English Roses

The Pretenders
'English Roses'
from Pretenders II

August 1981

The Pretenders dropped their second album, titled simply Pretenders II, on August 15, 1981. Three of the tracks on the album had previously been released on an EP in March, somewhat diluting the impact of the album as a whole. 

But the track 'English Roses' was a little underappreciated gem from side two. It showcases how talented a guitar player James Honeyman Scott was, and makes one wonder what could have happened if he had not overdosed in June of 1982.