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.
Talk Of The Town
The Pretenders Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One thing leads to another I know
Was a time wanted you for mine
Nobody knew
You arrived like a day
And passed like a cloud
I made a wish, I said it out loud
Out loud in a crowd
It was the talk of the town
It's not my place to know what you feel
I'd like to know but why should I?
Who were you then, who are you now?
Common laborer by night, by day highbrow
Back in my room I wonder, then I
Sit on the bed, look at the sky
Up in the sky
Clouds rearrange
Like the talk of the town
Maybe tomorrow, maybe someday
Maybe tomorrow, maybe someday
You've changed your place in this world
You've changed your place in this world
Oh but it's hard to live by the rules
I never could and still never do
The rules and such never bothered you
You call the shots and they follow
I watch you still from a distance then go
Back to my room, you never know
I want you, I want you but now
Who's the talk of the town?
Maybe tomorrow, maybe someday
Maybe tomorrow, maybe someday
You've changed your place in this world
You've changed your place in this world
The Pretenders' classic hit "Talk Of The Town" is a song about the pangs of unrequited love. The lyrics describe the singer's intense desire for someone who is both out of reach and mysterious. The opening lines perfectly capture the complexity of the situation: "Such a drag to want something sometime / One thing leads to another I know / Was a time wanted you for mine / Nobody knew." The lines suggest that the singer has been harboring these feelings for a long time and has kept them hidden from everyone.
The singer's feelings toward the object of their affection are amplified by the fact that this person is something of an enigma. The lyrics describe them as appearing "like a day / And passed like a cloud." This person is unpredictable and hard to pin down. The singer has made a wish to be with this person, but doesn't reveal it directly to them. "Out loud in a crowd / Everybody heard / It was the talk of the town" suggests that the singer's wish has become public knowledge, possibly making the situation even more complicated.
The repetition of the lines "Maybe tomorrow, maybe someday / You've changed your place in this world" at the end of the song implies that the singer hasn't given up hope of one day being with this person, but recognizes that it might be unlikely. The song ends with the line "Who's the talk of the town?", leaving the question of the object of the singer's affection open-ended.
Line by Line Meaning
Such a drag to want something sometime
It's frustrating to have desires that may not be fulfilled easily.
One thing leads to another I know
I understand that one desire may lead to another, creating a chain reaction of wants.
Was a time wanted you for mine
There was a time when I desired to be with you.
Nobody knew
My desire was secret and unknown to others.
You arrived like a day
You came into my life suddenly and brightly like the arrival of a new day.
And passed like a cloud
However, your presence in my life was fleeting and brief like the passing of a cloud.
I made a wish, I said it out loud
I expressed my desire out loud, like making a wish, hoping that it would come true.
Out loud in a crowd
I shared my desire for you, openly and in front of others.
Everybody heard
My desire for you became the talk of the town as everyone heard about it.
It was the talk of the town
My desire for you became a popular topic of conversation in the town.
It's not my place to know what you feel
I am not entitled to know your feelings, even though I may want to.
I'd like to know but why should I?
Though I may want to know your feelings, I recognize that it is not necessary for me to know.
Who were you then, who are you now?
I wonder who you were and who you have become over time.
Common laborer by night, by day highbrow
You work a menial job at night but have a respectable profession during the day.
Back in my room I wonder, then I
I go back to my room and wonder some more about you.
Sit on the bed, look at the sky
I sit on the bed, gazing at the sky above, lost in thought.
Up in the sky
I look up to the vast expanse of the sky.
Clouds rearrange
The clouds in the sky move and change shape.
Like the talk of the town
Like the buzz surrounding my desire for you, the clouds in the sky are constantly changing.
Maybe tomorrow, maybe someday
Perhaps in the future, my desire for you will be fulfilled.
You've changed your place in this world
You have moved on and evolved as a person since our time together.
Oh but it's hard to live by the rules
Following societal norms and regulations can be challenging.
I never could and still never do
I have never been able to conform to these societal norms, even now.
The rules and such never bothered you
You have always been more adept at following societal norms and regulations without issue.
You call the shots and they follow
You have a commanding presence and others are willing to follow your lead.
I watch you still from a distance then go
I still observe you from afar, but then I leave.
Back to my room, you never know
I keep my emotions and observations of you to myself, as you are unaware.
I want you, I want you but now
My desire for you still exists, but it exists in the present rather than the past.
Who's the talk of the town?
Who or what is currently the subject of gossip and discussion within the town?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHRISTINE HYNDE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jeffreybarkin3177
CHRISSY is and SHOULD be referred to as "Legendary" for her #Songwriting and contributions to establishing #Women in #Rock, and I don't think this could EVER be Overstated....
Any Thoughts?
CHRISSY always SEEMS prepared to Challenge convention and Directly Confront our global issues, often with Real #sensitivity and #Conviction.
Thank You CHRISSY for such INCREDIBLE Work!!!!!
#rockmatters #rocknroll #legend #rockwomen #leadership
@chevy2003ism
"Talk Of The Town"
Such a drag to want something sometime
One thing leads to another I know
Was a time wanted you for mine
Nobody knew
You arrived like a day
And passed like a cloud
I made a wish, I said it out loud
Out loud in a crowd
Everybody heard
'twas the talk of the town
It's not my place to know what you feel
I'd like to know but why should i?
Who were you then, who are you now?
Common labourer by night, by day highbrow
Back in my room I wonder, then i
Sit on the bed, look at the sky
Up in the sky
Clouds rearrange
Like the talk of the town
Maybe tomorrow, maybe someday
Maybe tomorrow, maybe someday
You've changed your place in this world
You've changed your place in this world
Oh but it's hard to live by the rules
I never could and still never do
The rules and such never bothered you
You call the shots and they follow
I watch you still from a distance then go
Back to my room, you never know
I want you, I want you but now
Who's the talk of the town?
@lyndraski4152
Just an American girl here from 1981. I was so blown away by this band and Chrissie Hynde. I thought she broke all stereotypes of what a woman should be in rockand I admired her so much for that. So many good songs, such a good band, they still amaze me today.
@Storytime2023x
She broke the glass ceiling. 😂
@lyndraski4152
Well. I didn't to blab on, but I will. The Pretenders came to the University of Virginia in 1981. Not a lot of people attended the concert; UVa was still stuck in early '60's music, due to its largely preppy population at the time. But you can damn straight I was there. The next day, my phone rings. A sorority sister, who was a student leader on grounds and knew I was a Pretenders freak, said "hey, you wanna drive the Pretenders to the airport?" Mind you, I had never driven on a highway yet in my life. I wasn't going to let THAT stop me. When I got to the hotel. Chrissie was standing on the curb, just glaring at me (I was wearing a ruffled blouse and long blonde curled hair - I wasn't a Hells Kitchen NYC punk girl.) The original bassist and guitarist got in the car the school gave me, and I was awestruck the whole way. I don't know how I got there. I hate to say, but it's funny now; they smelled so bad - no shower obviously for a few days, a lot of drinking and smoking, and after playing Charlottesville, I think they just wanted to get the hell out of there ASAP. I'll never forget it though. Chrissie - it was an honor, and I wish the guys were still alive. A couple of years later, everyone was talking about what a "genius" and a "feminist" Madonna was, and she was, in her own pop tart way, but Chrissie was the real deal: she left OH for London and formed and led the band, she wrote the songs, she could really play and didn't give a f*ck what the white male status quo in rock thought. And she didn't have to dress and dance suggestively to sell her music and herself.
@kevinkeane335
Didn't care if her mascara ran. She just laid it all on the line and was all about the music. If you want to be a rock star, be a rock star. If you want to be a model, don't pretend (no pun intended) to be a rock star. That is why she is respected in the music world...👍😉
@randywilson944
Tom Petty sang about you 🇺🇸 👩
@timothyslaughter476
Bad ass!!!
@AnthonyRosas
Peak Pretenders for me and I love all there songs. Chrissy's lush vibrato, the band tight af and this song showcases everyone's musical prowess.
@john-do1cw
Chrissie's voice is like a lullaby.
It makes this grown man's heart melt.
@NormAppleton
Her voice clicks so well with Honeyman-Scott. Not that Chrissie isn't great on guitar.
It's just sad
@user-to9jo2oq2f
this is so good