Pretenders was one of the most impressive debut albums I can remember. That album contained a slew of terrific tunes, including “Precious,” “Stop Your Sobbing,” “Kid,” and today’s classic song of the day, “Brass in Pocket.” Written by Chrissie Hynde and James Honeyman-Scott, “Brass in Pocket” was released in November of 1979 and, early the next year, peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #13 on the Cash Box Top 100. It went all the way to #1 in the UK.
According to Chrissie Hynde, “Brass in Pocket” was based on a guitar riff by James Honeyman-Scott. She said the lyrics were about an insecure kind of guy building up his courage. In her own words:
“It’s along the lines of the guy who is feeling very insecure, not about pulling a girl but, say, trying to be accepted by the guys down the pub. It’s a front he’s putting up. It’s like buying a pair of new boots and you feel great but then you get home and see you spots in the mirror. Or take a couple of Dexies and you’re in gear for the evening but on the train home it’s different.”
The phrase “brass in pocket” means having money in your pocket. Brass is a Northern England expression for money, referring to copper coins. Ms. Hynde explains how she came about using those words:
“We supported a band on our label called Strangeways, on tour in the north of England. We had dinner afterwards, and one of their guys leaned across the table and said to another, ‘Did you take my trousers to the dry cleaners? Was there any brass in the pocket?’ It was a turn of phrase that describes someone who is doing alright financially. If I’d imagined it was going to be such a hit, I might have been a little less abstract.”
“Brass in Pocket” is one hell of a song and Chrissie Hynde gives one hell of a vocal performance, being equal parts sassy and vulnerable at the same time. It was the perfect song to jump start the Pretenders’ long and still-going career.
The video for “Brass in Pocket” became something of a staple on the various music video shows of the day and on MTV when it launched in 1981. It’s today’s daily bonus video of the day.
And let’s have another one. Here are Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders playing “Brass in Pocket” live at the Concert for Kampuchea on December 28, 1979. She’s always been a dynamic performer.
