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.
Watching The Clothes
The Pretenders Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mmm, everyone's having fun
I'm down at the laundromat
Trying to get my washing done
Like I done before
Time and time again
Watching the clothes go 'round
Another week sees its end
Watching the clothes go 'round
Watching the clothes go 'round
Watching the clothes go 'round
Watching the clothes go 'round
Oh, I've been working hard
Mmm, trying to make some money
"would you like sour cream
On your potato, honey?"
I been kissing ass
Trying to keep it clean
Serving the middle class
Yeah, it's a clean routine
Watching the clothes go 'round
Watching the clothes go 'round
Watching the clothes go 'round
Watching the clothes go 'round
There go the whites
Mmm, getting whiter
There go the colors
Getting brighter
There go the dedicates
Through the final rinse
There goes my Saturday night
I go without a fight
Watching the clothes go 'round
Watching the clothes go 'round
Watching the clothes go 'round
Watching the clothes go 'round
The Pretenders' song "Watching The Clothes" is a reflection of the monotony and routine of daily life, particularly the mundane task of doing laundry. The lyrics describe the singer spending a Saturday night doing laundry at the laundromat, while everyone else is out having fun. The repetition of "Watching the clothes go 'round" reinforces the drudgery and boredom of the task. The singer also mentions working hard to make money and serving the middle class, which suggests an unfulfilling job or lifestyle. However, the satisfaction of seeing the whites getting whiter and the colors getting brighter shows that there is some sense of accomplishment in completing the task.
The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the societal expectations of conformity and routine, and the sacrifices one must make to maintain them. The mundane task of doing laundry symbolizes the monotony of life, and the pressure to conform to societal norms can be suffocating. Despite this, the singer goes without a fight, accepting the routine and finding satisfaction in completing the task.
Overall, "Watching The Clothes" is a reflective and introspective song that examines the monotony of daily life, and the sacrifices one must make to conform to societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Saturday night
The singer is stating that it is Saturday night
Mmm, everyone's having fun
The singer recognizes that other people are having fun, but not them
I'm down at the laundromat
The singer is at the laundromat
Trying to get my washing done
The singer is doing their laundry
Like I done before
The singer has done their laundry at the laundromat in the past
Time and time again
The singer has done this routine repeatedly
Watching the clothes go 'round
The singer is observing the movement of their laundry in the washing machine
Another week sees its end
The singer notes the passage of time and the end of another week
Oh, I've been working hard
The singer has been working hard
Mmm, trying to make some money
The singer is trying to make money
"would you like sour cream
The singer is quoting the words of someone asking a question
On your potato, honey?"
The question is about sour cream on a potato
I been kissing ass
The singer has been working hard and trying to please others
Trying to keep it clean
The singer is working hard to maintain a good reputation
Serving the middle class
The singer is describing the type of people they serve at their job
Yeah, it's a clean routine
The singer's job involves keeping things tidy and orderly
There go the whites
The singer's white clothes are being washed
Mmm, getting whiter
The singer is observing that their white clothes are becoming whiter
There go the colors
The singer's colored clothes are being washed
Getting brighter
The singer is observing that their colored clothes are becoming brighter
There go the dedicates
The singer's delicate clothes are being washed
Through the final rinse
The clothes have gone through the final rinse cycle
There goes my Saturday night
The singer has given up their Saturday night to do laundry
I go without a fight
The singer has accepted their situation and is not resisting it
Watching the clothes go 'round
The singer is still observing their laundry's movement in the washing machine
Watching the clothes go 'round
Repeating the previous line to emphasize the monotony of the task
Watching the clothes go 'round
Repeating the previous line to emphasize the monotony of the task
Watching the clothes go 'round
Repeating the previous line to emphasize the monotony of the task
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CHRISTINE 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.