Back in 1981, while the music world was swept up by the pulsating energy of New Wave and the rising tide of synthesizers, an extraordinary figure from the shadows of the past made an elegant and haunting return. Dressed in his trademark black leather, sporting an imposing quiff, and wielding a menacing stare, the enigmatic Alvin Stardust re-emerged onto the British music scene with a ballad that stunned listeners and critics alike: “Pretend.”
This was no ordinary comeback. Released on the legendary Stiff Records—a label synonymous with punk and new wave rebels—“Pretend” carved its path to the top, climbing to an impressive number four on the UK Singles Chart in September 1981. For a star whose glam rock heyday belonged to another decade, this was nothing short of a miraculous triumph. Stardust’s transformation from glam-rock showman to a powerful voice of emotional vulnerability shocked many and cemented his status as a timeless figure in British pop music.
Intriguingly, the song is not Stardust’s original. Tracing back to the golden era of rock and roll, “Pretend” was initially a romantic ballad immortalized by the legendary Nat King Cole in 1953. But Stardust’s inspiration was drawn from the 1959 rockabilly reinvention by Carl Mann, whose raw and stripped-down version sparked a remarkable reinvention crafted with cinematic grandeur by Stardust and his Stiff Records producer. The powerful piano, the sweeping strings, and Stardust’s gritty, desperate vocals created a sound that was both nostalgic and irresistibly new.
Lyrically, “Pretend” is a wrenching exploration of love’s quiet decay—a tender yet painful struggle to maintain a facade when the heart knows the truth. Stardust croons with a voice roughened by time and experience: “Pretend you’re glad you’re with me / Pretend you don’t feel blue,” echoing the painful, universal experience of holding onto a love that has already slipped away. This was a far cry from the playful swagger of his earlier glam hits like “My Coo Ca Choo” and “Jealous Mind,” marking instead a mature, deeply emotional chapter in his career.
For many in the older generation, “Pretend” is more than a song; it is a doorway to the past, a poignant reminder that even a rock-and-roll ghost can reinvent himself with grace and soul. It invites silent reflections in the quiet hours—a testament to the vulnerable artist beneath the leather jacket and rebellious sneer. Alvin Stardust, through this timeless ballad, revealed the aching heart of a man who could mourn love’s fading light, leaving us with the haunting necessity to “pretend.”
