Formed in 1978 in London, the original band Hynde, lead and rhythm guitarist James Honeyman-Scott (died 1982), bassist Pete Farndon (died 1983), and drummer Martin Chambers. Save for Hynde, a native of Akron, Ohio, the original band members were all from the U.K. This band was fractured by the drug-related deaths of Honeyman-Scott and Farndon. Since then, numerous subsequent personnel changes have taken place over the years, with Hynde as the sole constant.
With Hynde at the helm, the band experienced a critical resurgence with a trio of albums released between the mid-90s and early 00s that explored a more mature side of the band’s classic sound.
In 2008, the Pretenders' album Break Up the Concrete was released through Shangri-La Music. It was the band's first Top 40 album in the US in 22 years.
In September 2012, as part of the entertainment line-up for the 2012 Singapore Grand Prix, the Pretenders re-grouped with Hynde and Chambers from the original line-up, along with Nick Wilkinson, James Walbourne and Eric Heywood.
Downtown
The Pretenders Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby, the heart of the city
Meet me in a fire fight
Of lusty boys in candlelight
Beat to the heart, baby the heart of the city
Veins pop and cry for more
And lick it off the killing floor
D-d-d-downtown c'mon
D-d-d-downtown c'mon
D-d-d-d-downtown Akron!
Move to the beat. baby the beat of the city
Rubber glove me when you love me
Promise me protection
Dance to the heat, baby the heat of the city
Glorify my oozing head
And raise me from the living dead
D-d-d-downtown c'mon
D-d-d-downtown c'mon
D-d-d-downtown c'mon
D-d-d-d-downtown Akron!
Downtown me - baby strip me
Chop me, adopt me, bend me like a rubber dolly
Downtown me - demolition me
Raise me, appraise me, the portage hotel and me
Downtown me - with a lobotomy
Take me to the Cuyahoga valley and make a man of me
Get to the heart, baby the heart of the city
Say you love it when you shove it
Don't be sentimental
Move to the heart, baby - the heart of the city
This is where the future lies
Beneath the burning sulfur skies
D-d-d-downtown c'mon
D-d-d-downtown c'mon
D-d-d-downtown c'mon
D-d-d-d-downtown Akron!
The lyrics to The Pretenders' "Downtown" speak of the desire to experience the heart of the city, particularly the gritty, seedy, and dangerous parts. It is a call to meet up in the middle of a "fire fight of lusty boys in candlelight" which implies a hedonistic and chaotic setting. The language used in the song is provocative, with lines such as "Rubber glove me when you love me, promise me protection" and "Chop me, adopt me, bend me like a rubber dolly."
The song speaks of a desire to be taken to the extremes, to be "raised from the living dead" and "made a man of" in the Cuyahoga valley. The chorus is a repetitive and urgent call to action, insisting that one must go "D-d-d-d Downtown" to experience this thrilling lifestyle. Overall, the lyrics express a longing for an intense and dangerous experience, and the belief that the heart of the city is the place to find it.
Line by Line Meaning
Get to the heart
Let's go to the center of the city
Baby, the heart of the city
Let's go to the most important place in the city
Meet me in a fire fight
Meet me in a place where there's a lot going on sexually
Of lusty boys in candlelight
Lots of men trying to fulfill their lust in the darkness
Beat to the heart, baby the heart of the city
The pace of this meeting will match the emotions of city life
Veins pop and cry for more
Everyone is trying to feel vital in the city
And lick it off the killing floor
This city is intense, but we can still find pleasure in it
D-d-d-downtown c'mon
Let's go to the city center
Downtown me - baby strip me
I want the city to strip me of my personality
Chop me, adopt me, bend me like a rubber dolly
I want the city to mold me into whatever it wants
Downtown me - demolition me
I want the city to break me down and rebuild me
Raise me, appraise me, the portage hotel and me
I want to be valued based on how the city sees me
Downtown me - with a lobotomy
I want the city to take away my inhibitions
Take me to the Cuyahoga valley and make a man of me
I want to be shaped by the city's environment and culture
Move to the beat. baby the beat of the city
Let's dance to the rhythm of city life
Rubber glove me when you love me
We need to use protection in this dangerous city
Promise me protection
We need to promise to take care of each other
Dance to the heat, baby the heat of the city
We'll dance passionately, just like the city does
Glorify my oozing head
Let's celebrate our sexual desires
And raise me from the living dead
Together, we can find new life in this city
Say you love it when you shove it
Admit that you like things rough in the city
Don't be sentimental
In the city, we can't afford to be overly emotional
Move to the heart, baby - the heart of the city
Let's continue exploring the center of the city
This is where the future lies
The heart of the city is where things are always evolving and changing
Beneath the burning sulfur skies
The city may be harsh, but it's still beautiful
D-d-d-downtown c'mon
Let's keep going to the city center
D-d-d-d-downtown Akron!
Specifically, let's go to the city center of Akron!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Chrissie Hynde
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tommy Wells
on Get Out of London
I don't think this song will do for a studio album.
It's because of the producer, George Acogny. He's the song producer of the movie.