Of Today"
11. "Mystery Achievement"
A stunning classic.
Time the Avenger
I love Chrissy Hynde but to say "best female lead singer in rock history". Not sure how you can say that with so many great ones. Janis and Stevie Nicks come to mind.
@@Spo-Dee-O-Dee Pat Benatar?
@@Spo-Dee-O-Dee LOL
There is cool then there is Chrissy Hynde. 🙏💙❤
A rock song addressing the perils of urban blight/bad planning/bad government...who says rock can't address serious issues?
A bit of nostalgia mixed in too. The bass line is insane, great guitars. I love Chrissie Hynde singing too
so was the bassist
Urban blight or urban sprawl?
@@chrisa4695 both do work
No one
de-indistrialization, when the company closed shop. You had to be there.
I always wanted to grow up to be Chrissie Hynde, especially after seeing her in concert. The way she plays her guitar and not to mention her awesome voice 🤟LOVE The Pretenders🥰✌
And the harmonica.
What’s stopping you?
@@NMBlancoHombre She spelled it right
@@richardsmith5477 ,LOL!!!!🤣✌TIME!!!
@@NMBlancoHombre ,yes indeed and Thank you for that, l appreciate it 👍
Chrissy Hynde is one of my favorite female vocalists of all time . Totally unique voice . When you hear her you know it's her . If you watched the show Friends she played the singer who was hired to replace phoebe at the coffee shop in one episode. Most recently she sang with Paul McCartney at the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert in London
Yes indeed! My favorite song from The Pretenders. That Bass Line will really grow on you. It's reportedly based on a real life experience Chrissie had when returning to Akron and found her family had moved and didn't bother to tell her - so she ' stood on the backporch stunned and amazed ' , so it's not just about urban blight and malls killing downtown businesses (which was common in the '70s), but personal pain from "Progress".
This song grooves so hard. I watched this video while working out on the treadmill today, and by the end of the first bar of that bass intro, I had already changed my pace to match the groove. So freaking catchy.
I used to work out on a cross country ski machine to this entire album on vinyl. Side 1, then a quick break, then Side 2. Perfect workout album.
That great bass line was played by none other than Tony Butler of Big Country. I think he was offered to join the Pretenders at one point.
I always dug the Pretenders. Rock with bit of jazzy, bluesy soul, a bit of punk and a lot of cool.
Since Lex wasn't sure of the singer's sex, I guess you guys must have heard this before Brass in Pocket.
I don’t get that. She doesn’t sound like a man to me.
Chrissy is all rock and roll. Thanks for more Pretenders. Maybe try “middle of the Road”.
ua-cam.com/video/2P65eyk_oqc/v-deo.html&ab_channel=Brad%26Lex
Or check out Tattooed Love Boys.
@@tom222boy I was going to suggest that one but could not remember the title. Thanks
Don't recall myself, but someone suggested they've done "middle of the road" already. Great song though.
@@mkmstillstackin thanks.
I think her vocals echo the sort of hiccups that Rockabilly singers and Buddy Holly would do, but in a sultry punk girl way.
They are from Akron Ohio, And that city was hit pretty bad in the late seventies in early eighties, Along with the rest of the American rush belt the deterioration
This was the bumper music for the late Rush Limbaugh.
This is one of those songs that checks all the boxes-- swaggering rock with a killer bass, lyrics that are meaningful but also fun, and a knockout "boba tea" vocal. Love this song.
Chrissy is a hottie! lol Awesome voice, and tough lady as well that hung with the guys. She's like Joan Jett, Wendy O (punk rock band Plasmatics), Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs!), Debbie Harry (Blondie), etc. She plays guitars and harmonica as well. They were a cool band.
The Pretenders were a great late '70s, '80s and early '90s new wave, post-punk, dance-punk, alternative rock band. Many cool videos/songs from them. Check out more of their stuff! Yall have done 4 songs from them so far: "Middle of the Road" (on an '80s alternative stream awhile back), "Back on The Chain Gang" ('80s) . "I'll Stand by You" ('90s), and "Brass in Pocket" (late '70s), and this song (early '80s). Next videos to check out from them, "Tattooed Love Boys" (very punky), "Talk of the Town" (very post-punk/new wave), "Kids" (very post-punk/new wave), "Message of Love " (very new wave/post-punk), "Don't get me Wrong", "Precious" (very punky/new wave) , "Space Invader" (very post-punk, new wave), "Bad Boys get Spanked" (very punky/new wave), and many more!
Yall need to check out 2000s band, Yeah Yeah Yeahs as well. Karen O (awesome voice like Chrissy) is their singer. Modern new waveish, post-punk, garage rock band. Many good songs from them. The Pretenders/Chrissy Hynde is one of their bigger influences. '90s/'00s bands No Doubt (Gwen Stefani), Elastica, The Breeders, Throwing Muses, L7, Garbage, PJ Harvey, etc were also influenced by The Pretenders. Lot of alt rock bands from the '90s and '00s were influenced by The Pretenders.
BTW, this song here has some blues and rockabilly mood to it mixed in with post-punk (usually has strong good bass guitars) /alternative. A little new wave. Yes, classic rock (it's from the late '70s/early'80s lol) . They were a very versatile band. Would definitely be played at bars and some night clubs.
Yeah, they keep listening to the wrong songs.
"Tattooed Love Boys", "Message of Love", "Bad Boys Get Spanked" "Mystery Achievement",... would be better choices.
Were? They are still together.
My FAVORITE PRETENDERS SONG...THAT BASS..THAT BASS LINE IS CRAZY😵💫😵💫😵💫
That bass line is the work of Tony Butler of the Big Country.
Edit:. In a Big Country.
One of the most recognizable basslines there ever was!
If you’re stockpiling songs for the holiday season, The Pretenders have a great song called “2000 Miles” that is one a lot of people think is a Christmas song but it really is not. The live version of it floating around UA-cam is a great watch and listen.
40 years later this song still gets my juices flowing, which it has absolutely no evolutionary right to do
Other bangers by them: "Tattoo Love Boys", "Cuban Slide" "Mystery Achievement"
"....and muzak filled the air from Seneca to Cuyahoga Falls .... " way to go, Ohio"
If you are keeping with bands originating in Akron Ohio you've covered on your Channel Devo, Christie Hines from The Pretenders so now it's high time you play The Black Keys
You want rock-ie? Check out the Pretenders doing "Tattooed Love Boys" you will see Chrissie Hynder at her ultimate street punk biker girl - ----- this record you reviewed is more settled down in life.
Yes that’s the one to do. I couldn’t think of the title
You will absolutely love "Mystery Achievement" by The Pretenders.
I have to admit, after seeing her live, playing the guitar 20 feet from me at the Fox theatre in Bakersfield CA, I was amazed. She has a presence few have.
Wife here..This Bass is always a "Banger".!!!.Christy Hynde an AMAZING singer..I remember my Dad having a Big "Celebrity Crush" on her..☺
Great Telecaster sound in this one. Chrissy has that sexy sultry undertone
Saw the Pretenders in 1987. Iggy Pop opened. Check out Iggy Pop!!!
The Pretenders are a British band, but lead singer Chrissy Hynde is from Ohio. That can put this song in a more specific context.
The Pretenders have punk roots.
This was a come back after her bassist and guitarist both overdosed within months of each other. It was devastated by fans. They are in the Brass in Pocket vid.
The opening riff was used as theme music for Rush Limbaugh for years and years.....
I played this on a jukebox at Pizza Hut in the eighties. Not an interesting story but this is what I think about every time I hear this.
I am from NE Ohio. When Chrissie Hynde grew up, the were lots of farms and small towns between Cleveland and Akron. Then urban sprawl happened. That's what the song is about.
I saw the pretenders in nyc January 1982 ...
Love this album. Had everything you could want.
🙌🏻❤️
Mellow Pretenders here, take another visit to the first album and try 'Tattooed Love Boys' (Based on an incident that actually happened to Chrissie) 'Precious' 'The wait' which you will need a lyric sheet for lol.
Time the Avenger...probably my fave Pretenders song
I love that one. Fun fact: I am pretty sure that it was influenced by an oldie but goody 60’s song called “Time Won’t Let Me” by The Outsiders.
Chrissie Hynde said when she was a teenager, all of her friends wanted to sleep with Jimi Hendrix. But she wanted to *be* Jimi Hendrix.
When you are trying to describe her voice, the word you are looking for is swagger. Chrissie Hynde exuded such heavy rock n roll swagger. It's like her voice is strutting.
From my hometown. She came back to play a show. She asked me for directions and having recognized her, I led her where she wanted to go. Reason being, it was different from when she left. Roads, buildings and such. Confused her. Months later this song came out. It was surreal to me to be part of that history. The song spurned a feud with the mayor. They later buried the hatchet.
Wow. that's a great story about Akron. Now the innerbelt is being torn up and Rolling Acres mall is now an Amazon warehouse. Chapel Hill is dead. Downtown is coming back somewhat.
Pretenders are "Alternative Rock". Used to listen to them on 97X WOXY in Oxford (Also Ohio, also gone) back in the 90s
Her name is Chrissie Hynde....she's the lead singer. She has a very unique voice.
*** I think they call that genre of music Indie Rock.
Chrissie Hyndes... My first rock and roll girl crush in the eighties... Wicked eyes, played a dirty telecaster guitar and harmonica... she was so cool... Great reaction.
Chrissie Hynde is a total legend!!! Try Precious (banger)or Talk of the Town next...this band has so many great song...Cuban Slide is awesome too
Chrissy was way ahead of the curve on this one, writing about suburban sprawl and urban decay even before many urban planners understood it. And she managed to do so without the slightest bit of nerdyness. I grew up east of Cleveland, bicycling the many country roads outside of town as a teen, and now I work in urban transportation planning, so this song has particular resonance for me.
Bro, you got a friend here in Medina County who can hook us up with some bike lanes?
@@chuckhunter77 Not a real fan of bike lanes. In most cases they prevent me from using time-tested defensive cyclist strategies. Besides, I live in Florida.
I grew up on them. And I can tell you that this song is about a city right here in my state of Ohio.
In college at that time and just before. So many of the girls idolized Chrissy Hynde.
Chrissie Hynde is from my hometown Akron, OH so this really hits home for me.
Sick, sick bassline...drips like honey.🎸🎸🎸
This is Rock! Not too soft, not too heavy, not crazy beats and syncapations...just a groovy rock beat. This is the type of music you can listen to at work, or in the car, or on the beach, or in the bar, or at the pool or ball game, or tending the BBQ in the backyard, or even just chilling in the garage or at computer desk...it fits everywhere and all the times. Love me some good ol Pretenders.
Another great song by the Pretenders is 'Don't Get Me Wrong.'
Chrissy Hynde grew up near Cleveland, Ohio, once a thriving industrial city on Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River, with Ford and Chevrolet assembly plants, steel mills, etc.. In the mid 70's when a confluence of world events, like the oil embargoes and the Chinese and Japanese undercutting American labor with cheap steel and automobiles, respectively, closed many of the manufacturing plants in Detroit, Cleveland, and Chicago, turning those cities int wastelands, a "rust belt" of America.. This is her ode to Cleveland, saying way to throw in the towel...My city was/is gone.
She also literally left. She moved to the UK where she started her music career, and when she came back so much had changed.
She grew up in Akron, made it in the London music scene, and returned home for a visit and found her family had moved and didn't bother to tell her. She "stood on the backporch stunned and amazed", quite literally. Not just urban blight, malls displacing downtowns and the best farmland in the world torn up for subdivisions and industrial parks, but a real sense of abandonment.
This is an authentic telling of her return home to Akron Ohio her hometown the song is about Akron Ohio and not Cleveland although the very same blight is evidence in both cities; I know first hand I live on the outskirts of Cleveland
When she sings from Seneca to Cuyahoga Falls it confused me because the city of Seneca and the City of Cuyahoga Falls are so far away from each other and has nothing to do with downtown Akron until I realize she was talking about Seneca Road to the Cuyahoga Falls River which makes more sense the Cuyahoga Falls River Runs past the city of Akron
@TJ Hunger because she is also singing about all of Ohio. It was all changed not just her home town
I lived in the place she is singing about.
I saw her and the band when she returned from England.
A long time ago???
This straddles classic and alternative, but classic is a good description. The guitar vamps are fairly bluesy.
Agreed, bluesy for sure!
"Don't Get Me Wrong" - Pretenders
I feel like all of my favorite artists have their own unique sound and you always know when they start exactly who they are.....
Another cool Pretenders song to check out is "Mystery Achievement".
His voice, right on, LMAO!
This happened to a lot of rust belt towns after industry left in the early 80's..
Chrissy came from Ohio but went to England in the 70s to be a part of the burgeoning punk scene, eventually The Pretenders emerged and grew from her explorations. She was married for a time to Jim Kerr, lead singer of Scottish band Simple Minds
I bought this vinyl album in the 80s soon after it was released. I had been a huge fan of the Pretenders since the late 70s when I was in college. In terms of musical genres, the Pretenders was most often labeled “new wave.” These were bands with punk roots that were more melodic or quirky or jangly folky or synth based with power pop influences in the late 70s and 80s. Other examples of new wave bands include Blondie, Talking Heads, Devo, the Ramones, the Police, Flock of Seagulls, B-52s, the Knack, Modern English, etc. In the 80s, many new wave bands also became part of the “new romantic” scene - such as Duran Duran, ABC, Spandau Ballet, etc.
Sadly, I think of the late, great radio personality, Rush Limbaugh, and his opening theme music when i hear this song. i believe it was his from day one, August, 1988 until his death last year. R I P, Rush.
No.
Absolutely not.
agree with Rush or not, he shook up MSM for the first time. He paid Chrissie a royalty yearly to use this music, and while she's not conservative at all, she said sure, her parents were big Rush fans
Love Rush and miss him everyday 🙏🏼
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD with video please. You can see the band burn down a venue with their energy and Chrissie Hynde reclaiming her gang after a few tragic and emotional distressing years. Fierce vocals backed by the full tilt of the Pretenders. Enjoy.
The coolest rock chick in the 80s
Ms. Chrissy Hynde has a very unique delivery, that defies categorization. I guess it is Ohioan.
Precious or Tattooed Love Boys for some real rockers by them.
It had to drive Chrissy Hynde crazy that Rush Limbaugh used that base line for his intro to his radio show.
Her dad was a Rush fan and she did it for him.
What a swinging rhythm section/bassline, right? And the lyrics are sung well and meaningful. Fantastic song. You guys need to react to Concrete Blonde. Preferably The Vampire Song but they got plenty of bangers.
How could you two miss the great bass line, drum beat and lead guitar 🎸 that along with Chrissies voice make this a complete awesome song.
True story. Was at a dance club. Was good friends with the DJ. Known him years. One night I suggested this song. He was mega sceptical. But he played it. The dance floor was packed. Told me he was gonna add it to the rotation.
This is one of my favorite Pretenders cuts, along with "Tattooed Love Boys", "Brass In Pocket" and "Back On The Chain Gang".
This is the second reincarnation of the band - while good to okay this record - anything from the first two records blows everything else away.
The second album isn't so hot, strong singles though. First album is where it's at
@@fuckamericanidiot Agree completely. Second Album is still their 2nd best album and head and shoulders above anything they would ever make again.
Love the second album..
I love this record even though it’s a pickup band. The songs are fantastic.
They say, and have been saying for more than a century, that you can never go home again. Period... YOU CAN NEVER GO HOME AGAIN. Another good song about a city changing it's face from one's childhood is THRICE ALL AMERICAN by Neko Case. It's specifically about Tacoma, Washington (where I resided for quite a while and a great place to live, actually; right outside of Seattle) but the bittersweetness of the tune could be applied to any medium/large American city of industry.
Had this on Cassette when it came out......great memories...so many good songs on it!
Chrissie Hynde, top drawer, great voice, great stage presence and great song writer, love that girl. Saw her a few years back and she was brilliant, still rocking
I love this song very much. It really hits home with me, because I moved a lot as a kid, so when I go back to one of the cities (or towns) I lived it, so much has changed, and usually not in a good way.
FYI Rush Limbaugh used to use the opening tune to his intros etc on his radio show.
Can’t help but think of Rush Limbaugh. He used this song forever to open his radio show. He explained that although Chrissie had different politics then him that she give him permission to use it because when her father was alive he always listened to Rush and he made him happy. Shows how music can bring folks together no matter their differences.
Rush made several offers to her but she didn't feel like she could take money from him. Yet she couldn't follow the admonitions of her friends and take away his rights to use it as his intro because her father was a fan. So the compromise was that he (Rush,) make a large contribution to PETA, which of course Rush accepted.
'then' him? REALLY?? Don't be a follower. Rush would tell you that.
DITTO!!!!
Pretenders were considered New Wave at the time of their peak in the early 80s because of its progressive nature, but they incorporated a lot of old styles, particularly rockabilly and blues.
You always cover the hits. Try branching out a little. They have a lot of awesome music, like Tattooed Love Boys or their cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Room Full Of Mirrors”.
Chrissie=Rock Goddess!
Check out their song Middle of the road, a little faster pace, or mystery achievement
ua-cam.com/video/2P65eyk_oqc/v-deo.html&ab_channel=Brad%26Lex
the Pretenders are essentially a ROCKABILLY BAND, that was so freakin good they went mainstream. listen to their first charted song , "THUMBALINA"- and you will see exactly where they are coming from. And still are. It is a gem of a song anyway. one of the best bands of the era, hands down. you can tell they don't know what rockabilly is....ha
Love you Rush! Greatest theme song in history of radio 🙏🏼
HER voice is Sexy!! The best way to describe it! Glad you are not reacting to a video, just kick back and listen. This is a great band!! Sort of laid back post-punk on this song and album
She was at Kent State, so we’re the Devo guys, during the shootings
Warning you are now entering the Pretenders rabbit hole from which you may not reappear!
Thank you! This is my favorite Pretenders song.
Pretenders can rock. As noted, the first album is superior. Tattoo Love Boys
Chrissie Hynde was Johnny Rotten's gf during the hey day of the Sex Pistols, even tried to teach him guitar. Imo this is The Pretenders' best song & Chrissie Hynde will always be cool af.
singer's from my neck of the woods
It’s ‘80s alternative. Great great group
Gotta love Chrissie Hynde. :))
Chrissie's song "Kid" about her child is well worth a listen.
😂 Kid is not about her child. It was released in 1979 and her first child wasn’t born until 1983!
Loved the Pretenders. This my favorite by them along with Middle of The Road. Mystery Achievement is another good one.
), Brad & Lex, you will love their "Mystery Achievement", "Talk of the Town", "Message of Love" and more!!!
Those are all great suggestions.
Love this song and this band. Their first album is 🔥🔥🔥
Such a perfect blues song. It's always been one of my top ten favorites. Pretenders were part of the New Wave of the 80s. The were initially part of the UK Punk scene in the late 70s and then debuted with the pop "Brass in Pocket" which I loved as a 7th grader (hah!) but their actual sound from the rest of their debut album is way more punk. They went more mainstream rock in the mid 80s with Learning to Crawl, but My City was Gone is unique and timeless.
Love this song, and have some it came out. This song will always be a driving on a sunny day, windows down, blasting for everyone to hear song to me.
*Another Great one by them...and yes, Chrissie Hynde is awesome and she does Rock!* ♥ ...and Lex...I got one to go with your shirt, try: Drown by The Smashing Pumpkins (1992).*