Pretenders- "2000 Miles" and interview on Countdown 1983

Reelin’ In The Years Productions, one of America’s largest footage archives, and Double 2 BV, a Netherlands production company, have acquired the rights to the Dutch music program Countdown. Often referred to as “Europe’s #1 Rock Show,” Countdown was on-the-air for 16 years (1977-1993), and was broadcast in 18 countries, making it one of the most successful music shows in the history of television.
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[@robertocontreras9143]

This song is so beautiful and sad for me because December 21st my brother died in a car accident and l was about 2000 thousand miles away from him and when l heard the song in Christmas day l couldn't stop from crying. Love you brother you're always in my heart. Miss you

[@sheriwilson5889]

❤😢

[@canislupis3129]

It's not Christmas without hearing this many times. Love Chrissie, well done singing here and a tune that digs deep in my heart.

[@danchaplin134]

canis lupis totally agree this is my favourite Xmas song bud!

[@jamescain3448]

canis lupis I agree

[@maz41617B]

R.I.P James Scott ✌beautiful song Chrissy ✌

[@neilmalloy5830]

Best Christmas song ever👍😁

[@user-ll2tp5jr8z]

Merry Christmas to all who are listening!! - This by far is my favourite Christmas Song love you chrissie, you are so talented

[@kyotocoversjimanderson782]

Just one of the best "Christmas" songs ever.

[@mrmojorisin8752]

I saw them on this tour. They were absolutely stunning. “Learning to Crawl” is one of the very top records of the entire 1980s.

[@NicoleDolly25]

She is the best singer I love it and she sings great and the music touches my heart

[@168charger]

Love her voice!

[@powertuber3.047]

"Hynde wrote the song for her former bandmate James Honeyman-Scott after he died prior to beginning work on the band's third album." 2000 miles is a euphemism for the infinite distance of death. (lyrics below) He's gone 2000 miles It's very far the snow is falling down Gets colder day by day I miss you The children will sing He'll be back at Christmas time In these frozen and silent nights Sometimes in a dream you appear Outside under the purple sky Diamonds in the snow sparkle Our hearts were singing It felt like Christmas time 2000 miles is very far through the snow I'll think of you Wherever you go He's gone 2000 miles It's very far The snow is falling down Gets colder day by day I miss you I hear people singing It must be Christmas time I can hear people singing It must be Christmas time

[@sjladuke75]

PowerTuber 3.0 Thanks for putting this here. The majority who hear this simply equate this with the holiday and missing someone who can't join them. They have no clue regarding the true meaning behind this song. Chrissie and The Pretenders have been favorites of mine since they first came on the scene. They have so many incredible songs. She was incredibly strong after his passing and I feel she immersed herself in the music.

[@BerlinerinToni]

I always rather thought of this song as being primarily about Jimmy, but I couldn't be sure whether Chrissie had actually written it about him or not. So, thanks for posting confirmation of this fact. Information about rock bands and songs was excruciatingly hard to come by in the pre-MTV era and the early MTV years; unless you found an article about your favorite band in Creem or Rolling Stone, you were pretty much out of luck. Managing to catch any television interview with a band - even one as disastrous as this! - was like finding hidden treasure in those days! This is still, hands-down, the best rock'n'roll Christmas song of all time (not that there's a lot of serious competition). The jangling guitars and Martin's percussion are the perfect musical embodiment of softly falling snowflakes and glistening "diamonds in the snow." The Kinks' "Father Christmas" comes in a close second.

[@tonyves]

Sure you're right. But the song was written when her flatmate (platonic) Kevin Sparrow (a friend of mine) had just OD'd. Prhaps a mix of the two deaths. Heartstopping which - or what - ever. For me Kevin is there every time I hear it.

[@inherentmirth5180]

And not just the death of Honeyman-Scott, as Hynde's ex-lover and fired addict bandmate Pete Fardon would also die of drug-related circumstances less than a year after Honeyman-Scott, with both deaths bookending the unimaginably-difficult time of being pregnant with Ray Davies' child.

[@petersonlafollette3521]

In the interview she comes off prickly,edgy- what is expected from a perfectionist.

[@markhollingsworth1725]

This is a very beautiful, melancholy song and you can tell from the interview that the emotions run deep.

[@sabrinaandhusband7791]

I was a very young child then. I never knew that this song will become my favourite one day ❤😊

[@markjenkins2849]

It felt like Christmas time. Thanks Chrissie!

[@tandre1975]

Wunderschöner Song 😍👍

[@juliustanael1589]

Merry Christmas to all who are listening!! - This by far is my favourite Christmas Song

[@MagicalMysteryMike]

This is such a beautiful and poignant song; one of my favorites. The interview segment is difficult to watch. Chrissie is obviously still emotional about her losses. She seems so vulnerable, and the interviewer is pretty cold about it.

[@sanderkersten28]

Also the people in the studio talking are too busy with themselves to value, or even understand, what's going on. The interviewer (Erik de Zwart) has no sense (yet?) for the situation, barges in like a true Dutchman, asking the obvious, waiting for her to say what he wants to hear. Not even talking to 'his' audience to stfu for a second :) It's been a long time, but this is painful to watch indeed.

[@haughie61]

@@sanderkersten28 spot on what a dick man

[@lonnie_johnson93]

Nah he didn't get it. Eric de Zwart. That's just the way Dutch people are (Germans too). When you translate our language into English, literally and pure as it is. It just sounds blatant, or borderline rude. He didn't mean it like that. + He didn't have a clue about the true meaning of the song. I recall the same thing happening with Ivo Niehe interviewing Britney Spears. We sound like cold assholes but not intentionally. (I'm Dutch, lived in London for a while). Song means a lot to me tho. 17 kicked out of the house, living in a shed -12 degrees Celsius. I did understand what she meant right away. It's about missing someone. And I later found out it was her very close friend and songwriter/guitarist in The Pretenders. Chrissy Hynde is a special person either way. I kinda wanna give that woman a hug and just hold her for a while. Guess I'm a rude Dutch a-hole but I hope I clarified it a little bit. We don't mean it like that. I promise. I know it's a little early, but have a good Christmas ;) God Bless

[@MagicalMysteryMike]

@@lonnie_johnson93 a merry Christmas to you too. 😊

[@speak2theresafox]

She ain’t gonna cry, no matter what. But I will cry

[@MikeGMcDermott]

Chrissie Hynde was my first crush in the early 1980s. A true rock goddess.

[@clodaghmalone7658]

poignant and stunningly beautiful

[@JohnDoe-wo1jd]

Chrissie wrote this song in memorial of James Honeyman Scott who died, was her original guitarist and best

[@tomjohnson3004]

John Doe , it's rough, I know, please read Romans 10:9, peace to you and the @pretenders

[@spencerguillen9557]

Christmas month I play this song every day till new years eve...very haunting song...cold frosty nights😊😊😊😊

[@vincentkosik403]

One of their best songs...😘the Pretenders

[@iancrombie8862]

Pretenders were great...1st two albums...Brilliant!!!🎸🎸🎸

[@spencerguillen9557]

She loved the guy that died in the group...she thinks of him at Christmas...very sad...his 2000 miles away in the snow😔😔😔😔

[@yolettejoseph2600]

Heart felt love song 🎵❤💓♥

[@nycjohnb]

Her voice.

[@marvinmartian7281]

My Christmas tune indeed!

[@natuurvriend]

Best Christmas pop song ever. And they were very talkative. The interviewer did not have to ask any question, they just talked and talked, great ! Easy job for the interviewer.

[@user-co3zf2cf3b]

Ending Christmas Evening with this one - 2017.🎼🎄 brilliant and legend tune well done She is the best singer I love it and she sings great and the music touches my heart

[@robbiegarnz7732]

Omg! I remember this!

[@hasankamara3754]

brilliant and legend tune well done

[@hasankamara3754]

brilliant and legendary Christmas tune

[@toddlavigne6441]

Chrissie has a way of pulling you into the song with her voice. It's beautiful in and odd way. 100% original.

[@MrBornagainzombie]

Damn! How did I not notice this video for so long? Great upload

[@patlerette5516]

Kept noticing this song this Christmas it stood out from all the rest. Love it.

[@robertstaines4999]

My wife plays this when I m away on tour with Stage Co. Love you Chrissie X

[@tanyahartsell6803]

love you chrissie, you are so talented Merry Christmas to all who are listening!! - This by far is my favourite Christmas Song

[@kristenrubymoon]

Beautiful song. ♥️

[@paulhopkinson9406]

love you chrissie, you are so talented

[@jiddie8296]

God this woman is so beautiful

[@idenkim777]

guy asked an innocent question, Chrissie looked so vulnerable there but not his fault. My wife plays this when I m away on tour with Stage Co. Love you Chrissie X

[@edvonblue]

Brutal! I’m still in love with Chrissy even 40 years later…

[@darellmaynes647]

Tough interview for the band. Damn! How did I not notice this video for so long? Great upload

[@rmsmith2396]

Hard to believe that "Chain Gang" was almost thirty years ago. One of my favorite songs ever.

[@natureclips5849]

40 years

[@johnbull5729]

I think that this year this song will have extra significance for lots of people for different reasons!

[@sabrinaandhusband7791]

I guess still in 2023 this is issue for too many people, wars and divisions, yet love and hope are always stronger than war and seperation.

[@mc2594]

_tingle up the spine tune_

[@JohnDoe-wo1jd]

i don't know why she was afraid about getting emotional about who the song was about. I'm a guy and i cry over losses of loved ones. Everywhere you search it's in remembrance of James honeyman Scott .

[@BerlinerinToni]

I think it was still very raw for her emotionally. It was still quite recent at the time. And Chrissie liked to think of herself as a tough chick, especially back then. No way she was going to cry on camera in an interview! This interviewer, whoever he is, asked some seriously stupid questions. I was expecting her to punch him in the face if he came up with one more like "Will 1984 be a better year for the Pretenders?" Her retort is pure, unadulterated Chrissie! Though I suspect she'd have preferred to punctuate it with a few curse words. 😁

[@thaothuyXoysbroveahase]

brilliant and legend tune well done poignant and stunningly beautiful

[@Geotubest]

Tough interview for the band.

[@pilotauctions5334]

The Pretenders had a difficult year and a half, yeah half the band died. This is the ultimate Christmas song of all time. References to Father Christmas (Ray Davies)

[@murazikwsptaishafpi2981]

I’m not Christian But I swear I love listening to this poignant and stunningly beautiful

[@HRHooChicken]

No one is religious anymore in the UK except the uhmm 'new arrivals'. Christmas is about everything except religion.

[@bdnugget]

@@HRHooChicken Christmas is about Coca Cola lmao

[@HRHooChicken]

@@bdnugget ye too right. I buy coke in a glass bottle every year as a special treat

[@bdnugget]

@@HRHooChicken based

[@Pipmeistershaft]

Wonderful!

[@coasterigh2684]

Chrissie wrote and sang some of the most evocative songs of that era

[@irenesmeyers2762]

My favorit Xmas song, I love it so much, Amen

[@rodrigojosedasilva4468]

Belíssima canção. Ela encanta com sua banda maravilhosa! Que grupo!!!

[@sendero753]

2021 Te amo 💖

[@bibiflores1874]

Damn! How did I not notice this video for so long? Great upload My wife plays this when I m away on tour with Stage Co. Love you Chrissie X brilliant and legend tune well done

[@avalondreaming1433]

My favorite Christmas song of all time! Poor Chrissie. This interview was so hard for her.

[@spencerguillen9557]

Walking out at night when its snowing hearing cruching under your feet...hands numb😉😉😉😊😊😊

[@ladyluck7481]

I love this line up too... Middle of the Road had the best guitar solo.

[@melciveng]

Robbie McIntosh on guitar. He’s brilliant, I love this era of the band

[@jassonmelo6198]

Música linda. Você viaja no tempo. Chrissie é sensacional.

[@user-pf6ib3ue5s]

Miss her

[@henry6354]

James Honeyman Scott...r.i.p....so sad he left too early...what could have been...💔🇮🇹

[@robertduffy937]

You can tell Chrissie was still having a hard time with Jame’s and Pete’s death here.

[@jonhill134]

Miming is probably a laugh, I know it's better to sing live and play live but bands probably saw miming on tv shows as a bit of fun and a laugh :) I love this

[@kamalchandi124]

I’m not Christian But I swear I love listening to this

[@mariofreeman2370]

I love this song %2000

[@emeraldscorpio]

You can see them really struggling to discuss the deaths

[@sylvachristiaens7765]

Super chrissie ❤️❤️🎸😘🎸🎸💋🙏🏼

[@jf4808]

She obviously doesn't want to talk about the meaning of the song related to the death of guitarist James Honeyman-Scott. It is a painful subject for her, and the interviewer insists on questioning her without any empathy, this guy is a jerk.

[@BerlinerinToni]

The guy's an idiot! It doesn't take a genius to see it's clearly about someone she's missing at Christmas, so asking her to say who it was when it's already pretty apparent was insensitive at best. Chrissie was never very good at opening up during this time period. His first question was rude, and they went downhill from there. I was expecting her to punch him if he came up with one more question after "will 1984 be better for the Pretenders?" I actually rather wish she had - now THAT would have made some news! 😁

[@CradaOC]

That hook man!!!

[@VinPaz-qq1dc]

Makes me sad every Christmas

[@marcpooley5391]

"unless Martin dies" LOL I’m not Christian But I swear I love listening to this

[@saschadallestro5648]

Buon Natale ❤️

[@micmac6171]

guy asked an innocent question, Chrissie looked so vulnerable there but not his fault.

[@jamesgretsch4894]

"unless Martin dies" LOL

[@BerlinerinToni]

That's our Chrissie! That idiotic interviewer completely deserved that response. Martin didn't, though. 😕

[@EvergreenAcupuncture]

Could they not wait until the end of the interview to post the promo captions?? We get it. People watch the show. We came to see the Pretenders, you wankers.

[@letsgorangers5264]

Lol!

[@samlewis7878]

Dazziling

[@amazing3585]

🔝 🔝 🔝 🔝 🔝

[@andrewowensrussell]

Totally pissed off that the interviewer asked some pertinent questions. God give the guy a break.

[@horsedark]

Kurt Russell on bass

[@kennyb8412]

she mimed that one...

[@chrisserong4966]

Love this song but I have to agree

[@jf4808]

It was a frequent practice in those days for TV studio performances

[@tygerstripes3752]

The tv shows are capitulating to the record companies. The record companies have long insisted that performers lipsync, because they believe that record buyers want to hear the single. That we, as listeners and consumers, can't distinguish between the recorded version of a song and a live version. This goes way, way back. The bands usually don't have any say at all about this. It's out of their hands.

[@clarenceclutterbuck]

Like the Beatles videos of them miming to Paperback Writer and Rain, I don't mind too much. It's nice just to see great musical artists in their youth, looking good.

[@zombie-process7025]

Yeah, if I'd freshly lost a friend, and the song was about them I wouldn't trust myself on live TV with it, either.

[@jamesgretsch4894]

"Unless Martin dies ..." LOL ...Ha ...

[@s.j.n5044]

2018

[@whippet_boy8594]

How are these guitar cords not Johnny marr. Definitely some influence there at least

[@jamesgretsch4894]

So were they implying Pete was being brought back into the band again then died?

[@alextilson5809]

that would be great on lipsync battle lol

[@toddlavigne6441]

Not to mention the bass player overdosed and died at some point after being fired. Within a few months I think half the band died.

[@rmsmith2396]

Only 697 likes?

[@chrisacer6605]

I've never seen this interview before and I LOVE Chrissie Hynde. But I'm bummed hearing her pull the fake British accent like Madonna tried to do. She married the European guy from Simple Minds, but I'm kinda doubting that marrying a Scot makes you acquire a British accent.

[@dfpguitar]

Is chrissie faking guitar playing? Open G chord all over the neck?

[@lorenlavalley8192]

I caught the G chord too...great performance

[@Geotubest]

I think that's actually the way she plays it.

[@powertuber3.047]

It is the original record lip-synced.

[@sandybeach4216]

It is. You can see her playing like this on live versions too. Four-fingered G shape at 3rd, 10th, 8th and 10th frets. Sounds good.

[@powertuber3.047]

None of the guitars are plugged in... at 4:10 she still has snow in her hair.

[@silvialumaca7745]

Ups

[@cbmills]

interviewer WTF?

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

That interview. Yikes.

[@leslieedwards7797]

Miming??

[@sotv2045]

So, what's the song about? It's about somebody who's gone, let's say it's about Father Christmas, I wish you hadn't asked me that. OK, why don't you tell us all about the awful 18 months you've just had? lol

[@sisterluke]

lets hear celine dion

[@user-pf6ib3ue5s]

Stop sobbing

[@harrycallahan686]

Nice lip-syncing