I’ve always appreciated that story about Hynde the song, her father, etc.
One of my favorite Pretenders songs is Middle of the Road.
The middle of the road is trying to find me
I’m standing in the middle of life with my plans behind me
Well, I got a smile for everyone I meet
As long as you don’t try dragging my bay
Or dropping the bomb on my street
In the middle of the road you see the darndest things
Like fat guys driving ‘round in jeeps through the city
Wearing big diamond rings and silk suits
Past corrugated tin shacks full up with kids
And man, I don’t mean a Hampstead nursery
But when you own a big chunk of the bloody Third World
The babies just come with the scenery
The middle of the road is no private cul-de-sac
I can’t get from the cab to the curb
Without some little jerk on my back
Don’t harass me, can’t you tell
I’m going home, I’m tired as hell
I’m not the cat I used to be
I got a kid, I’m 33, baby
Get in the road
Come on now
In the middle of the road, yeah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVry7uMud1o