YMMV / Pretenders

• Alternative Character Interpretation: The song "Show Me" is usually taken to be about Chrissie's (then) newborn daughter, but also seems to have a fair amount of Messianic Archetype theming, leading some to say the song is actually about Jesus
• Awesome Music: The debut album, from start to finish.
• Epic Riff:
  • "The Wait", for one.
  • An epic bass riff on "My City Was Gone".
• First Installment Wins: It will be hard for them to top their 1980 debut album.
• Heartwarming Moments: "Show Me", off Learning to Crawl, is a Parental Love Song for Chrissie's then-newborn daughter. Hynde assures her kid she has a place in "a heart of stone that's cold and grey", and admits in the refrain that she just wants love, and hopes her baby can help her find its true meaning. There's also such sweet lines as "welcome here from outer space, the Milky Way still in your eyes". Even rock stars love their babies!
• Refrain from Assuming: "My City Was Gone" is sometimes called "The Ohio Song" for its reference to the state in the chorus. (If the song were named "Ohio" it would be a Title-Only Chorus.)
• Signature Song: "I'll Stand by You" or "Brass in Pocket" overall; not far behind, "Don't Get Me Wrong" and "Back on the Chain Gang" also qualify. By album:
  • Pretenders: "Brass in Pocket" of course. Well-remembered are also "Kid" and "Stop Your Sobbing".
  • Pretenders II: "I Go to Sleep", "Message of Love" and "Talk of the Town".
  • Learning to Crawl: "Back on the Chain Gang", "2000 Miles" and "Middle of the Road". Another track which has become a favorite is "My City Was Gone".
  • Get Close: "Don't Get Me Wrong"; very well-remembered is also "Hymn to Her".
  • Last of the Indepentents: "I'll Stand by You".
  • ¡Viva el Amor!: "Human".
• Sophomore Slump: While Pretenders II contains some of their best-known songs, including "Talk of the Town" and "Message of Love", it's generally regarded as inferior to the debut. Contemporary reviews were pretty harsh because these songs had been previously released as non-album singles and on an EP in the U.S., making the album largely redundant.
• Tear Jerker: "Back on the Chain Gang," especially after you see what Hynde had to say about writing it.

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