Don't Get Me Wrong
Encyclopedia
"Don't Get Me Wrong" is a song released by the pop-rock group The Pretenders
. It was the first single taken from the group's 1986 album, Get Close
. It can also be found on the band's The Singles album, released in 1987.
In the US, "Don't Get Me Wrong" became the group's second Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100
chart, peaking at #10. Their first Top 10 pop hit, "Back on the Chain Gang
", had reached #5 in 1983. "Don't Get Me Wrong" also spent three weeks atop the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in November 1986. In the UK, the song also peaked at #10 in the UK Singles Chart
.
This song was more commercial than the band's usual sound, with a jangly guitar
sound and a pop melody. However, the lyrics were still as biting as their earlier material. It was covered
by British pop singer Lily Allen
for BBC Radio 1
's 40th anniversary celebrations in 2007 and was released on the subsequent compilation album
.
The music video for the song is a clear tribute to the British 1960s TV spy series The Avengers
, with Chrissie Hynde playing Emma Peel
in search of John Steed
(Patrick Macnee
appears in the original series' footage, with Hynde superimposed).
The Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
. It was the first single taken from the group's 1986 album, Get Close
Get Close
Get Close is the fourth album by rock group The Pretenders, released in 1986. Officially, the band for this album now consisted of Chrissie Hynde , Robbie McIntosh , T.M. Stevens and Blair Cunningham ; however, this line-up played on only five of the album's eleven tracks...
. It can also be found on the band's The Singles album, released in 1987.
In the US, "Don't Get Me Wrong" became the group's second Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, peaking at #10. Their first Top 10 pop hit, "Back on the Chain Gang
Back on the Chain Gang
"Back on the Chain Gang" is a song by the English-American band The Pretenders, released as single by Sire Records in November 1982. The song was also released on The King of Comedy soundtrack album in March 1983 and later included on The Pretenders' next album Learning to Crawl in January 1984...
", had reached #5 in 1983. "Don't Get Me Wrong" also spent three weeks atop the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in November 1986. In the UK, the song also peaked at #10 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
This song was more commercial than the band's usual sound, with a jangly guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
sound and a pop melody. However, the lyrics were still as biting as their earlier material. It was covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by British pop singer Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
for BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's 40th anniversary celebrations in 2007 and was released on the subsequent compilation album
Radio 1 Established 1967
The compilation album Radio 1 Established 1967 is a collection of covers especially recorded for Radio 1 by a number of artists. The album celebrates the 40th anniversary of BBC Radio 1. There are 40 songs recorded by 40 different artists . Each artist was given a year, and were allowed to cover a...
.
The music video for the song is a clear tribute to the British 1960s TV spy series The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
, with Chrissie Hynde playing Emma Peel
Emma Peel
Emma Peel was a fictional spy played by Diana Rigg in the British 1960s adventure television series The Avengers. She was born Emma Knight, the daughter of an industrialist, Sir John Knight.-Casting:...
in search of John Steed
John Steed
John Steed is a fictional character and the central protagonist on the popular British series The Avengers and The New Avengers, played by Patrick Macnee and Ralph Fiennes in the movie....
(Patrick Macnee
Patrick Macnee
Patrick Macnee is an English actor, best known for his role as the secret agent John Steed in the series The Avengers.-Early life:...
appears in the original series' footage, with Hynde superimposed).
Appearances in other media
- The song was also played over the opening credits for the 1986 film Gung HoGung Ho (film)Gung Ho is a 1986 Ron Howard comedy film, released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Michael Keaton and Gedde Watanabe. The film's story portrayed the takeover of an American car plant by a Japanese corporation...
. - It was also included in the 1997 film Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion.
- A version of the song(minus vocals) was used for wrestler Chris JerichoChris JerichoChristopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
for his match against referee Nick PatrickNick PatrickNick Patrick may refer to:* Nick Patrick , British actor* Nick Patrick , music producer* Nicholas Patrick, British-born NASA astronaut* Nick Hamilton, wrestling referee whose stage name is Nick Patrick...
at the 1996 edition of WCW World War 3WCW World War 3World War 3 was an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Championship Wrestling. The pay-per-view's title also was the name of its signature match, a three-ring, sixty-man battle royal which was their answer to the World Wrestling Federation's Royal Rumble. The event...
. - The song appears on the soundtrack of the movie Going the Distance (2010 film)Going the Distance (2010 film)Going the Distance is a 2010 romantic comedy film directed by Nanette Burstein, and starring Justin Long and Drew Barrymore. The movie began filming in New York City in July 2009, and was released on September 3, 2010.-Plot:...
with Drew BarrymoreDrew BarrymoreDrew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
and Justin LongJustin LongJustin Jacob Long is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his roles in the Hollywood films Galaxy Quest, Jeepers Creepers, Dodgeball, Live Free or Die Hard, He's Just Not That into You, Drag Me to Hell, and Youth in Revolt, and his personification of a Mac in Apple's "Get a...
.