Morrissey has just released a deluxe version of his recent album Low in High School, and among the bonus tracks is his version of The Pretenders’ hit Back on the Chain Gang.

The former frontman of The Smiths originally performed the song on a British radio station but now he’s laid down his own version in the studio. Morrissey said he wanted to record the song as a tribute to Chrissie Hynde who he describes as one of his longest lasting friends.  Hynde and Morrissey have collaborated several times.

Back on the Chain Gang was written by Chrissie Hynde and was originally recorded by The Pretenders in 1982, the song is a memorial to the band’s guitarist James Honeyman-Scott who died of a drug overdose less than a month before the original song was recorded.

Take a listen. 

OIP Staff