I’ve never paid much attention to The Pretenders, in part because my wife has a visceral dislike of lead singer Chrissie Hynde (to clarify, it’s Hynde’s voice she dislikes, not the woman herself). I’m not sure why that matters all that much, because my wife dislikes many of the musical acts I enjoy, but it’s one reason I’ve neglected to explore the band’s music.

Another reason is my own dislike for the song ‘I’ll Stand by You,’ one of those syrupy power ballads either speaks to you on a deep emotional level or makes you want to wretch.

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