Don't Get Me Wrong

Last updated

"Don't Get Me Wrong"
Pretenders don't...jpg
Artwork for UK and European vinyl releases
Single by the Pretenders
from the album Get Close
B-side "Dance!"
ReleasedSeptember 22, 1986 (1986-09-22) [1]
Genre Rock [2]
Length3:49
Label
Songwriter(s) Chrissie Hynde
Producer(s)
The Pretenders singles chronology
"Thin Line Between Love and Hate"
(1984)		"Don't Get Me Wrong"
(1986)		"Hymn to Her"
(1986)
Music video
"Don't Get Me Wrong" on YouTube

"Don't Get Me Wrong" is a song by British-American alternative rock group the Pretenders. It was the first single released from the group's fourth studio album, Get Close (1986). It was also included on the band's The Singles album, released in 1987. Frontwoman Chrissie Hynde said she was inspired to write the song for her friend John McEnroe. [3]

Contents

Background

The song features a jangly guitar sound and an emphasis on melody. Hynde's lyrics contain literary references in addition to the more relationship-based subject matter typical for rock and pop music.

Reception

Billboard said that although Hynde is the only original Pretender remaining, this song represents "a pretty upbeat, strutting, confident Pretenders." [4] Cash Box praised Hynde's "sultry vocal" and "powerful songwriting." [5] Classic rock review describes "Don't Get Me Wrong" as a "jaunty rock track". [6] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matt Wardlaw rated it the Pretenders' eighth-greatest song, saying that it "[hammers] home the point rather succinctly that when it comes to love from the female point of view, it's best to expect the unexpected." [7]

Chart performance

In the United States, "Don't Get Me Wrong" became the group's second top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 10. [8] It also spent three weeks atop the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in November 1986. [9] In the United Kingdom, the song also peaked at No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart. [10] In Australia, it became a top-10 hit, reaching No. 8 on the Kent Music Report. [11]

Music video

The music video for the song is a tribute to the British 1960s TV spy series The Avengers , with Chrissie Hynde playing Emma Peel searching for John Steed, while being diverted by body doubles and rival agents. She drives a 1983 Reliant Scimitar SS1. Steed actor Patrick Macnee appears in the original series' footage, with Hynde electronically inserted. Two edits to the video were made, the second edit adds alternate shots (including a scene of one of the body doubles being revealed to be a woman) and inserts footage of the band performing in a studio.

Personnel

Additional personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Don't Get Me Wrong"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [23] Silver200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Covers

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Pretenders</span> British-American rock band

The Pretenders are a British-American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde, James Honeyman-Scott, Pete Farndon and Martin Chambers. Following the deaths of Honeyman-Scott in 1982 and Farndon in 1983, the band experienced numerous personnel changes; Hynde has been the band's only consistent member.

<i>Pretenders</i> (album) 1979 studio album by the Pretenders

Pretenders is the debut studio album by British-American band The Pretenders, released in 1979. A combination of rock and roll, punk and new wave music, this album made the band famous. The album features the singles "Stop Your Sobbing", "Kid" and "Brass in Pocket".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chrissie Hynde</span> American musician (born 1951)

Christine Ellen Hynde is an American-British musician. She is a founding member and the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band the Pretenders, and one of the band's two remaining original members alongside drummer Martin Chambers. She is the only continuous member of the band, appearing on every studio album.

<i>Pretenders II</i> 1981 studio album by The Pretenders

Pretenders II is the second studio album by British rock band the Pretenders, issued on Sire Records in August 1981. It incorporates two songs that had been released as singles in the UK and placed on an EP in the US. It peaked at #7 on the UK Albums Chart and #10 on the Billboard 200, and has been certified a gold record for sales by the RIAA. It is the final album by the original line-up, as the following year bassist Pete Farndon was dismissed and guitarist James Honeyman-Scott died in the same week. Farndon died in 1983, and a new line-up would make the band's next album, Learning to Crawl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Got You Babe</span> 1965 single by Sonny Bono & Cher

"I Got You Babe" is a song performed by American pop and entertainment duo Sonny & Cher and written by Sonny Bono. It was the first single taken from their debut studio album, Look at Us (1965). In August 1965, the single spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States where it sold more than one million copies and was certified Gold. It also reached number one in the United Kingdom and Canada.

<i>Learning to Crawl</i> 1984 studio album by the Pretenders

Learning to Crawl is the third studio album by British-American rock band the Pretenders. It was released on 13 January 1984 by Sire Records after a hiatus during which band members James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon died of drug overdoses. The album's title of "Learning to Crawl" was given in honour of Chrissie Hynde's then-infant daughter, Natalie Rae Hynde. She was learning to crawl at the time that Hynde was trying to determine a title for the album.

<i>Get Close</i> 1986 album by the Pretenders

Get Close is the fourth studio album by rock band the Pretenders, released on 20 October 1986 in the United Kingdom by Real Records and on 4 November 1986 in the United States by Sire Records. The album contains the band's two highest-charting Mainstream Rock Tracks entries, "Don't Get Me Wrong" and "My Baby", both of which reached number one.

<i>Last of the Independents</i> 1994 studio album by the Pretenders

Last of the Independents is the sixth studio album by English-American rock group the Pretenders, released in 1994. For this album, the band is officially credited as being Chrissie Hynde, Adam Seymour (guitar), Andy Hobson (bass) and Martin Chambers (drums). However, this line-up only plays together on one track ; the rest of the album is performed by Hynde and Seymour in conjunction with a rotating series of musicians on bass and drums. These musicians include Hobson and Chambers, as well as bassists Andy Rourke, Tom Kelly and David Paton, and drummers Jimmy Copley and J.F.T. Hood. A few other session musicians also appear, including Ian Stanley, and one-time Pretenders guitarist Robbie McIntosh, who plays alongside Hynde and Seymour on "I'm a Mother". The album marked the official return of Chambers, who had been fired by Hynde eight years prior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brass in Pocket</span> 1979 single by the Pretenders

"Brass in Pocket", also known as "Brass in Pocket (I'm Special)", is a song by English–American rock band the Pretenders, released in 1979 as the third single from their self-titled debut album. It was written by Chrissie Hynde and James Honeyman-Scott, and produced by Chris Thomas. Originating as a guitar lick written by Honeyman-Scott, the song's lyrics were explained by Hynde to be about the cockiness that one needs to effectively perform. The song's title derives from a phrase she overheard after a show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Back on the Chain Gang</span> 1982 single by The Pretenders

"Back on the Chain Gang" is a song written by Chrissie Hynde and originally recorded by her band the Pretenders, and released as a single by Sire Records in September 1982. The song also was released on The King of Comedy soundtrack album in March 1983 and later was included on the Pretenders' next album, Learning to Crawl, in January 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle of the Road (song)</span> 1983 single by The Pretenders

"Middle of the Road" is a song by the Pretenders, released as the third single from the album Learning to Crawl. The single was released in the US in November 1983, then in the UK in February 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 Miles</span> 1983 single by Pretenders

"2000 Miles" is a song by British-American rock band Pretenders. Written by lead vocalist Chrissie Hynde and produced by Chris Thomas, it was released on 18 November 1983 as the second single from their third studio album, Learning to Crawl (1984). It was most popular in the UK, where it peaked at No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1983. In the US, it was released as the B-side of both the 7-inch single and 12-inch single remix of the band's hit "Middle of the Road".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kid (Pretenders song)</span> 1979 single by The Pretenders

"Kid" is a song written by Chrissie Hynde that was released on the Pretenders 1979 debut album Pretenders. Hynde wrote the song about a fictional boy discovering that his mother is a prostitute. The song's melodicism was attributed by guitarist James Honeyman-Scott to Hynde's growing interest in pop music. Honeyman-Scott wrote the song's solo, which he had designed over a couple of days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Precious (Pretenders song)</span> 1980 single by The Pretenders

"Precious" is a song written by Chrissie Hynde and performed by her band the Pretenders. First released on the band's self-titled debut album in late 1979, the song features punk-inspired music and aggressive lyrics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Baby (Pretenders song)</span> 1987 single by The Pretenders

"My Baby" is a song written by Chrissie Hynde that was originally released on the Pretenders 1986 album Get Close. "My Baby" was included on the Pretenders' 1987 compilation album The Singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hymn to Her</span> 1987 single by the Pretenders

"Hymn to Her" is a song that was first released from British–American rock band the Pretenders' fourth studio album, Get Close (1986). It was written by Meg Keene, a high school friend of Pretenders' lead singer Chrissie Hynde. "Hymn to Her" was released as a single in the UK and reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart. According to AllMusic critic Matthew Greenwald, the song has remained popular on adult contemporary radio stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Show Me (Pretenders song)</span> 1984 single by The Pretenders

"Show Me" is a song written by Chrissie Hynde and first recorded by British-American rock band Pretenders for their 1984 album Learning to Crawl. It was released in 1984 as the fourth single from the album, reaching No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 8 on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart. It was not released as a single in the UK.

<i>Stockholm</i> (Chrissie Hynde album) 2014 studio album by Chrissie Hynde

Stockholm is the debut solo album by American singer Chrissie Hynde, lead singer of the Pretenders. It was released on June 10, 2014. It features several guests such as Canadian musician Neil Young and former tennis player John McEnroe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talk of the Town (Pretenders song)</span> 1980 single by The Pretenders

"Talk of the Town" is a song written by Chrissie Hynde and performed by the Pretenders. Released first as a single and then on the Pretenders' 1981 EP Extended Play, a slightly shortened version of the song was included on the band's 1981 album Pretenders II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Message of Love</span> 1981 single by The Pretenders

"Message of Love" is a song written by Chrissie Hynde and performed by the Pretenders. Released first as a single and then on the Pretenders' 1981 EP Extended Play, it was later re-released on the band's 1981 album Pretenders II.

References

  1. ↑ "New Singles". Music Week . September 20, 1986. p. 28.
  2. ↑ "Get Close by the Pretenders – Classic Rock Review".
  3. ↑ "How Chrissie Hynde Wrote 'Don't Get Me Wrong' for John McEnroe". Ultimate Classic Rock. December 5, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Reviews". Billboard . October 11, 1986. p. 85. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. October 11, 1986. p. 9. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Get Close by the Pretenders – Classic Rock Review".
  7. ↑ Wardlaw, Matt (September 7, 2011). "Top 10 Pretenders songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . December 27, 1986. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  9. 1 2 "Mainstream Rock Airplay". Billboard. November 8, 1986. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  11. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 238. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  12. ↑ "The Pretenders – Don't Get Me Wrong" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0759." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  14. ↑ "European Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media . Vol. 3, no. 46. November 22, 1986. p. 15.
  15. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't Get Me Wrong". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 47, 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  17. ↑ "The Pretenders – Don't Get Me Wrong" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  18. ↑ "The Pretenders – Don't Get Me Wrong". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Adult Contemporary" . Billboard. December 13, 1986. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Pretenders – Don't Get Me Wrong" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1986" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 52. December 26, 1987. p. Y-22. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  23. ↑ "British single certifications – Pretenders – Don't Get Me Wrong". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  24. ↑ "JFH News: Leigh Nash Debuts New Single, "Don't Get Me Wrong"". www.jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  25. ↑ "The Magicians star breaks down the musical episode, from hungry bears to Margo's evolution". www.ew.com. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.