# The Pretenders version of Angel of the Morning. Wow! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 23, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843 "2014-07-23T15:46:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/1 "2014-07-23T15:46:25Z")
Angel of the Morning was a song that I liked but never really loved. [Especially Juice Newton’s version.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA9HMkzYnaM)It’s just a little… to syrupy. It needs some grit. It wasn’t a song I’d crank up on the radio when it occasionally played. It’s been covered a lot. [Olivia Newton John did it on her debut album.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmtw5umLIzE) It was originally a hit for for[Merrilee Rush in the late 60’s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvmbTAHme1I). She gave it the folk song approach. But added horns?? WTF?? Listening to it again, I can see why it was a hit (climbed to #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100), but it just doesn’t grab me. Recently I heard [The Pretenders version.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUiaP2jHA-g) :eek: This is how the song is supposed to sound. IMHO Chrissie Hynde has that gritty attitude it’s been missing. \* Hell yeah, I got laid last night and I enjoyed it.\* No excuses. Just a woman embracing her sexuality. [Chrissie Hynde even did an acoustic version on Friends.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7Qfqle_2Bs) Just her and her guitar. I think in some ways it’s even better than the full Pretenders version. I wish they’d release this acoustic version. I bought the mp3 from the Friends soundtrack album (Amazon) and was disappointed that they added a piano track. Chrissie doesn’t need anything but that guitar. Ok, I’m biased. I love Chrissie Hynde. I Love The Pretenders. But, they did a great job updating this old tune. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/2 "2014-07-23T15:59:19Z")
Now, we need to get Joan Jett to give Angel of the Morning a shot. 😃😃 It would be interesting to hear her take on it vs The Pretenders. I bet Suzi Quatro could give it some grit too. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/3 "2014-07-23T16:01:35Z")
It would have been better if she’d done in a key within her range so she didn’t have to mangle the melody on the chorus. It comes out pretty monotonous. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/4 "2014-07-23T16:10:41Z")
I thought you were talking about The Proclaimers and I was confused. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/5 "2014-07-23T16:14:13Z")
apparently Juice Newton did it in G (well actually G# capo on the 1st fret) > **[Angel Of The Morning Chords - Juice Newton - Cowboy Lyrics](https://www.cowboylyrics.com/tabs/newton-juice/angel-of-the-morning-11135.html)** > > Juice Newton - Angel Of The Morning Chords, Tabs, Tablatures for Guitar. + Juice Newton song lyrics . ringtone . MP3 The Pretenders in A > **[Angel Of The Morning Chords - The Pretenders - Cowboy Lyrics](https://www.cowboylyrics.com/tabs/pretenders/angel-of-the-morning-12958.html)** > > The Pretenders - Angel Of The Morning Chords, Tabs, Tablatures for Guitar. + The Pretenders song lyrics . ringtone . MP3 [http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/p/pretenders/angel\_of\_the\_morning\_crd.htm](http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/p/pretenders/angel_of_the_morning_crd.htm) that’s assuming the tabs are accurate. I haven’t tried playing it. I need to play along with this one of these days. Easy I IV V progression. (well, close to I IV V Angel does have a B minor chord in it). Most of it is A D E a standard I IV V progression. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/6 "2014-07-23T16:15:23Z")
Okay so this is now driving me nuts. This is one of those songs that was playing on the radio when I was like four or five or six or so. When I hear songs from that time period, especially if I haven’t heard them in years, I get an almost physical, palpable sensation that I don’t know how to describe. It is probably the queasy dizzy revelatory feeling one would get from time travel. But what’s driving me nuts is, none of the versions I just listened to on youtube seem to be exactly the right version. What version would have been playing a lot on the radio around 1983? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/7 "2014-07-23T16:23:51Z")
Pull up a chair. 😉 the Wiki lists over 10 covers of Angel of the Morning. It’s even been covered in foreign languages. > **[Angel of the Morning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_of_the_Morning)** > > "Angel of the Morning" is a popular song written by Chip Taylor, originally recorded by Evie Sands but which first charted with a version by Merrilee Rush. The song has been covered by many artists including Chrissie Hynde, Dusty Springfield, P. P. Arnold, Connie Eaton, Mary Mason, Guys 'n' Dolls, Melba Montgomery, Olivia Newton-John and Juice Newton, who reached the Billboard Top Ten with her version in the early 1980s. > The song was composed in 1967 by Chip Taylor, who said of it: "I wrote 'A... Juice Newton had a hit in the early 80’s. Melba Montgomery about the same time too. Melba’s version is really good too. I’d totally forgotten about hers. I need to listen to Melba’s songs again. It’s been years since I thought about her. > [@](#): > > The most successful C&W version of the song - tying with the Juice Newton version discussed in the paragraph below - is the 1978 release by Melba Montgomery which reached No. 22 on the Billboard C&W chart. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/8 "2014-07-23T16:38:40Z")
:smack: I linked the wrong Pretenders version. The Pirate Radio version is better. It’s more rock N roll. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LhGqLF-kfLs/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCNNxlE6FJ66XY7Veq6TFA2LXPKow "The Pretenders - Angel of the Morning") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhGqLF-kfLs) The other version has some orchestration added. I like the stripped down, gritter version. I have the Pretenders Pirate Radio Box Set. A great collection of their music. > **[華納音樂台灣官方網站](https://www.warnermusic.com.tw/)** > > 歡迎來到華納音樂官方網站，在這裡可以看到華納音樂台灣與海外藝人的最新資訊、藝人介紹、作品介紹等，第一手的資訊完全掌握，目前華納音樂藝人有蕭敬騰、林俊傑、潘瑋柏、李榮浩等。 ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/9 "2014-07-23T16:41:51Z")
Chrissie Hynde once said (paraphrased) “rock and roll is not about fuck me… it’s _fuck you!_” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/10 "2014-07-23T16:46:15Z")
Chrissie Hynde is a national treasure. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/11 "2014-07-23T16:49:35Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > :smack: I linked the wrong Pretenders version. The Pirate Radio version is better. It’s more rock N roll. > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhGqLF-kfLs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhGqLF-kfLs) > > The other version has some orchestration added. I like the stripped down, gritter version. > > I have the Pretenders Pirate Radio Box Set. A great collection of their music. > [http://www.warnermusic.com.tw/assets/thumb/store/Pretenders\_Pirate\_Radio\_4CD\_1DVD\_Box\_Set\_\_300300.jpg](http://www.warnermusic.com.tw/assets/thumb/store/Pretenders_Pirate_Radio_4CD_1DVD_Box_Set__300300.jpg) Much better, especially without all the cheesy angel photos of the first one, by somebody who completely missed the point of the song. I wonder how Joplin would have handled this tune? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/12 "2014-07-23T17:16:49Z")
This is one of those songs that there isn’t really a\*\* bad \*\*version, (okay, maybe Bonnie Tyler) but I still prefer Merilee Rush and Juice Newton versions. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/13 "2014-07-23T18:06:03Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > :smack: I linked the wrong Pretenders version. The Pirate Radio version is better. It’s more rock N roll. > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhGqLF-kfLs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhGqLF-kfLs) I couldn’t agree with you more about this. And I would never have thought of it that way before hearing it. But you’re exactly right–the song improves considerably with a bit o’ grit. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/14 "2014-07-23T18:40:28Z")
I love the Pretenders but the version linked by the OP is atrocious. The chorus sounds like she doesn’t even know how to sing… but I know she does! ---
**Author:** ![Stealth\_Potato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Stealth\_Potato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stealth_Potato)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/15 "2014-07-23T18:43:34Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > It would have been better if she’d done in a key within her range so she didn’t have to mangle the melody on the chorus. It comes out pretty monotonous. Agreed. In all other respects it’s a great cover, but she falls so badly flat in the chorus that I still have to give the crown to Merrilee Rush. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/16 "2014-07-24T03:04:40Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Chrissie Hynde is a national treasure. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/17 "2014-07-24T04:05:10Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Maybe. I would say she is. Seriously, I’m not having problems with the singing in the chorus, myself. To me, her approach sounds a bit “plaintive,” which I like for the material. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/18 "2014-07-24T05:34:59Z")
Speaking of songs Juice Newton has covered, [Dave Edmunds’ original “Queen of Hearts”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFN_H3Eqw1U) is really awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/19 "2014-07-24T05:46:25Z")
I never paid attention to what the song may have been about; it was pop treacle to me at the time. So, I do enjoy The Pretenders version after contemplating the lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2014, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843/20 "2014-07-26T13:07:52Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Maybe. > [@pulykamell](#): > > I would say she is. Seriously, I’m not having problems with the singing in the chorus, myself. To me, her approach sounds a bit “plaintive,” which I like for the material. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I like her voice lots. It’s just that every time I’ve heard her interviewed over the years, I’ve found her a tad self-congratulatory about her role as a “rebel”. But maybe I just heard the wrong interviews. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pretenders-version-of-angel-of-the-morning-wow/693843.md?page=2)