precious

Song

By The Pretenders

Track 1 on Pretenders (1980)

This is probably the song that that epitomizes Chrissie Hynde's punk attitude and sexual aggression and is a highlight of the band's early work. I jumped on the Pretenders bandwagon a little late (1982, after original members Honeyman-Scott and Farndon had died), and I was familiar with and liked their more radio-friendly songs (e.g. Brass in Pocket, Talk of the Town), but being a poor college student, I didn't go any farther with it. I didn't actually buy this album until the early 90's. When I first played it, the attitude and energy completely took me by surprise. I had never heard the song before (the non radio-friendly words in the lyrics notwithstanding) but it became one of my favorite songs. I also appreciated the Cleveland references, being from the area myself. I was pleasantly surprised to see them do this song live in 1998, and even though Chrissie was pushing 50, it still had that youthful attitude and energy.

Precious

Written by Chrissie Hynde

The line breaks are mine

I like the way you cross the street 'cause you're
Precious 
Moving through the Cleveland heat how
Precious 
Taking rides and all the kicks was so
Precious 
But you know i was shittin' bricks 'cause I'm
Precious

Make me boy
Make me wanna
Make me make it 
Oh, you're so mean

East 55th and Euclid Avenue was real
Precious 
Hotel Sterling coming into view how
Precious 
It's a pity that you bruised my hip 'cause I'm
Precious 
You shouldn't let your manners slip you're too
Precious

Make me boy
Make me wanna
Make me make it 
Oh, you're so mean

We went around and round and round and round and round the Shoreway 
We wanna do it do it do it do it do it on the pavement 
Oh maybe maybe I'm gonna have a baby 
We was a duet oh we do it all night

I was feeling kind of ethereal 'cause I'm
Precious 
I had my eye on your Imperial you're so
Precious 
Now Howard The Duck and Mr. Stress both stayed
Precious 
"Trapped in a world that they never made" 
But not me baby I'm too precious I had to fuck off

Make me boy
Make me wanna
Make me make it 
Oh, you're so mean

The album, recorded while she was a fairly young girl living in New York City, is entirely in English and is decidedly old school R&B, in comparison to the expensively-produced J-pop/rock sound that Utada adopted when she made it big in Japan. It captures Utada at a remarkably perfect moment vocally: her singing only goes downhill from here, although the instrumentals, angst and lyrical maturity in her later albums are all (predictably) much better.

Precious brought Utada to the attention of several people in the American music industry, including Lenny Kravitz. Unfortunately, she didn't make any major Western releases until well after she had achieved ridiculous fame in Japan and East Asia, and by the time she came back, she had degraded into suckage. Thankfully, recordings are forever.

Tracks:

1. My Little Lover Boy
2. Lullaby
3. How Ya Doin'
4. I Don't Love You
5. Promise
6. Ticket 4 Two
7. Take A Little While
8. 100 Reasons Why
9. Work Things Out
10. Close To You (cover of The Carpenters' song)
11. Precious Love

Pre"cious (?), a. [OF. precious, precius, precios, F. précieux, L. pretiosus, fr. pretium price, worth, value. See Price.]

1.

Of great price; costly; as, a precious stone. "The precious bane." Milton.

2.

Of great value or worth; very valuable; highly esteemed; dear; beloved; as, precious recollections.

She is more precious than rules.
Prov. iii. 15.

Many things which are most precious are neglected only because the value of them lieth hid.
Hooker.

Also used ironically; as, a precious rascal.

3.

Particular; fastidious; overnice. [Obs.]

Lest that precious folk be with me wroth.
Chaucer.

Precious metals, the uncommon and highly valuable metals, esp. gold and silver. --
Precious stones, gems; jewels.

© Webster 1913

Pre"cious (?), a.

Particular; fastidious; overnice; overrefined. Cf. Précieuse, Preciosity.

Lest that precious folk be with me wroth.
Chaucer.

Elaborate embroidery of precious language.
Saintsbury.

© Webster 1913