Learning to Crawl

Infobox Album
Name = Learning to Crawl
Type = Studio album
Artist = The Pretenders


Released = start date|1984|1|17
Recorded = 1982–1983 at AIR Studios, London
Genre = Rock
Length = 44:19
Label = Sire
Producer = Chris Thomas
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3bkxu3u5an1k link]
*Robert Christgau (A-) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=pretenders link]
*Music Box Rating|5|5 [http://www.musicbox-online.com/reviews-2007/pretenders-learningtocrawl-07202007.html link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pretenders2/albums/album/216953/rid/5941913/ link]
Last album = "Pretenders II" (1981)
This album = "Learning to Crawl" (1984)
Next album = "Get Close" (1986)

After a more than two-year hiatus - during which time Pretenders members James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon both died of drug overdoses - new wave pioneers The Pretenders released their third album "Learning to Crawl" in 1984.

After Farndon's dismissal from the band and Honeyman-Scott's death, Chrissie Hynde (vocals, guitar) and Martin Chambers (drums) initially recruited Rockpile's Billy Bremner and Big Country's Tony Butler to fill out a caretaker line-up of The Pretenders in 1982. Bremner played guitar and Butler played bass on the band's September 1982 single "Back on the Chain Gang"/"My City Was Gone", both sides of which were later included on "Learning to Crawl". As the album sessions got under way, Bremner, The Rumour's Andrew Bodnar, and Paul Carrack (formerly of Squeeze, Ace and Roxy Music) played guitar, bass and piano respectively for the track "Thin Line Between Love and Hate."

Finally, Robbie McIntosh (guitar) and Malcolm Foster (bass) were recruited to join Hynde and Chambers, and the band was now officially a quartet. It was this line-up that recorded the majority of the tracks featured on "Learning to Crawl".

The November 1983 single "2000 Miles"/"Fast or Slow (The Law's the Law)" was the newly reconstituted foursome's first release, followed shortly by the full "Learning to Crawl" album in January 1984.

Track listing

All songs written by Chrissie Hynde, except as indicated.
# "Middle of the Road" – 4:08
# "Back on the Chain Gang" – 3:44
# "Time the Avenger" – 4:47
# "Watching the Clothes" – 2:46
# "Show Me" – 4:00
# "Thumbelina" – 3:12
# "My City Was Gone" – 5:14
# "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" (Richard Poindexter, Robert Poindexter, Jackie Members) – 3:33
# "I Hurt You" – 4:27
# "2000 Miles" – 3:30

Bonus tracks (Re-release)

#

"Fast or Slow (The Law's the Law)" (Martin Chambers) – 3:15
# "Tequila" – 3:35
# "I Hurt You" (Denmark Street Demo, August 1982) – 4:06
# "When I Change My Life" (Denmark Street Demo, August 1982) – 4:43
# "Ramblin' Rob" (Denmark Street Demo, August 1982) (Robbie McIntosh) – 3:32
# "My City Was Gone" (Live) – 4:53
# "Money (That's What I Want)" (Live at US Festival, May 1983) (Berry Gordy Jr., Janie Bradford) – 4:39

Personnel

*Chrissie Hynde – rhythm guitar, lead vocals
*Martin Chambers – drums, vocals
*Robbie McIntosh – lead guitar, backing vocals
*Malcolm Foster – bass guitar, backing vocals

Additional personnel

*Billy Bremner – lead guitar on "Back on the Chain Gang" and "My City Was Gone", rhythm guitar and vocals on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"
*Tony Butler – bass guitar on "Back on the Chain Gang" and "My City Was Gone"
*Andrew Bodnar – bass guitar and vocals on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"
*Paul Carrack – piano and vocals on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate"

Charts

Album