Don't Get Me Wrong

For the 1937 film, see Don't Get Me Wrong (film). For the Matchbox Twenty song, see Don't Get Me Wrong (Matchbox Twenty song). For the Westlife song, see Coast to Coast (Westlife album).

"Don't Get Me Wrong" is a song by British-American rock band the Pretenders. It was the first single released from the band's fourth studio album, Get Close (1986). It was also included on the band's compilation album, The Singles (1987). Frontwoman Chrissie Hynde said she was inspired to write the song for her friend John McEnroe.^[3]

"Don't Get Me Wrong"
Artwork for UK and European vinyl releases
Single by the Pretenders
from the album Get Close
B-side	"Dance!"
Released	September 22, 1986 (1986-09-22)[1]
Genre	Rock[2]
Length	3:49
Label	Real Sire
Songwriter(s)	Chrissie Hynde
Producer(s)	Jimmy Iovine Bob Clearmountain
The Pretenders singles chronology
"Thin Line Between Love and Hate" (1984) "Don't Get Me Wrong" (1986) "Hymn to Her" (1986)
Music video
"Don't Get Me Wrong" on YouTube

Background

The song features a jangly guitar sound and an emphasis on melody. Hynde's lyrics contain literary references in addition to the more relationship-based subject matter typical for rock and pop music.

Critical reception

Billboard wrote that although Hynde is the only original Pretender remaining, this song represents "a pretty upbeat, strutting, confident Pretenders."^[4] Cashbox praised Hynde's "sultry vocal" and "powerful songwriting."^[5] Classic rock review describes "Don't Get Me Wrong" as a "jaunty rock track".^[6] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matt Wardlaw rated it the Pretenders' eighth-greatest song, saying that it "[hammers] home the point rather succinctly that when it comes to love from the female point of view, it's best to expect the unexpected."^[7]

Chart performance

In the United States, "Don't Get Me Wrong" became the group's second top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 10.^[8] It also spent three weeks atop the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in November 1986.^[9] In the United Kingdom, the song also peaked at No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart.^[10] In Australia, it became a top-10 hit, reaching No. 8 on the Kent Music Report.^[11]

Music video

The music video for the song is a tribute to the British 1960s espionage television series The Avengers, with Chrissie Hynde playing Emma Peel searching for John Steed, while being diverted by body doubles and rival agents. She drives a 1983 Reliant Scimitar SS1. Steed actor Patrick Macnee appears in the original series' footage, with Hynde electronically inserted. Two edits to the video were made, the second edit adds alternate shots (including a scene of one of the body doubles being revealed to be a woman) and inserts footage of the band performing in a studio.

Personnel

The Pretenders

• Chrissie Hynde – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Robbie McIntosh – guitars
• T. M. Stevens – bass guitar

Additional personnel

• Chucho Merchán – bass guitar
• Steve Jordan – drums, percussion
• Paul "Wix" Wickens – synthesizer, piano

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Don't Get Me Wrong" Chart (1986–1987) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] 8 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 8 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[13] 14 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] 19 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 19 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 25 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 11 UK Singles (OCC)[10] 10 US Billboard Hot 100[8] 10 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[19] 28 US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)[9] 1 West Germany (GfK)[20] 45

Year-end charts 1986 year-end chart performance for "Don't Get Me Wrong" Chart (1986) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[21] 95 1987 year-end chart performance for "Don't Get Me Wrong" Chart (1987) Position US Billboard Hot 100[22] 92

Certifications

Certifications for "Don't Get Me Wrong"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[23]	Gold	30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[24]	Silver	200,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Covers

• Leigh Nash released a version in 2018.^[25]
• Hale Appleman covered the song in the musical episode "All That Hard, Glossy Armor" (Season 4, Episode 10) of The Magicians.^[26]

References

1. "New Singles". Music Week. September 20, 1986. p. 28.
2. "Get Close by the Pretenders – Classic Rock Review".
3. "How Chrissie Hynde Wrote 'Don't Get Me Wrong' for John McEnroe". Ultimate Classic Rock. December 5, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
4. "Reviews". Billboard. October 11, 1986. p. 85. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
5. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. October 11, 1986. p. 9. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
6. "Get Close by the Pretenders – Classic Rock Review".
7. Wardlaw, Matt (September 7, 2011). "Top 10 Pretenders songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
8. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. December 27, 1986. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
9. "Mainstream Rock Airplay". Billboard. November 8, 1986. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
11. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 238. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
12. "The Pretenders – Don't Get Me Wrong" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
13. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0759." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
14. "European Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 46. November 22, 1986. p. 15.
15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't Get Me Wrong". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 47, 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
17. "The Pretenders – Don't Get Me Wrong" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
18. "The Pretenders – Don't Get Me Wrong". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
19. "Adult Contemporary". Billboard. December 13, 1986. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
20. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Pretenders – Don't Get Me Wrong" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
21. "Jaaroverzichten 1986" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
22. "Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 52. December 26, 1987. p. Y-22. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
23. "Spanish single certifications – Pretenders – Don't Get Me Wrong". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
24. "British single certifications – Pretenders – Don't Get Me Wrong". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
25. "JFH News: Leigh Nash Debuts New Single, "Don't Get Me Wrong"". www.jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
26. "The Magicians star breaks down the musical episode, from hungry bears to Margo's evolution". www.ew.com. Retrieved August 18, 2020.

External links

• "Don't Get Me Wrong" at Discogs (list of releases)