John Gushue . . . Dot Dot Dot

Brass In Pocket

How cool Chrissie Hynde was when The Pretenders first appeared on the scene: all sharp edges and raised eyebrows. I assumed she was British till I learned she was an American expat in London. I bought Brass In Pocket as a 45, which I guess was a bit of a waste, as I soon enough coughed up the money to buy the full debut album. It still pops ... and I still can't help but sing along the chorus of "special" when the tune plays in the car. 

Boots of Chinese Plastic

Out: Spanish leather: In: something else. The Pretenders have the song of the day. 

My City Was Gone

A kicking bass line (from Tony Butler, then playing with Big Country), a cry against suburban sprawl and tight production from Chris Thomas, it's one of the standout songs from 1984's Learning to Crawl. Chrissie Hynde at her best. (The music may be familiar in the U.S. as the theme for Rush Limbaugh's radio program; I wouldn't be inclined to often put Hynde, a notable animal-rights advocate, in the same company with Limbaugh, but there you go.) 

As for the video ... this is what a 45 looked like, kids!

Stop Your Sobbing

In 1980, Chrissie Hyne and her Pretenders covered Ray Davies's Stop Your Sobbing, a few years after they met and a few years before they had a daughter. They never married, and the status of their relationship was a little muddy, but they clearly clicked.

One of my favourite songs, and my favourite version of it.