Learning to Crawl
Studio album by The Pretenders
Released 1983 (UK), January 17, 1984 (USA)
Recorded 1982–1983 at AIR Studios, London
Genre Rock
Length 44:19
Label Sire
Producer Chris Thomas
Professional reviews
* Allmusic 5/5 stars link
* Robert Christgau (A-) link
* Music Box 5/5 stars link
* Rolling Stone 4/5 stars
Learning to Crawl is the Pretenders' third album, released in 1984 after a two-year hiatus—during which time band members James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon both died of drug overdoses.
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.
Chrissie Hynde named the album "Learning to Crawl" because her daughter, Natalie Rae Hynde, was learning to crawl while trying to determine a name for the album.
Track listing=
All songs written by Chrissie Hynde, except as indicated.
1. "Middle of the Road" – 4:08
2. "Back on the Chain Gang" – 3:44
3. "Time the Avenger" – 4:47
4. "Watching the Clothes" – 2:46
5. "Show Me" – 4:00
6. "Thumbelina" – 3:12
7. "My City Was Gone" – 5:14
8. "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" (Richard Poindexter, Robert Poindexter, Jackie Members) – 3:33
9. "I Hurt You" – 4:27
10. "2000 Miles" – 3:30
Personnel
* Chrissie Hynde – rhythm guitar, lead vocals, harmonica
* 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"