Non sappiamo se è stata la febbre del punk che esplodeva nel 1977 a spingere la giovane Chrissie Hynde a lasciare la sua America per l'Inghilterra. La storia del rock ci insegna che sono stati proprio gli inglesi a dare nuova linfa a quello che gli americani non sapevano neanche di avere. La Hynde fa armi e bagagli e vuole vivere da vicino quel turbinio di musica che risorge descrivendone sul New Musical Express, dove lavora come giornalista, le impressioni a caldo. Ma non si limita solo a scrivere, vuole essere, a suo modo, parte di quel mondo che lentamente va cambiando inglobando altri stili e umori. Così fa il suo esordio una delle innumerevoli band con la cantante che scrive i testi e si muove sinuosa sul palco e il resto dei componenti a fare lo sporco lavoro.
Nasce così nel 1979 "Pretenders" con la Hynde a fare da maitresse, a volte padrona a volte dannatamente dolce e sexy in un modo non scontato. E i suoi scagnozzi (James Honeyman Scott-voce, chitarra, tastiera. Pete Farndon-basso, cori. Martin Chambers-percussioni) fanno davvero un lavoro egregio. In chiave pop la band riesce a creare un concentrato di stili usati con sapienza e conoscenza dei mezzi e, nello stesso tempo, il mood è perfettamente in stile con i suoni del periodo. "Precious" e "The Wait" sono figlie del punk-pop tanto caro a band come Buzzcocks. Per il resto la melodia pop e le trame di chitarre arpeggiate con chorus a manetta prenderanno il sopravvento, uno stile portato avanti da Andy Summer e che sarà il vessillo di Johnny Marr.
"Brass in pocket" è tutt'altra storia. A pieno diritto è una delle hit del periodo, la canzone pop perfetta, che metteresti sù cento volte sul lettore senza stancarti, basso in levare, chitarre e tastiere sfiorate, coretti in falsetto e, su tutto, la Hynde a ergersi regina incontrastata. Ma non manca anche l'omaggio al pop dei 60 con "Stop Your Sobbing" sempre senza calcare la mano, con intenzione e rispetto devoto; Davies la ringrazierà a dovere dandole anche un figlio. Infine come non citare il pop bubblegum di "Kid" o la notturne trame reggae'n'roll di "Private Life".
A trent'anni di distanza un disco che va riscoperto per la sua eleganza, per l'uso sapiente e preparato degli strumenti e per come la materia pop venga trattata come genere di intrattenimento non scontato.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Precious (03:36)
I LIKE THE WAY YOU CROSS THE STREET 'CAUSE YOUR PRECIOUS
MOVING THROUGH THE CLEVELAND HEAT HOW PRECIOUS
TAKING RIDES AND ALL THE KICKS WAS SO PRECIOUS
BUT YOU KNOW I WAS SHITTIN' BRICKS 'CAUSE I'M PRECIOUS
MADE ME WANNA, MADE ME WANNA, YOU MADE ME MAKE IT
OH, YOU'RE SO MEAN
EAST 55TH AND EUCLID AVENUE WAS REAL PRECIOUS
HOTEL STERLING COMING INTO VIEW HOW PRECIOUS
IT'S A PITY THAT YOU BRUISED MY HIP 'CAUSE I'M PRECIOUS
YOU SHOULDN'T LET YOUR MANNERS SLIP YOU'RE TOO PRECIOUS
MADE ME WANNA, MADE ME WANNA, YOU MADE ME MAKE IT
OH, YOU'RE SO MEAN
WE WENT AROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND THE
SHOREWAY
WE WAS A DUET DUET DUET DUET DO IT ON THE PAVEMENT
OH MAYBE MAYBE I'M GONNA HAVE A BABY
WE WAS A DUET OH WE DO IT ALL NIGHT
I WAS FEELING KIND OF ETHEREAL 'CAUSE I'M PRECIOUS
I HAD MY EYE ON YOUR IMPERIAL YOU'RE SO PRECIOUS
NOW HOWARD THE DUCK AND MR STRESS BOTH STAYED
"TRAPPED IN A WORLD THAT THEY NEVER MADE"
BUT NOT ME BABY I'M TOO PRECIOUS I HAD TO FUCK OFF
MADE ME WANNA, MADE ME WANNA, YOU MADE ME MAKE IT
OH, YOU'RE SO MEAN
02 The Phone Call (02:29)
THIS IS A MERCY MISSION
FROM A FACELESS MESSENGER WHO DON'T WANNA SEE YOU HIT
HERE'S THE WORD, LISTEN TO IT
SOMEBODY THAT YOU USED TO KNOW IS BACK IN TOWN
YOU BETTER GO
THIS IS A MERCY MISSION
A VOICE YOU'LL NEVER HEAR AGAIN FROM A SOUTHSIDE CALL BOX
WINGED DEMONS ARE THE HARDEST TO OUTFOX
THE SAME ONE YOU LOST ON THE RUN
GONNA SHOW YOU THAT IT AIN'T NO FUN
YOU BETTER GET OUT OF TOWN YOU'RE GONNA GET HIT
I DIDN'T MEAN TO GET YOU...
THIS IS A MERCY MISSION
YOU'LL FIND YOUR SCHEDULE UNDERNEATH THE DOOR
ALL OF THE ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE
MAJOR EXPENSES HAVE BEEN PAID AS YOU KNOW
DON'T FORGET THE LAST DETAILS
ACCEPT NO PARCELS IN THE MAIL
03 Up the Neck (04:27)
Anger and lust my senses running amok
Bewildered and deluded, have I been hit by a truck?
When my tongue lay inside his lip
Felt like the time in the womb
But I woke up with a headache that split my skull
Alone in the room
I got down on the floor with my head pressed between my knees
Under the bed with my teeth sunk into my own flesh
I said baby, oh sweetheart
Lust turns to anger, a kiss to a slug
Something was sticky on your shag rug, look at the tile
I remember the way he groaned and moved with an animal skill
I rubbed my face in the sweat that ran down his chest
It was all very run of the mill
But I noticed his scent started to change somehow
His face went berserk and the veins bulged on his brow
I said baby, oh sweetheart
Bondage to lust, abuse of facility
Blackmailed emotions confuse the demon and devotee
I was sure his intentions were sweet
And that mine was as well
But a wish is a shot in the dark
When your coins down the well
I got out in the hall with my teeth in my head
Up to my neck and I said, said, said dead
I said baby, oh sweetheart
06 The Wait (03:35)
SAID THE WAIT CHILD MAGIC CHILD WORK IT ON OUT NOW WORK IT
THE WAIT CHILD PINBALL CHILD POOL HALL CHILD HURTS
THE WAIT CHILD PACING CHILD FORTH BACK NOW HURTS
THE WAIT CHILD NEON LIGHT LATE NIGHT LIGHTS HURT
OH GONNA HURT SOME CHILD CHILD
GONNA HURT SOME WHOA MY BABY
SAID THE WAIT CHILD BRUISED BALL CHILD PRIDE SLAPPED CHILD HURTS
THE WAIT CHILD CREST FELLED CHILD TEAR EYED CHILD HURTS
THE WAIT CHILD BUS STOP CHILD LATE COME CHILD HURTS
THE WAIT CHILD PLATFORM WALK IDLE TALK HURTS
OH GONNA HURT SOME CHILD CHILD
GONNA HURT SOME WHOA MY BABY
I SAID CHILD, CHILD STARING INTO THE STREETLIGHT
MESSED UP CHILD LONELY BOY TONIGHT
KICK THE WALL TURN THE STREET AND BACK AGAIN
OH BOY YOU'VE BEEN FORGOTTEN
(REPEAT)
I SAID THE WAIT CHILD PACING CHILD FORTH AND BACK NOW HURTS
THE WAIT CHILD BUS STOP CHILD LATE COME CHILD HURTS
THE WAIT CHILD POOL HALL CHILD PIN TABLE NOW HURTS
THE WAIT CHILD MAGIC CHILD WORK IT ON OUT NOW WORK IT
OH GONNA HURT SOME, CHILD, CHILD, CHILD, CHILD, CHILD
GONNA HURT SOME WHOA MY BABY
07 Stop Your Sobbing (02:38)
IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO STOP ALL OF YOUR SOBBING
YES IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO STOP ALL OF YOUR SOBBING OH OH OH
THERE'S ONE THING YOU GOTTA DO
TO MAKE ME STILL WANT YOU
GOTTA STOP SOBBING NOW
YEAH YEAH STOP IT STOP IT
IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO LAUGH INSTEAD OF CRYING
YES IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO LAUGH SO KEEP ON TRYING OH OH OH
THERE'S ONE THING YOU GOTTA DO
TO MAKE ME STILL WANT YOU
GOTTA STOP SOBBING NOW
YEAH YEAH STOP IT STOP IT
EACH LITTLE TEAR THAT FALLS FROM YOUR EYES
MAKES, MAKES ME WANT
TO TAKE YOU IN MY ARMS AND TELL YOU
TO STOP ALL YOUR SOBBING
THERE'S ONE THING YOU GOTTA DO
TO MAKE ME STILL WANT YOU
AND THERE'S ONE THING YOU GOTTA KNOW
TO MAKE ME WANT YOU SO
GOTTA STOP SOBBING NOW
YEAH YEAH STOP IT STOP IT
08 Kid (03:06)
KID WHAT CHANGED YOUR MOOD
YOU'VE GONE ALL SAD SO I FEEL SAD TOO
I THINK I KNOW SOME THINGS WE NEVER OUTGROW
YOU THINK IT'S WRONG
I CAN TELL YOU DO
HOW CAN I EXPLAIN
WHEN YOU DON'T WANT ME TO
KID MY ONLY KID
YOU LOOK SO SMALL YOU'VE GONE SO QUIET
I KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT I'M ABOUT
I WON'T DENY IT
BUT YOU FORGIVE THOUGH YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND
YOU'VE TURNED YOUR HEAD
YOU'VE DROPPED MY HAND
ALL MY SORROW, ALL MY BLUES
ALL MY SORROW
SHUT THE LIGHT, GO AWAY
FULL OF GRACE, YOU COVER YOUR FACE
KID GRACIOUS KID
YOUR EYES ARE BLUE BUT YOU WON'T CRY
I KNOW ANGRY TEARS ARE TOO DEAR
YOU WON'T LET THEM GO
10 Brass in Pocket (03:04)
Got brass in pocket
Got bottle I'm gonna use it
Intention I feel inventive
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice
Got motion restrained emotion
Been driving Detroit leaning
No reason just seems pleasing
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice
(CHORUS)
Gonna use my arms
Gonna use my legs
Gonna use my style
Gonna use my sidestep
Gonna use my fingers
Gonna use my, my, my imagination
'Cause I'm gonna make you see
There's nobody else here
No one like me
I'm special so special
I gotta have some of your attention, give it to me!
Got rhythm I can't miss a beat
Got new skank it's so reet
Got something I'm winking at you
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice
(CHORUS)
'Cause I gonna make you see
Theres nobody else here
No one like me
I'm special, so special
I gotta have some of your attention
Give it to me
cause I gonna make you see
Theres nobody else here
No one like me
I'm special, so special
I gotta have some of your attention
Give it to me
11 Lovers of Today (05:51)
I TRIED TO TALK TO MY BABY
I SAID NO NO NO NO BABY
PLEASE DON'T CRY
NO NO NO BABY PLEASE
'CAUSE ALL OF THE LEAVES COME DOWN
EVERY TIME BABIES CRY
ALL OF THE LEAVES COME DOWN
I PUT MY ARMS AROUND MY BABY
I SAID HUSH HUSH HUSH HUSH
BABY SLEEP TIGHT NOW
HUSH HUSH HUSH BABY SLEEP
'CAUSE ALL OF THE BIRDS START TO SING
EVERY TIME BABIES DREAM
ALL OF THE BIRDS START TO SING
NOBODY WANTS TO SEE
LOVERS OF TODAY HAPPY
SO ASSUMED THEY'RE GOING TO PART
NOBODY WANTS TO BE WITH SOMEONE
SO AFRAID THEY'LL BE LEFT WITH
A BROKEN HEART
I KISSED THE EYES OF MY BABY
I SAID DREAM DREAM DREAM DREAM
BABY ALL NIGHT LONG
DREAM DREAM DREAM ALL THE NIGHT
'CAUSE ALL OF THE STARS IN THE SKIES
TWINKLE ON BABY'S EYES
ALL OF THE STARS IN THE SKIES
I TRIED TO TALK TO YOU BABY
NO NO
NO I'LL NEVER FEEL
LIKE A MAN IN A MAN'S WORLD
12 Mystery Achievement (05:23)
MYSTERY ACHIEVEMENT
DON'T BREATHE DOWN MY NECK NO
I GOT NO TROPHIES ON DISPLAY
I SIGN THEM AWAY
I MEAN WHAT THE HECK
ALL OF YOUR PROMISES
DON'T FILL ME WITH PRIDE NO
I JUST WANNA GET OUT ON THE FLOOR
AND DO THE CUBAN SLIDE, SLIDE, SLIDE, SLIDE
(CHORUS)
BUT EVERY DAY, EVERY NIGHTTIME I FIND
MYSTERY ACHIEVEMENT
YOU'RE ON MY MIND
AND EVERY DAY, EVERY NIGHTTIME I FEEL
MYSTERY ACHIEVEMENT YOU'RE SO UNREAL
MYSTERY ACHIEVEMENT
WHERE'S MY SANDY BEACH? YEAH
I HAD MY DREAMS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE
BUT THEY'RE OUT OF REACH
I SAID RIGHT OUT OF REACH
I COULD IGNORE YOU
YOUR DEMANDS ARE UNENDING
I GOT NO TEARS ON MY ICE CREAM BUT YOU KNOW ME
I LOVE PRETENDING
(CHORUS)
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