Wow. A slower, acoustic, and really beautiful version of one of the Pretenders best early singles. I never thought of this song as a ballad, but damn, it works. And of course, Chrissie Hynde’s vocals are terrific as always.
Yet again, I’m catching up on a great song long after its shelf date. Hipsters may see this as sad. I, on the other hand, am always ecstatic to find an awesome song, no matter the age. This time, it’s only 5 years years old … and it’s from an old favorite. I heard this amazing, lo-fi, rockin’ song from the Pretenders the other night on Sirius Underground Garage and it sounds tailor-made for that station. This is “Boots of Chinese Plastic,” released in 2008, from their album “Break Up the Concrete.” Chrissie Hynde was 57 when this came out. The lady can still kick ass!
One of the earliest videos I remember seeing on MTV and arguably, the best song the Pretenders ever recorded, “Back on the Chain Gang” was a lamentation about the drug-induced death of former bandmate James Honeyman-Scott. An incredibly deep song that has not lost its resonance, despite its frequent appearance on classic rock and oldies stations over the years. This was the Pretenders highest-charting song in the US (it made it all the way to #5 on the Billboard charts in 1982).
The first track from the Pretenders 1980 debut album that sounds like a furnace blast. A wild, furious rave-up that I can only imagine blew minds when it was first released. The start of a terrific career.
Dave's Strange World 