Brass in Pocket - Pretenders (1979-80) 3/21/21

We're going right to the end of the decade for today's "Great Song of the '70s."

But first, some background.

(Note: There are differing stories about the song. I went with the one I found most often during my research.)

In 1970, Chrissie Hynde, an American girl from Akron, Ohio, was a student at Kent State University, when National Guard troops opened fire on the students, killing 4. This ugly incident in American history obviously hit close to home...and after a period of reflection, she decided to move to England for a change of scenery.

In the long run, it was the right move.

A few years later, Chrissie, along with James Honeyman-Scott, Martin Chambers, and Pete Farndon formed "The Pretenders," and fame was just around the corner.

One day, James played her a guitar riff he had come up with, and together they started writing a song. They were trying to make it sound like something from Motown, but, in Chrissie's words, "we didn't quite get it."

Still, they kept working on it...centering the lyrics around the idea that she had to be "cocky" to perform. Some music critics thought the song was about sex, but Chrissie maintained the song was about the attitude she needed to front a band as a lead singer--although the "sex scenario" was played up a bit in the video that was released later.

The final result was 1979's "Brass in Pocket." The title came from a short dressing room conversation after a concert. Chrissie spotted a pair of pants on a chair and asked who they belonged to. Someone replied, "I'll take them, if there's any "brass in pocket." The phrase is Cockney slang for "money." Chrissie liked it, and had her title.

What she DIDN'T like...was the final recording. In fact, she despised it. She tried to keep the record company from releasing it, and after they released it anyway, she spent years dissing the song in every interview she gave.

BUT...the song was such a big hit, she eventually stopped complaining.

Released in late 1979 and crossing over into 1980, the song made the Top 15 in 13 countries, including #1 in The UK, Ireland, Sweden, and South Africa. In the US, it went to #14 on the Hot 100, and in Canada, it reached #5 on the Top 40.

"Brass in Pocket:" a "Great song of 1979-80 that put a lot of brass in the pockets of The Pretenders--in spite of what Chrissie Hynde thought about it.