In keeping with today’s pretend theme, I will pretend that you would like to know about and hear a few songs from The Pretenders.  The group was formed in London during the late 1970s, though Chrissie Hynde was from Akron, Ohio.  The band has gone through several personnel changes but Hynde has been the constant.  They enjoyed a fair amount of success through the 70s and 80s, into the 90s.  They are still together as of 2012.

The first song in our lineup still receives a ton of airplay on classic rock stations today.  It’s from the very beginning of the 1980s, January 1980 to be exact.  Title:  “Brass in Pocket”

Gonna use my my my ‘magination alright.  OK, next song was their biggest hit in the US, staying at #5 on the charts for three weeks in 1982: “Back on the Chain Gang”

Alrighty then.  The next song is the “B” side to the previous song.  Most people probably couldn’t tell you the title, they just know it as “The Rush Limbaugh Song”.  The actual title is “My City Was Gone”:

I’ll forego the usual three song format so I can add a fourth, their final song to chart in the US.  This song reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1990.  The ballad: “I’ll Stand By You”

I’ll will stand by you.  Indeed.  Hope you enjoyed The Pretenders.  Have a great Friday!