The 1982 Rock Hit That Was Recorded by a “Traumatized” and Newly Reshaped Band

For as larger-than-life as rockstars can seem, they’re only human. Consequently, some bands and their members will crumble under the weight of tragedy, loss, or upheaval—and understandably so. Other times, these bands will double down on their grandiose persona and live up to its size, rising above the hardships and reaching new success. In 1982, The Pretenders proved they were determined enough to earn a place in the latter camp with the release of their all-time biggest American hit, “Back On The Chain Gang”.

The Pretenders released “Back On The Chain Gang” as the lead single from the British rock ‘n’ rollers’ third studio album, Learning To Crawl. However, the song had previously appeared on the soundtrack for The King Of Comedy. The song was a tremendous success. It peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the RPM Top Singles of Canada. “Back On The Chain Gang” also achieved Top 40 success in Ireland, Australia, Belgium, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

This success would have been impressive enough on its own. But given the circumstances around the song’s production and release, the feat is all the more incredible.

The Pretenders Were “Traumatized” During the Making of “Back on the Chain Gang”

Just before Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde wrote what would become the band’s biggest hit in the States, the group itself was in immense turmoil. After years of struggling with bassist Pete Farndon’s substance abuse disorder, the band made the decision to fire him. Only two days later, the band’s lead guitarist, James Honeyman-Scott, died from a drug overdose. The irony was painful, especially since Honeyman-Scott had advocated for Farndon’s dismissal.

“I was traumatized at the loss of my two best friends,” Hynde said in an interview with In The Studio With Redbeard. On top of dealing with a major personal and professional loss, Hynde was also pregnant. The amount of change happening at once would be enough to bring even a reasonably strong person to their knees. Yet, she continued.

Amidst her grief, Hynde penned “Back On The Chain Gang” as a memorial to the late guitarist. “I was just getting on with it at the time,” Hynde said. The song helped Hynde process her emotions, with lines like “I found a picture of you, those were the happiest days of my life / Like a break in the battle was your part / In the wretched life of a lonely heart / Now I’m back on the train, yeah / Back on the chain gang.”

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