The Pretenders – Back On The Chain Gang HD
April 122010
“Back on the Chain Gang” is a single by The Pretenders released in November 1982. The song was also released on The King of Comedy soundtrack album (March 1983) and later included on The Pretenders’ next album Learning to Crawl in January 1984. It reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (the band’s highest charting U.S. single), number four on Billboard’s Top Tracks chart and number 17 in the United Kingdom.
The song was originally going to be about Ray Davies, leader of the band The Kinks. Hynde and Davies were a couple and had a daughter together, but the meaning of the song changed after James Honeyman-Scott, the Pretenders guitarist, died of a drug overdose at the age of 25 in 1982.
The memorable chain-gang chant heard during the chorus of the song echoes a similar chant on Sam Cooke’s song “Chain Gang.”
(p) 1982 Sire Records
(c) 2009 Warner Bros Records
(c) 2009 Warner Music Group
http://www.sirerecords.com | http://www.warnermusic.com
Duration : 0:3:47
[youtube CK3uf5V0pDA]
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
@centillioncubed …
@centillioncubed You have Madonna to thank for that. She started that ball rolling and it’s only gotten sluttier with each new generation.
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
great song
great song
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
Nice video. What a …
Nice video. What a treasure it is to have the original recorded version of this video on VHS tape. I also love this song. Cheers.
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
So many memories!!
So many memories!!
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
What a bridge…
What a bridge…
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
@centillioncubed …
@centillioncubed Well said.
Also a fantastic bass line in this song too!
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
The perfect song …
The perfect song for grading student papers….especially these students.
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
beautiful song.. …
beautiful song..can’t get better than that
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
they r whores n u …
they r whores n u know it
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
AMEN TELL LIKE IT …
AMEN TELL LIKE IT IS.
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
U LUCKY BASTARD
U LUCKY BASTARD
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
I was a kid when …
I was a kid when this came out but, it brings back great memories. I love my buddies. Have a great week.
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
arioso, Rebecca …
arioso, Rebecca says….
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
@Slevnor74
…
@Slevnor74
Centillioncubed’s sentiment also resonates with me in that, compared this clip, in today’s celebrity obsessed landscape of media and sheep, as an example look at Rihanna. She ascended to the stage from beneath strapped to a giant X which apparently passes for entertainment and Pink flew above her audience in a harness for Christ sake! A harness!
For me, if I wanted to see a circus act I would go to the circus.
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
@Slevnor74
…
@Slevnor74
Exactly. Britney Spears is a prime example. If not for her sex appeal she would be hardly nothing. She’s got hardly any talent and just like most singers these days she has to rely on as many gimmicks as she can. People fall for gimmicks. Centillioncubed made a good point that despite being attractive, which is appealing, Hynde doesn’t need to relegate herself to being known primarily as something sexual as she is as much as if not more talented than she is sexy.
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
I remember when I …
I remember when I saw the Pretenders live in concert in 1999, and at some point during the show, Chrissie Hynde turned around and bent over and stuck her beautiful into the audience in those very tight black pants she was wearing! I remember, “Wow!!!” That was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen at a concert! Later that night, Blondie took the stage, and that was another great show!
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
If it wasn’t for …
If it wasn’t for the showcasing of their sexuality and partial nudity, women would never be the glorious stars they become just merely on their musical talent. Showcased only by their musical talent?? That is NOT refreshing at all and it’s disrespectful to many female artists!
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
@centillioncubed …
@centillioncubed And just because a young woman showcases her sensuality and sexuality as a performance artist, it does NOT mean that she is emulating a star, so lay that stereotypical sex-negative woman-hating media crap mentality to rest, because anyone who is ignorant enough to say that women are lesser talented for showcasing their sexuality is just a complete idiot!! Women showcased ONLY for their musical talent never achieve the levels they reach and is often boring!
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
@centillioncubed A …
@centillioncubed A woman who is a performance artist who is beautiful and who has a strong sex appeal will ALWAYS be admired on how well she can “emulate” a “porn star”, because that is the part of a woman that is truly REAL, and in reality, it’s not an emulation; it’s being her natural self and exhibiting her natural talent that should ALWAYS be there!! It’s an obvious requirement for a young woman to have a sex appeal in order to become a star, and not achieved solely by her musical talent.
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
This song tickles …
This song tickles me.
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
Brings back so many …
Brings back so many memories…thanx Chrissie…you’re one of the best
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
Oh my Gosh what …
Oh my Gosh what time what a unforgettable memories brought me to me this song the 80 years will live forever in heart.
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
This is just so …
This is just so beautiful. I could watch it over and over again (and have) and still remain just as captivated. No gimmicks, no unnecessary polish, no pretension, just a great song sung by an equally great person.
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
great group love …
great group love chrissie’s voice great song!!! from indiana USA !!
April 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
I wonder if that …
I wonder if that guy got sand in his eyes when they filmed this video, he get’s it right to the face…