Happy tunes. Happy times. I remember way, way back - I think it was 1979 - when I was just getting to know Jim. He somehow managed to get tickets to hear the rising Pretenders play at Blossom Music Center. They were good pavilion seats. No lawn-lounging for his "hot date." It was a good evening, marked by the awesome guitar rock of the Pretenders. It struck me as some 'kinda punk rock mixed with ear candy, if that is possible.
Formed in the late 1970s, lead singer-songwriter Chrissy Hynde has taken the Pretenders on a prolific, popular ride with a variety of background players. The band is still touring and producing, with the album Alone recently released. Listen to Holy Commotion from the new album. It will get your toes tapping.
The Singles is a collection of Pretenders tunes from 1979 through 1986, released in 1987 for Columbia House. Included are:
- Stop Your Sobbing -1979
- Kid - 1979
- Brass In Pocket -1979
- Talk of the Town - 1980
- I Go to Sleep -1981
- Day After Day - 1981
- Message of Love - 1981
- Back on the Chain Gang - 1982
- Middle of the Road - 1983
- 2000 Miles -1984
- Show Me - 1984
- Thin Line Between Love and Hate - 1984
- Don't Get Me Wrong -1986
- Hymn to Her - 1986
- My Baby - 1986
- I Got You Babe - 1985 - by UB40
Unlike most of Jim's music collection, I remember the Pretenders without any prompting. It's nice to have their songs going through my mind again. Listen to the collection below.
