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.
Thumbelina
The Pretenders Lyrics
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When we get to Tucson you'll see why
We left the snowstorms and the thunder and rain
For the desert sun, we're gonna be born again
What's important in this world
A little boy, a little girl
Hush little darling, go to sleep
That dot the hillsides and the fields of wheat
Across America as we cross America
What's important here today
The broken line on the highway
All the love in the world for you, girl
Thumbelina in a great big scary world
All the love in the world for you, girl
Take my hand and we'll make it through this world
Hush little baby, my poor little thing
You've been shuffled about like a pawned wedding ring
It must seem strange, love was here then gone
And the Oklahoma sunrise becomes the Amarillo dawn
What's important in this life
Ask the man who's lost his wife
The Pretenders' song Thumbelina is a song about a journey, both physical and emotional. The lyrics describe the singer traveling across America with a child, possibly their own, leaving behind the bad weather in search of a new beginning in the desert sun. The singer reassures the child to sleep by looking out the window and counting the sheep, a calming image of the open countryside they are passing.
The chorus repeats the phrase "All the love in the world for you, girl," perhaps directed towards the child and the hope that the love they have to offer will be enough to guide them through the scary world. The lyrics also reflect on the transience of love and the importance of cherishing what we have before it's gone. Overall, the song is about finding hope and love amidst the uncertain journey of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Hush little baby, don't you cry
Please be quiet, baby, and don't cry
When we get to Tucson you'll see why
You'll understand why we're going to Tucson when we arrive there
We left the snowstorms and the thunder and rain
We departed from the unpleasantness of snow storms and storms with thunder and rain
For the desert sun, we're gonna be born again
We're going to be reborn under the sun in the desert
What's important in this world
What is significant in this world
A little boy, a little girl
A small child or children
Hush little darling, go to sleep
Please be quiet, my dear, and go to sleep
Look out the window and count the sheep
Gaze through the window and count the sheep
That dot the hillsides and the fields of wheat
That are scattered about on the hillsides and fields of wheat
Across America as we cross America
As we journey across America
What's important here today
What is significant today
The broken line on the highway
The damaged line on the highway
All the love in the world for you, girl
I have an abundance of love in this world for you, my daughter
Thumbelina in a great big scary world
Feeling small and vulnerable in a large and frightening world
Take my hand and we'll make it through this world
Take my hand, and we'll manage to get through this world
Hush little baby, my poor little thing
Please be quiet, my poor little one
You've been shuffled about like a pawned wedding ring
You've been moved around like a wedding ring that has been pawned
It must seem strange, love was here then gone
It must appear peculiar that love was once present but then vanished
And the Oklahoma sunrise becomes the Amarillo dawn
The sunrise in Oklahoma turns to the dawn in Amarillo
What's important in this life
What is significant in this life
Ask the man who's lost his wife
Inquire of the man who has lost his wife
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing 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.