The Pretenders have unveiled the latest song from their upcoming album Hate for Sale, a slow-burning, R&B-style jam called “You Can’t Hurt a Fool.”

“I suppose our biggest influence apart from crazy, hardcore rock 'n' roll has been R&B,” noted Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde in a press release. “[Guitarist James Walbourne] and I really grappled with this one to get in all the subtleties and nuance of an R&B classic, albeit with modern, autobiographical lyrics. …The fool is me!”

“You Can’t Hurt a Fool” finds Hynde crooning soulfully over a smooth, sultry backbeat. Its catchy chorus is reminiscent of classic ‘60s artists like the Supremes, as Hynde professes, “You can’t hurt a fool / Don’t even try / Cuz genuine fools don’t play by the rules.”

You can listen to “You Can’t Hurt a Fool” below.

Hate for Sale marks the first full-length songwriting collaboration between Hynde and Walbourne. The album had been scheduled for release in May, but was pushed back to July 17 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Hate for Sale marks the band’s 11th studio LP and its first since 2016’s Alone.

Two other songs from Hate for Sale have previously been released - “The Buzz,” which compares relationships to substance abuse, and the LP's title track, an embrace of the Pretenders' early punk rock influences. “We all love punk," Hynde confessed. "So, I think it would be fair to say that 'Hate for Sale' is our tribute to the punk band I considered the most musical of the genre - the Damned."

The Pretenders' new album is available for pre-order now.

 

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