The Pretenders is an English-American rock band founded in Hereford, United… Read Full Bio ↴The Pretenders is an English-American rock band founded in Hereford, United Kingdom that came to prominence during the punk and new wave movement of the late 1970s due to their innovative songwriting and charismatic performances. Since then, the band has experienced drug-related losses and numerous subsequent personnel changes, with American-born group founder, songwriter, vocalist, and rhythm guitarist Chrissie Hynde as the only consistent member.

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.

I Hurt You
The Pretenders Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

See how she enters
The room like a diva
If you said she was damaged
I wouldn't believe ya
Laughing and joking, a real superstar

Oh, you can't hurt a fool
Well, don't even try

Because genuine fools
Don't play by the rules
And she
Won't reconsider
Whoa, oh, oh, you can't hurt a fool

The first thing betrays
A fool is her tongue
Slipping and tripping
And coming undone
But something is missing
Something ain't right

Oh, you can't hurt a fool
Well, don't even try
'Cause genuine fools
Don't play by the rules
And she
Won't reconsider
Whoa, oh, oh, you can't hurt a fool

And a fool never gives it away
And a fool, don't believe what she'll say
A fool never puts a foot wrong
She's living her dream and singing her song

Look at her now, she's centre stage
Too old to know better
Too young for her age
Mixed up as a litter of dangerous breeds

Oh, oh, you can't hurt a fool
Well, don't even try
'Cause genuine fools
Don't play by the rules
And she
Won't reconsider
Oh, oh, oh, you can't hurt a fool

Whoa, oh, oh, you can't hurt a fool
Whoa, oh, oh, you can't hurt a fool

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Pretenders' song "I Hurt You" are an exploration of the nature of fools and the challenges of loving them. The singer describes a woman who enters a room with confidence and charisma, seemingly unaware of any damage she may have suffered in the past. The singer acknowledges that this woman may be a fool, as evidenced by her slip-ups and tendency to bend or break the rules.

However, while the singer recognizes the risks of loving a fool, she also asserts that such individuals are impervious to harm. Fools, the singer suggests, live by their own codes and don't play by the rules of others. They may make mistakes or contradict themselves, but they are ultimately immune to the pain that others may inflict upon them.

Despite this bravado, the song acknowledges that a fool may still be "mixed up as a litter of dangerous breeds" and face significant challenges in life. Ultimately, however, the singer celebrates the strength and resilience of fools, and implies that they are worth loving despite the risks.

Overall, "I Hurt You" is a complex and nuanced exploration of the nature of love and foolishness, and how those two concepts intersect and collide in our lives.

Line by Line Meaning

See how she enters
Observing the way she comes into the room

The room like a diva
She enters like a superstar

If you said she was damaged
If someone told you she was hurt

I wouldn't believe ya
You wouldn't believe them

Laughing and joking, a real superstar
She's acting happy and confident like a real celebrity

Oh, you can't hurt a fool
You can't harm someone who is foolish

Well, don't even try
Don't even attempt to harm them

Because genuine fools
The ones who are truly foolish

Don't play by the rules
Don't follow the usual ways of life

And she
The woman being talked about

Won't reconsider
Won't change her mind

Whoa, oh, oh, you can't hurt a fool
It's impossible to hurt her

The first thing betrays
Her first mistake is her biggest tell

A fool is her tongue
She can't control her words very well

Slipping and tripping
Making clumsy errors while speaking

And coming undone
Her emotions start to break through

But something is missing
She's incomplete in some way

Something ain't right
Something is wrong

And a fool never gives it away
She never reveals her true feelings

And a fool, don't believe what she'll say
She can't be trusted completely

A fool never puts a foot wrong
She never makes a mistake

She's living her dream and singing her song
She's doing what makes her happy

Look at her now, she's centre stage
She's the center of attention

Too old to know better
She's past the age where she should know better

Too young for her age
Or maybe she's too young to be that jaded

Mixed up as a litter of dangerous breeds
She's confused

Oh, oh, you can't hurt a fool
You can't hurt her

Whoa, oh, oh, you can't hurt a fool
She's impervious to harm

Whoa, oh, oh, you can't hurt a fool
There's no way to hurt her

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chrissie Hynde, James Steven Walbourne

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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