The Pretenders Songs Ranked
The Pretenders are an English-American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Farndon (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Martin Chambers (drums, backing vocals, percussion). Following the drug-related deaths of Honeyman-Scott and Farndon in 1982–83, the band experienced numerous subsequent personnel changes. Hynde has been the band’s only consistent member. The Pretenders’ hit songs include “Brass in Pocket” (1979), “Talk of the Town” (1980), “Message of Love” (1981), “Back on the Chain Gang” (1982), “Middle of the Road” (1983), “2000 Miles” (1983), “Don’t Get Me Wrong” (1986), “My Baby” (1986), and “I’ll Stand by You” (1994). The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Here are all of The Pretenders’ songs ranked.
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20. My Baby (Get Close, 1986)
“This song is just awesome – pure vintage Pretenders at their best, especially when it goes LIVE at the end. This is a MELLOW Pretenders song, but still VERY beautiful and cool.”
19. Show Me (Learning To Craw, 1984)
“My favorite Pretenders song. Lyrics are relevant even today. It’s just a perfect song. Chrissie Hinde had a beautiful voice and she shows it off here, this one is a tad jangally with some nice acoustic type guitar riffs, the drums are pounding very nicely.”
18. Breakfast In Bed (Greatest hits, 1988)
“All I can say is, if you have any appreciation for music, you’ll like The Pretenders. Not only does the band know how to present a song, but the lyrics are insanely great.”
17. Tattooed Love Boys (Pretenders, 1979)
“A drifting melancholic rock song, with some sweet melodies. “Tattooed Love Boys”. Chrissie’s bitchin’ vocal delivery dominates the you-gonna-pay “Tattooed Love Boys”, which peaks when Hynde sings “I shot my mouth off and you showed me what that hole was for…” That’s fuckin’ rock ‘n’ roll, and back in ’80, no chick was better suited to spit out that line than the defiant Pretenders ring-leader with cool black bangs.
See more: The Pretenders Albums Ranked
16. Kid (Pretenders, 1979)
“Kid” comes from a time when that wasn’t the case. A time when I collected in the purest sense of that word. Yet it also comes from a time when I already recognized I had to change to allow my musical knowledge to expand. A nostalgic period that’s good to reminisce about whilst acknowledging the fact it could never last.”
15. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Get Close, 1986)
“Outstanding band when they were together…so I decided to brighten up my Christmas with a little Pretenders. Wonderful song from a great band.”
14. Where Has Everybody Gone? (The Living Daylights, 1987)
“By the Pretenders, one of the best tracks on the Best of Bond album, “50 years, 50 tracks.” Earthy, full out, blues.”
13. 2000 Miles (Learning to Crawl, 1984)
“The combination of the jangling guitar riff and Chrissie Hynde’s naturally yearning vocal really makes you feel that you’re trudging in the falling snow.”
12. Message of Love (Pretenders II, 1981)
“Neither side charted in the US, which is borderline criminal. The only thing keeping me from going the full five is the “like Bridgette Bardot!” line, which has always sounded forced to me.”
11. Talk of the Town (Times Square, 1980)
“The lead singer of The Pretenders uses such a sly vocal delivery that it’s hard not to believe every word she says. Additionally, the polished production gives the song a clean-cut feeling and the lyrics are well-written. It’s nice to hear a great pop rock single that clearly has a lot of thought put into it.”
10. Thin Line Between Love and Hate (Learning to Crawl, 1983)
“The band doesn’t try to rock it up, staying close to the original musical pattern and Chrissie Hynde supplies an effect r&b tinged vocal. The song was a minor hit on the charts peaking at #83 in 1984.”
9. Revolution (Last of the Independents, 1994)
“Chrissy formed a new version of the pretenders with martin chambers back on the drumkit but that lineup didn’t play here . Indeed its mostly session players with andy rourke from the smiths on bass and robbie mcintosh helping out on guitars. The smiths producer stephen street handles the sound.”
8. I Go to Sleep (Pretenders II, 1981)
“”I Go to Sleep” has a sad, lovely arrangement and fine songwriting courtesy of Ray Davies of The Kinks. Great band. Great song, One of those times when a cover can improve on the original.”
7. My City Was Gone (Learning to Crawl, 1983)
“Their later work contains some fine songwriting, but the glossier pop production has not dated as well. Here, the lead vocal is wonderfully expressive and nuanced too; this is classic guitar pop.”
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6. Middle of the Road (Learning to Crawl, 1983)
“The Pretenders finally decide to just rock out, and it’s a great ride. Martin Chambers still manages to work in some great fills, and Chrissy gets to bitch about aging and becoming “normal”. Wicked harmonica solo to top things off.”
5. Mystery Achievement
“Crisp, exciting, and crackling with energy! Chrissie Hynde is equal amounts of sexy and dangerous, and Martin Chambers is also excellent on the drums.”
4. Don’t Get Me Wrong (Get Close, 1986)
“Don’t get me wrong, if I come and go like fashion.” I like these lyrics, the unusual guitar rhythm and the pretty melody. I think that this song would have been much harder to write than it sounds.”
3. I’ll Stand by You (Last of the Independents, 1994)
“Undeniably sappy, but Hynde sings it with more sensitivity and grit than most other power balladeers would, and you get the sense that she really is in your corner.”
2. Back on the Chain Gang (Learning to Crawl, 1983)
“Written and recorded during a period of intense turmoil, “Back on the Chain Gang” is Chrissie Hynde’s greatest composition – one with a heavy backstory. Recorded just a month after the drug-involved death of the Pretenders’ guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, and the dismissal of bassist Pete Farndon – who would himself die of a drug overdose just months later – “Back on the Chain Gang” would ultimately become a song of perseverance for its author.”
1. Brass in Pocket (Pretenders, 1979)
“Brass In Pocket” has become renowned for two reasons: being the last number one of the seventies and having completely indecipherable lyrics. I’ve always felt the song to be a bit of a plodder – nice enough tune but hardly breaking into a canter.”