Brass in Pocket explained

Brass in Pocket
Cover:Brass in Pocket by Pretenders UK vinyl single.jpg
Caption:Artwork for vinyl releases in the UK, some European countries, and Australia
Type:single
Artist:The Pretenders
Album:Pretenders
Released:9 November 1979[1]
Genre:
Length:3:09
Producer:Chris Thomas
Prev Title:Kid
Prev Year:1979
Next Title:Precious
Next Year:1980

"Brass in Pocket", also known as "Brass in Pocket (I'm Special)", is a song by English–American rock band the Pretenders, released in 1979 as the third single from their self-titled debut album. It was written by Chrissie Hynde and James Honeyman-Scott, and produced by Chris Thomas. Originating as a guitar lick written by Honeyman-Scott, the song's lyrics were explained by Hynde to be about the cockiness that one needs to effectively perform. The song's title derives from a phrase she overheard after a show.

"Brass in Pocket" became the band's biggest hit to that point, reaching number one in the UK and number 14 in the US. Its music video was the seventh video aired on MTV on its launch on 1 August 1981.[3]

Background

"Brass in Pocket" originated as a guitar line that Pretenders guitarist James Honeyman-Scott played for Chrissie Hynde. Hynde then recorded the part and wrote the song's lyrics. Musically, Hynde described "Brass in Pocket" as "trying to be a Motown song, but it didn't quite get it".[4]

Hynde got the idea for the song's title when, during an after-show dinner, she overheard someone enquiring if anyone had "Picked up dry cleaning? Any brass in pocket?"[5] Of the song's reference to "bottle", Hynde explained, "Bottle is Cockney rhyming slang. It means bottle and glass. The way Cockney rhyming slang works is the word you're really saying rhymes with the second word. So bottle and glass rhymes with ass. In England, to say somebody has a lot of ass they have a lot of funk. So you say, 'That guy has a lot of bottle.[4] Of the song's meaning, Hynde stated:

During an interview with The Observer in 2004, she revealed she was initially reluctant to have the song released: "When we recorded the song I wasn't very happy with it and told my producer that he could release it over my dead body."[6] Hynde later reflected, "Now I like that song because it's one of those songs that served me well. I didn't like my voice on it. I was kind of a new singer, and listening to my voice made me kind of cringe."[4]

Music and lyrics

The lyrics detail the female singer about to have her first sexual encounter with a particular person, with her expressing confidence that the experience will be successful.[7] [8] According to Rolling Stone magazine critic Ken Tucker, the song uses "an iron fist as a metaphor for [Hynde's] sexual clout".[9] The Rolling Stone Album Guide critic J. D. Considine describes the song as "sassy" and credits the band for "putting bounce in each step" of it.[10] Author Simon Reynolds similarly describes Hynde's vocals as "pure sass" and "feline narcissism", noting that she "linger[s] languorously" over the phrase "I'm special".[8]

According to AllMusic critic Steve Huey, the backbeat "meshes very nicely with Hynde's unshakable confidence, and the song never gets aggressive enough to break its charming spell or make her self-assurance seem implausibly idealized."[7] Huey also points out a harmonic shift in the music for the portion of the song where the singer lists the various attractive qualities she will use to make the encounter a success.[7] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Bryan Wawzenek rated it one of drummer Martin Chambers' top 10 Pretenders songs, praising the relaxed groove and saying, "The beat is weighty but soft, and it allows plenty of room for Chrissie Hynde to side-step her way through the single."[11]

Dave Thompson suggests that the song is actually about the Pretenders' first live concert rather than a sexual experience.[12]

Cash Box said the song shows why Hynde was "quickly emerging as one of the bright new singer/stylists of 1980", highlighting "her sly, sexy warbling and tremendous control".[13] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matt Wardlaw rated it the Pretenders' best song, saying that it is the song "all of the elements really came together – a cool groove and an especially sultry vocal from Hynde."[14]

The lyrics notably mix in both British and American slang of the time. "Brass" is a Northern English expression for money, referring to copper coins. The term "Detroit leaning" refers to a posture when driving a car.[15]

Release

"Brass in Pocket" was released as the band's third single. It was their first big success, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in January 1980 (making it the first new number-one single of the 1980s), number two in Australia during May 1980 (for three weeks), and number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. It was listed at No. 389 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2021.[16]

In the video for the song, Hynde plays a lonely waitress in a backstreet cafe. The rest of the band arrives in a large pink American car driven by Pete Farndon. The three men peruse the menus but are soon joined by their female partners. All six then leave the restaurant. Hynde commented on the ending of the video, "The 'Brass in Pocket' video got hijacked by the director, because the idea of that was that these guys were going to break in on motorcycles and I was going to get on the back and ride out of there. And he had different ideas, and he left me in there crying. That wasn't my script."[17]

The video was filmed in North Kensington. The cafe's location was at the intersection of Middle Row and Southern Row.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Brass in Pocket"!Chart (1979–1980)!Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[18] 2
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[19] 1
Spain (AFE)[20] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[21] 14
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play28
US Cash Box[22] 13
US Record World[23] 15

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Brass in Pocket"!Chart (1980)!Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[24] [25] 5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[26] 26
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[27] 42
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[28] 52
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[29] 54
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[30] 12
US Billboard Hot 100[31] 41
US Cash Box[32] 80

Covers

The song has been covered by Suede for NMEs charity compilation Ruby Trax.[33] It also features in its expanded debut album edition released in 2018.[34]

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://www.45cat.com/record/are11
  2. Web site: Heather . Phares . Various Artists – Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Women . . 2 May 2014 .
  3. News: MTV's first 10 music videos . . 9 May 2021 .
  4. Paul . Zollo . Behind the Song: "Brass in Pocket" by the Pretenders . . 2020 . 25 November 2020 .
  5. Book: Hynde, Chrissie . Reckless . 2015 . . 256 . 9781785031441 .
  6. Web site: Erik . Van Rheenen . 10 Artists Who Hate Their Biggest Hit . . 17 February 2016 . 26 December 2017 .
  7. Web site: Steve . Huey . Brass in Pocket – Song Review . . 4 May 2014 .
  8. Book: Reynolds, Simon . Simon Reynolds . 1996 . The Sex Revolts: Gender, Rebellion, and Rock 'n' Roll . 239 . . 978-0-6748-0273-5 .
  9. Ken . Tucker . Ken Tucker . Pretenders: The Pretenders . . 17 April 1980 . 29 April 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070429170931/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pretenders2/albums/album/259325/review/5945712/the_pretenders.
  10. Book: Considine, J.D. . J. D. Considine . Anthony . DeCurtis . Anthony DeCurtis . James . Henke . Holly . George-Warren . 1992 . . 3rd . . 232–233 . 0-679-73729-4.
  11. Web site: Top 10 Martin Chambers Pretenders songs. Wawzenek, Bryan. September 4, 2013. Ultimate Classic Rock. 2022-12-28.
  12. Book: Thompson, Dave . Dave Thompson (author) . 2011 . 1000 Songs That Rock Your World . . 24 . 978-1-4402-1422-6 .
  13. Singles Reviews > Feature Picks . Cash Box . XLI . 39 . 17 . 9 February 1980 . 1 January 2021 .
  14. Web site: Top 10 Pretenders songs. Wardlaw, Matt. September 7, 2011. Ultimate Classic Rock. 2022-12-28.
  15. Web site: What is the 'Detroit Leaning' Referred to in the Pretenders' 'Brass in Pocket'? .
  16. 2021-09-15 . The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time . 2022-07-05 . Rolling Stone . en-US.
  17. News: Lyndsey . Parker . Lyndsey Parker . The great Pretender: Chrissie Hynde talks Dylan documentary and why her badass image is 'all a bluff' . . 12 November 2021 . 13 November 2021 .
  18. Book: Kent, David . David Kent (historian) . 1993 . Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . illustrated . Australian Chart Book . . 238 . 0-646-11917-6.
  19. Web site: South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (P) . Rock.co.za . 25 June 2013 .
  20. Book: Salaverri, Fernando . Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 . 1st . September 2005 . Fundación Autor-SGAE . Spain . 84-8048-639-2 . es.
  21. Web site: Pretenders – Awards . . 25 June 2013 .
  22. CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 31, 1980 . . 15 September 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120915070855/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19800531.html.
  23. Web site: Song artist 387 – The Pretenders . TsorT . 2 May 2014 .
  24. Web site: National Top 100 Singles for 1980. . 341 . . 5 January 1981 . 17 January 2022 .
  25. Web site: Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s . Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien . 27 May 2014 .
  26. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1980 . Ultratop. Hung Medien . 27 May 2014 . nl.
  27. Top 100 Singles . . 34 . 6 . 20 December 1980 . 13 May 2016 .
  28. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1980 . . 27 May 2014 . nl.
  29. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 1980 . Single Top 100. Hung Medien . 27 May 2014 . nl.
  30. Web site: Top 20 Hit Singles of 1980 . Rock.co.za . 27 May 2014 .
  31. Web site: Top 100 Hits for 1980 . The Longbored Surfer . 27 May 2014 .
  32. The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1980 . . 15 September 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120915071244/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1980YESP.html.
  33. Web site: David . Barnett . 2003 . Biog for 2003 . Anglo Platinum . https://web.archive.org/web/20031022221224/http://www.angloplugging.co.uk/artist.cfm?artistID=442 . 22 October 2003.
  34. Web site: Paul . Sinclair . Suede 25th anniversary box set . Super Deluxe Edition . 25 January 2018 . 21 November 2019 .