Show Me

Album: Learning To Crawl (1984)
Charted: 28
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Songfacts®:

  • Written by lead singer Chrissie Hynde, this was something of a departure from the Pretenders typical sound. The hook is, "Show me the meaning of the word," and the word is love. The song questions whether love can survive and thrive in a world that's so messed up, but she's still hopeful that it can. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mike - Santa Barbara, CA

Comments: 8

  • Aslan De Lyon from Narnia"Show Me" by the Pretenders is a heartfelt, tender song written by Chrissie Hynde to her newborn daughter, Natalie, following her separation from the child's father, Ray Davies. It explores themes of innocence, maternal love, and finding hope, asking the child to teach her the true meaning of love amidst a "cold and grey" world. She is practicing Hindu, so this song has nothing to do with Christianity or Jesus.
  • Honest Jon from GearhartIt's about Jesus. Jesus is often referred to as The Word. One example is John 1:1-5 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not [a]comprehend it.
  • Jim Vutetakis from Chardon, OhI may be wrong but I've always thought this was a tribute to the recently deceased John Lennon.
  • Eduardo Alvarez from Davie, FlThis represents a secular way of presenting Christianity to everyone, definitely can only be understood by people that has been exposed to the faith - which in reality, is the foundation that support our lives (directly when embraced, indirectly when not).
    Yes, Jesus is truly out-of-this-world, both 100% divine & 100% earthly.

    Thank you Lord for inspiring Chrissie (Christine /follower of Christ) to reveal your beauty and love for us all.
  • Hadrian29 from ChicagoThe song is clearly about the arrival of Superman to Earth as a baby. "Welcome here from outer space..."
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 11th 1984, "Show Me" by the Pretenders entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #74; and seven weeks later on April 29th, 1984 it peaked at #28 for one week...
    It reached #8 on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart...
    Was track five on quartet’s third studio album, 'Learning to Crawl', and the album reached #5 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart...
    Three other tracks from the album also made the Top 100 chart; "Back on the Chain Gang" {#5}, "Middle of the Road" {#19}, and "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" {#83}.
  • Mark from Yorba Linda, CaI read that the song was written after the birth of her first child. The inspiration is the unconditional love between a mother and her child.
  • Jim from Hammond, Ini wonder if this song has something to do with Jesus? asking him to show them what love is? as if asked by someone who met him in that time?
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