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Artist: The Pretenders
Year: 1993
My first memories of pop music are as a six year old listening on my mother's portable transistor radio. I grew up three hours from the big city, but at that time everyone in the Midwest tuned in the 50,000-watt AM station WLS out of Chicago (long before they went to an all-talk format). I remember the on-air personalities, such as Larry Lujack... Uncle Larry, the King of the Corn Belt, as he was often called... more than the music, but there are two songs that hit me like a lightning bolt, even at such a young age. One was "Silly Love Songs" by Wings, and the other was "I'm Not in Love" from 10cc. Man, did I dig 'em. Even today, roughly 40 years later, hearing these songs take me back to dragging Mom's radio around the house or sitting in the back seat of the family station wagon. Of course, for about the last three decades, these songs have popped up while shopping for groceries or sitting in a dentist's waiting room. Still, I smile every time I hear either one of them.
The Pretenders covered the 10cc hit for the soundtrack to the film 'Indecent Proposal.' I have never seen it, but I remember when the movie was out and am quite sure it's one of the biggest pieces of crap ever put on celluloid. Clearly, as illustrated by the photo above, I couldn't even bring myself to spring for the album, even though I know I fell in love with this remake. By the way, if you're scoring at home, this is the second and last of my cassette singles to appear on the countdown. It wouldn't have been out of line to credit this one solely to Chrissie Hynde. I don't even think Martin Chambers was on this one. Ms. Hynde is in fine voice, and the song suits her well. It was produced by Trevor Horn, and this version is quite a bit shorter than the original, completely bypassing that long bridge in the middle. Wise choice. That section may have worked in 1975, but I don't think it would have in 1993.
Ms. Hynde has an autobiography expected out later this year, and I will be first in line for that one. Early word is it's juicy.
4 comments:
I was behind the counter of a record shop in 1993 and a Pretenders fan, yet have absolutely zero recollection of this. Maybe it wasn't released in the UK, or, more likely, my memory is shot. Chrissie makes a good job of it.
Hi, Swede. You don't need to feel too bad about missing this one. Not exactly Tattooed Love Boys or The Wait, you know, but I'll take some Chrissie when I can get it.
Never heard this cover before and I like it! We must be of a similar vintage because I remember hearing those two songs quite a bit on the radio when I was around the same age.
What's kinda cool is my two boy(ages 11 and 14) are now hearing the 10cc song as it is included on the "Guardians of the Galaxy" CD soundtrack that we listen to in the car a lot!
That's cool, McPop. My two boys are a little younger, but I'm hopeful they will listen to something I can stomach. So far, I have a rumbly in my tumbly. I'm doing all I can, of course.
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