9. Brass In Pocket – The Pretenders
Like Blondie’s One Way Or Another, this song is often heard and interpreted as from the viewpoint of the lady. Though it’s meant from the perspective of a man, others see this as a cheeky lady power song about winning someone over. It’s about mustering the bravery to approach a woman in a pub when the male isn’t especially confident.
According to Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, it saddens her that people have misread the song so much and find it empowering to women when it’s “anything but” and that it was supposed to just be a really lighthearted, lightweight tune about flirting. The way the song is misinterpreted emphasizes how difficult gender perspective is in music and how frequently listeners project their own experiences onto songs. Particularly for women, the cheerful melody and confident delivery of phrases like “I’m special, so special” have helped many to hear it as an anthem of self-assurance. Hynde wanted to show, nonetheless, a more vulnerable, even embarrassing, flirtation’s effort. With money, the title “Brass in Pocket” suggests that the narrator is seeking to impress with worldly goods. This gives the song’s investigation of confidence and attraction still another level of complexity. The discrepancy between the public’s view and the artist’s aim begs fascinating issues concerning authorial intent in art against audience reception. Hynde’s annoyance with the misinterpretation notwithstanding speaks to the song’s adaptability and ongoing popularity in popular culture since it may appeal to listeners in ways other than its intended meaning.
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