HYMN TO HER
THE PRETENDERS
SONGWRITER: MEG KEENE
COUNTRY: U. K. & U. S. A.
ALBUM: GET CLOSE
LABEL: WARNER MUSIC GROUP
GENRE: SOFT ROCK
YEAR: 1986
The Pretenders are an English–American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and
main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James
Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals,
keyboards), Pete Farndon (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Martin Chambers (drums, backing vocals, percussion). Following the deaths of
Honeyman-Scott and Farndon in 1982 and 1983, the band experienced numerous
personnel changes; Hynde has been the band's only consistent member.
The Pretenders' hit songs include "Brass in Pocket"
(1979), "Talk
of the Town" (1980), "Message of Love"
(1981), "Back
on the Chain Gang" (1982), "Middle of the Road" (1983), "2000 Miles"
(1983), "Don't
Get Me Wrong" (1986), "My Baby" (1986), and "I'll
Stand by You" (1994). The band was
inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.
"Hymn to Her" is a song that was
first released on the Pretenders'
1986 album Get Close.
It was written by Meg Keene, a high school friend of Pretenders' lead singer Chrissie Hynde.
"Hymn to Her" was released as a single in the UK and reached #8 on
the charts. According to AllMusic critic Matthew Greenwald, the song has remained popular on adult contemporary radio stations.
According to Spin magazine critic Erik Himmelsbach, "Hymn to Her" is one of
the songs presenting "traditional pop sentiments" which Hynde and the
Pretenders mixed in with their more vitriolic work. Spin critic Brian
Cullman described it as a "hymn to the eternal feminine."
The Maiden, Mother and Crone that are mentioned in the song are Archetypes of
the collective unconscious, specific psychological imaging of the major
psychological transitions women undergo over a lifetime. The Encyclopedia of
Modern Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism interprets the song as containing pagan themes. Though the Archetypes of the collective unconscious are not
limited to religious belief. Vic Garbarini of Musician magazine suggested that a theme of the song is Hynde "trying to
listen to that part of [herself] where all [her] songs come from." Greenwald
considers it "a timeless love song about a life-long love." According
to Greenwald, the melody combines
folk music and gospel music elements.
Cullman evaluated "Hymn to Her" as
"a stunner" which combines "the spirit behind 'The
Mists of Avalon' with the beauty of Sandy Denny's
best work." Greenwald particularly praised the lyrics, Hynde's delivery,
and the refrain. Ira Robbins and Delvin Neugebauer of Trouser
Press described "Hymn To Her" as
a "haunting ballad"
that was one of the few worthy songs on Get Close. Author Barbara O'Dair
described it as "glorious" and "spine-tingling" and
"the best thing" on Get Close. The Encyclopedia of Modern
Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism called it "enchanting."
"Hymn to Her" was later included on
the Pretenders' compilation albums The Singles in 1987 and Greatest Hits in 2000. It was also
included on the multi-artist compilation album Diana, Princess of Wales: Tribute in 1997. Sleeper covered the song as the b-side to "Vegas"
and on the related EP in 1995
Let me inside you
Into your room
I've heard it's lined
With the things you don't show
Lay me beside you
Down on the floor
I've been your lover
From the womb to the tomb
I dress as your daughter
When the moon becomes round
You be my mother
When everything's gone
And she will always
carry on
Something is lost
But something is found
They will keep on speaking her name
Somethings change
Some stay the same
Keep beckoning to me
From behind that closed door
The maid and the mother
And the crone that's grown old
I hear your voice
Coming out of that hole
I listen to you
And i want some more
I listen to you
And i want some more
And she will always
carry on
Something is lost
But something is found
They will keep on speaking her name
Some things change
Some stay the same.
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