 The Singles (1981) [ larger cover art ] |
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Musicbrainz DBI found a picture of you, oh oh oh oh
What hijacked my world that night
To a place in the past
We've been cast out of? oh oh oh oh
Now we're back in the fight
We're back on the train
Oh, back on the chain gang
A circumstance beyond our control, oh oh oh oh
The phone, the tv and the news of the world
Got in the house like a pigeon from hell, oh oh oh oh
Threw sand in our eyes and descended like flies
Put us back on the train
Oh, back on the chain gang
The powers that be
That force us to live like we do
Bring me to my knees
When I see what they've done to you
But I'll die as I stand here today
Knowing that deep in my heart
They'll fall to ruin one day
For making us part
I found a picture of you, oh oh oh oh
Those were the happiest days of my life
Like a break in the battle was your part, oh oh oh oh
In the wretched life of a lonely heart
Now we're back on the train
Oh, back on the chain gang
What hijacked my world that night
To a place in the past
We've been cast out of? oh oh oh oh
Now we're back in the fight
We're back on the train
Oh, back on the chain gang
A circumstance beyond our control, oh oh oh oh
The phone, the tv and the news of the world
Got in the house like a pigeon from hell, oh oh oh oh
Threw sand in our eyes and descended like flies
Put us back on the train
Oh, back on the chain gang
The powers that be
That force us to live like we do
Bring me to my knees
When I see what they've done to you
But I'll die as I stand here today
Knowing that deep in my heart
They'll fall to ruin one day
For making us part
I found a picture of you, oh oh oh oh
Those were the happiest days of my life
Like a break in the battle was your part, oh oh oh oh
In the wretched life of a lonely heart
Now we're back on the train
Oh, back on the chain gang
| Lazarus (Bethany) | Posted: May 04, 2013 - 09:43 Some good news at last!— Too-Big-to-Fail Takes Another Body Blow by Matt Taibbi RollingStone May 1, 2013 Minds are changing on Too Big to Fail. A month ago, it was just something in the air. Now, it looks like we're headed for a real legislative confrontation. And man, is the finance sector freaking... Love this song soooo much!! |
| unclehud (now 50 feet above the planet in Boston) | Posted: Apr 28, 2013 - 20:25 You know, we've all heard this song a million times -- hell, maybe more than that -- but tonight the lyrics hit me very differently than they have before. Guess that means I really stopped listening to it 985,000 times ago, but this is a GREAT song. Do I already have it at 10? No? Well, let's get that fixed, shall we? |
| Lazarus (Bethany) | Posted: Apr 28, 2013 - 20:20 Volume is wayyyy up... love this song... Everything Is Rigged: The Biggest Price-Fixing Scandal Ever Conspiracy theorists of the world, believers in the hidden hands of the Rothschilds and the Masons and the Illuminati, we skeptics owe you an apology. You were right. The players may be a little different, but your basic premise is correct: The world is a rigged game. We found this out in recent months, when a series of related corruption stories spilled out of the financial sector, suggesting the world's largest banks may be fixing the prices of, well, just about everything. You may have heard of the Libor scandal, in which at least three – and perhaps as many as 16 – of the name-brand too-big-to-fail banks have been manipulating global interest rates, in the process messing around with the prices of upward of $500 trillion (that's trillion, with a "t") worth of financial instruments. When that sprawling con burst into public view last year, it was easily the biggest financial scandal in history – MIT professor Andrew Lo even said it "dwarfs by orders of magnitude any financial scam in the history of markets." That was bad enough, but now Libor may have a twin brother. Word has leaked out that the London-based firm ICAP, the world's largest broker of interest-rate swaps, is being investigated by American authorities for behavior that sounds eerily reminiscent of the Libor mess. Regulators are looking into whether or not a small group of brokers at ICAP may have worked with up to 15 of the world's largest banks to manipulate ISDAfix, a benchmark number used around the world to calculate the prices of interest-rate swaps... |
| Lazarus (Bethany) | Posted: Mar 28, 2013 - 18:46 Everybody in my church be dancing... this is one of the best songs ever... love it... love Radio Paradise...
And it isn't just in California, but all over the country, where there are countless instances of outrageous and brutal mandatory sentences for relatively minor crimes... Another result was that instead of dealing with problems like poverty, drug abuse and mental illness, we increasingly just removed them all from view by putting them in jail. It's not an accident that so many of the most ridiculous Three Strikes cases are semicoherent homeless people or people with drug problems who came from broken homes. It wasn't a cost-efficient way of dealing with these issues – in fact, in California at least, it was an insanely, almost criminally expensive burden on taxpayers – but it was effective enough as a way of keeping the uglier schisms of our society hidden from view... |
| Lazarus (Bethany) | Posted: Mar 21, 2013 - 13:06 marvelous song... love you, man... you know it... thanks for everything... |
| gormeister (Commonwealth of Virginia) | Posted: Mar 21, 2013 - 13:03 the way her vocals compliment the chord structure in this song is amazing, its like you can hear the emotions in both the guitar and the voice btw this was an excellent set to listen to IMveryHO josh ritter mazzy star neil young the pretenders good stuff |
| kdarwish (Turku, Finland) | Posted: Mar 11, 2013 - 07:30 Certainly an unforgettable classic, thanks. |
| Lazarus (Bethany) | Posted: Feb 07, 2013 - 22:40 This could possibly be the best song that will ever be written and recorded in human history... well, number two to John Lennon's Imagine... love it... |
| Lazarus (Bethany) | Posted: Jan 30, 2013 - 11:26 Sasha2001 wrote: I would have to agree with that. Great hook, great lyrics, Chrissy's voice is amazing - it's as GOOD as the sum of it's parts. Well said... this song is awesome... |
| p2h2d2 (On the Lake) | Posted: Jan 21, 2013 - 09:05 Chrissy oh Chrissy!!!! |
| Zep | Posted: Dec 13, 2012 - 16:01 jareti wrote: great song that was played to death on popular radio back in the day. even hearing it today makes me want to turn the dial. The Pretenders have a bunch of other good songs ya know. Yes they did. "Precious" for example, is about as rollicking a first cut/first album from any group as you'll ever find. That first album is one of my desert island discs, and "Learning to Crawl" might be on that list too. But don't blame Chrissie for what FM radio and the soulless corporate Morlocks did to her music. "Circumstance beyond my control," as she says, but they will fall to ruin one day. |
| sirdroseph (Yes) | Posted: Dec 07, 2012 - 05:35 calypsus_1 wrote: "PSD button" - Feedback "PSD button" may initially seem like a good innovative idea, but analyzing best, I am not completely in agreement, because the programming of airplay in RP should be understood as a whole, and therein lies its greatest strength and expression, not to be tempted to distort, mutilate and subvert the "true spirit" of RP as conceived. The purpose of the implementation of the "PSD button", may have the good intention of satisfying the various sensibilities of listeners simultaneously, but can detract - the receiver - and create a false sense of what is "the receiver" (the listener) that influences and modifies programming at your pleasure, when we know that is not, nor should it be. For me, generally I do not use the "PSD button", do not even think to use it, because what really interests me is the global perspective programming, the expectation, the surprise factor, the changes of pace, changes of style, and the conjunction, the "intertwining" of the songs together, but this is the true spirit RP Station. And it works, whether we like it more or less like, this or that moment of RP-airplay. Is that the "PSD button" like be harmless, but as its use allows use private constantly by each receiver, I think the loser is the receiver. However when it comes to music IMO, repitition is never good, repitition is never good, repitition is never good......... |
| calypsus_1 (East of Eden) | Posted: Nov 19, 2012 - 16:39 "PSD button" - Feedback "PSD button" may initially seem like a good innovative idea, but analyzing best, I am not completely in agreement, because the programming of airplay in RP should be understood as a whole, and therein lies its greatest strength and expression, not to be tempted to distort, mutilate and subvert the "true spirit" of RP as conceived. The purpose of the implementation of the "PSD button", may have the good intention of satisfying the various sensibilities of listeners simultaneously, but can detract - the receiver - and create a false sense of what is "the receiver" (the listener) that influences and modifies programming at your pleasure, when we know that is not, nor should it be. For me, generally I do not use the "PSD button", do not even think to use it, because what really interests me is the global perspective programming, the expectation, the surprise factor, the changes of pace, changes of style, and the conjunction, the "intertwining" of the songs together, but this is the true spirit RP Station. And it works, whether we like it more or less like, this or that moment of RP-airplay. Is that the "PSD button" like be harmless, but as its use allows use private constantly by each receiver, I think the loser is the receiver. |
| Sasha2001 (Nowhere near a public restroom...) | Posted: Oct 19, 2012 - 07:45 romeotuma wrote: This is one of the best songs in the history of humanity... love this soooo much... thank you... I would have to agree with that. Great hook, great lyrics, Chrissy's voice is amazing - it's as GOOD as the sum of it's parts. |
| Stingray | Posted: Oct 19, 2012 - 07:37 Wonderful song - Romeo is right! How can it be already 30 years old? Sounds 100% FRESH!
PS Where are you, Chrissie? |
| Rockit (Ottawa ON) | Posted: Oct 19, 2012 - 07:37 PSD to the rescue. Wow right to Porcupine Tree (nice upgrade) |
| Stingray | Posted: Oct 19, 2012 - 07:36 cShaggy wrote: ..^ everyone in yr hotel room??.. haha - funny! |
| cShaggy (..in the general vicinity..) | Posted: Oct 05, 2012 - 11:00 romeotuma wrote: This song is soooo good it makes us tear off our clothes and dance... ..^ everyone in yr hotel room??.. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Oct 05, 2012 - 11:00 This song is soooo good it makes us tear off our clothes and dance... |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Sep 26, 2012 - 22:24 This song is soooo good it puts a spring in my step this autumn night... |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Sep 21, 2012 - 11:18 We be dancing... love it...  |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Aug 26, 2012 - 10:06 love this song soooo much! |
| helgigermany (Germany) | Posted: Aug 20, 2012 - 23:45 Huh! Ah! wonderful music! |
| idiot_wind | Posted: Aug 17, 2012 - 06:54 Melancholy message with nice hooks and good base line. Let a huge mark on me in the early 1980s...breaking up with a woman. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Jul 20, 2012 - 13:36 This song is magnificent... love it... |
| jareti (Under the Clouds) | Posted: Jul 20, 2012 - 13:30 great song that was played to death on popular radio back in the day. even hearing it today makes me want to turn the dial. The Pretenders have a bunch of other good songs ya know. |
| bachbeet | Posted: Jul 16, 2012 - 20:29 Yet another great song from a great group. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Jul 16, 2012 - 20:26 This song is soooo good it puts a spring in my step this summer night... |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Jun 24, 2012 - 14:12 Stingray wrote: What humanity...? You're talking America? There is just no pleasure in life for you other than meanness... love this song... |
| 90_hour_sleep | Posted: May 23, 2012 - 18:02 from a purely musical standpoint...this song makes me bonkers. always has. is it a lyrical masterpiece? there aren't too many songs that i just want to skip...instantly. |
| treatment_bound (Duluth to Madison) | Posted: May 23, 2012 - 18:02 That guitar work from Billy Bremner still thrills 30 years on... |
| Stingray ("ANONYMOUS INTERNET") | Posted: May 14, 2012 - 11:09 romeotuma wrote: This is one of the best songs in the history of humanity... love this soooo much... thank you... What humanity...? You're talking America? |
| Stingray ("ANONYMOUS INTERNET") | Posted: May 14, 2012 - 11:07 FANTA-S-TIC! |
| Bobert_ParkCity (Park City Utah) | Posted: Apr 30, 2012 - 09:34 Stingray wrote: And I love anyone in your Hotel room, Tuna! Even you! it's tuMa |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Apr 30, 2012 - 09:31 What memories from when this song was first released! Love it! WE BE DANCING... |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Apr 16, 2012 - 12:34 johnjconn wrote: Come on,.,,,, Better than "Sugar Sugar" by The Archies? Better than "Kung Fu Fighting"? That's saying a lot Oh, yes, infinitely better... far more profound lyrically, and we be dancing... love this song... |
| johnjconn (chicago land) | Posted: Apr 16, 2012 - 12:30 romeotuma wrote: This is one of the best songs in the history of humanity... love this soooo much... thank you... Come on,.,,,, Better than "Sugar Sugar" by The Archies? Better than "Kung Fu Fighting"? That's saying a lot |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Mar 29, 2012 - 16:00 absolutely marvelous... love this song soooo much... |
| TJS (Bradley, Il) | Posted: Mar 21, 2012 - 08:06 Foot wrote: Sorry, love the Pretenders but this track doesn't stand the test of time. A rare RP song that I can completely do without...it's really bad 25-30 years after the fact. I couldn't disagree more. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Mar 21, 2012 - 08:00 This song is soooo good it puts a spring in my step this spring morning... |
| ScottFromWyoming (Powell) | Posted: Mar 21, 2012 - 07:52 ckcotton wrote: Unfortunately still a daily staple of the local KFOG in San Francisco...... Man is that station ever an insult to its own former greatness. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Mar 15, 2012 - 20:42 This is one of the best songs in the history of humanity... love this soooo much... thank you... |
| Marley (Portland, Or) | Posted: Feb 26, 2012 - 23:32 I could do without ever hearing this song again. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Feb 18, 2012 - 14:00 marvelous song... what memories... love it... |
| Sloggydog (UK) | Posted: Feb 13, 2012 - 01:59 romeotuma wrote: This song is soooo good my nipples get hard when I hear it... I know what you mean I think I may be lactating |
| ckcotton (Adding snarky comments since 2007) | Posted: Feb 09, 2012 - 08:11 sirdroseph wrote: If you were alive in 1982 and listened to the radio at all, you have heard this song a million times. In the 80s and 90s, there were very few eclectic choices on the radio so if you listened to any commercial radio at all, you HAD to hear this song a million times or more. Now?? Who knows? I have not disgraced the air that I breathe with any Clear channel station in 20 years or more so that may be the case now. Unfortunately still a daily staple of the local KFOG in San Francisco...... |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Feb 09, 2012 - 08:01 This song is soooo good my nipples get hard when I hear it... |
| georgelai01 (Singapore) | Posted: Jan 12, 2012 - 07:37 Just love everything about them. Chrissie Hynde and gang are no pretenders. |
| georgelai01 (Singapore) | Posted: Jan 12, 2012 - 07:36 Just love everything about them. Chrissie Hynde and gang are no pretenders. |
| Foot (NorCal / Wine) | Posted: Jan 08, 2012 - 18:26 Sorry, love the Pretenders but this track doesn't stand the test of time. A rare RP song that I can completely do without...it's really bad 25-30 years after the fact. |
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