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and they've been all over the Japandroids and Bat for Lashes records. Not to mention the network's longstanding advocacy of Fiona Apple.
I'd say that "I'll Stand By You" has the same place in The Pretenders catalogue that "Wild, Wild, Life" has in Talking Heads'. Both singles are commercial hits several years removed from what is widely concieved as the prime of either groups career. And while neither song is a drastic departure from the band's earlier dicography, they are less adventurous, perhaps more conscious of corporate radio, than the bands eariler singles. Not that there's anything wrong with accessibility. Look, after I got into the first few Pretenders albums a few years ago, I stumbled onto "I'll Stand By You" for the first time in years and was somewhat surprised to see it was a Pretenders song. Hearing Chrissie's vocals, it totally makes sense, but before that I would have never guessed that would have been produced by the same group that did "Tattooed Love Boys." I like the song, it's on my ipad, but I swear to god, I used to confuse it with "What's Up." "I'll Stand By You" is a good song, a nice 90's love ballad, but this list reflects the fact that Chrissie wrote plenty of great songs that you will never mistake for a 4 Non-Blondes song. Definitely deserves a spot on the top ten "Best 'Bryan Adams' Songs That Are Better Than Any Actual Bryan Adams Song," but not here.
You know, I've never really loved that track, but the SNL performance completely won me over. Maybe it was the accompaniment, or the live choir, but I've changed my views.
I'm pretty sure that the song is a product of a jam session. That doesn't excuse any weaknesses, "Helter Skelter" was also the product of a jam session. But considering that it was probably shaped together quickly, by a bunch of guys who hadn't played together regularly for close to two decades, with another guy who had never played with the other guys... well, there's a reason it isn't "Helter Skelter." But just because something is frivilous doesn't mean that it can't be interesting or fun. You'd probably have a better time with the tune if you didn't interpose the qualative standards of an actual song. But maybe that's just one of the remaining vestiges of my jam-band worshipping teen years shining through. Anyways, I upvoted you even though I disagreed because your arguments were cogent and reasonably put.