Talking to their pockets ?
- Thread starter Barbouille
- Start date
Hello,
I would like to know exactly what "talking to their pockets" means.
Is this a common expression or something ?
It's in a song by Leonard Cohen,
Everybody knows,
"Everybody talking to their pockets
Everybody wants a box of chocolates
And a long stem rose
Everybody knows"
I think I understand what this means, but I 'd like to be sure.
Thank you !
I would like to know exactly what "talking to their pockets" means.
Is this a common expression or something ?
It's in a song by Leonard Cohen,
Everybody knows,
"Everybody talking to their pockets
Everybody wants a box of chocolates
And a long stem rose
Everybody knows"
I think I understand what this means, but I 'd like to be sure.
Thank you !
Last edited by a moderator:
Salut,
I have never heard this phrase before. It does bring to mind a couple of possible meanings though; maybe Cohen is referencing how everyone wants to talk on their cellular devices, rather than have face-to-face relationships and conversations with other people. However, I don't think such an interpretation fits the context very well. Perhaps the song writer is referencing how people are so attached to their money, it's like they are connected to their pockets (often times pockets are associated with money, or wallets). That might work better, because selfishness and greed fit the themes of this song, I think.
Sorry this isn't very helpful! Sometimes songs have very odd lyrics...How did you understand this phrase?
I have never heard this phrase before. It does bring to mind a couple of possible meanings though; maybe Cohen is referencing how everyone wants to talk on their cellular devices, rather than have face-to-face relationships and conversations with other people. However, I don't think such an interpretation fits the context very well. Perhaps the song writer is referencing how people are so attached to their money, it's like they are connected to their pockets (often times pockets are associated with money, or wallets). That might work better, because selfishness and greed fit the themes of this song, I think.
Sorry this isn't very helpful! Sometimes songs have very odd lyrics...How did you understand this phrase?
Leonard Cohen is a poet
and poetry comprises original images that strike us but that we may not
be able to fully comprehend. The poet may not know exactly what he
meant either. Therefore, it is not an expression in English but
something made up to convey an idea or image or emotion. Incidentally,
this was written well before cell phones existed. I think Tibbs14 may
be right that is has something to do with being overly concerned with
money.
Thanks to both of you !
I'm happy to have the opinion of two native speakers and to learn that it's not really a common expression.
Several common french expressions convey this idea of "pockets and money" : "Avoir des oursins dans les poches" for "to be stingy", "avoir les poches percées" (means the opposite, someone who can't keep money or doesn't have money), or s'en mettre plein les poches for "to win a lot of money"...
As Tibbs14 said it, in the song it means everybody is stingy and selfish, but in the same time everybody wants someone to offer him some nice presents...
I like the interpretation about cell phones too : the song was released in 1988, but poets are known to be some kind of prophets often doing predictions which come true.
I agree some of the songs by Leonard Cohen are really hard to comprehend and have a somewhat vague and cryptic meaning, but this one is clear enough, for the most part.
I'm happy to have the opinion of two native speakers and to learn that it's not really a common expression.
I understand it the same way,
Yes, this part of the song is clear enough : in french too, pockets are associated with money. I just asked a friend who didn't know the song how he understands the sentence about pockets, he told me the same thing.
Several common french expressions convey this idea of "pockets and money" : "Avoir des oursins dans les poches" for "to be stingy", "avoir les poches percées" (means the opposite, someone who can't keep money or doesn't have money), or s'en mettre plein les poches for "to win a lot of money"...
As Tibbs14 said it, in the song it means everybody is stingy and selfish, but in the same time everybody wants someone to offer him some nice presents...
I like the interpretation about cell phones too : the song was released in 1988, but poets are known to be some kind of prophets often doing predictions which come true.
I agree some of the songs by Leonard Cohen are really hard to comprehend and have a somewhat vague and cryptic meaning, but this one is clear enough, for the most part.
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Even if cell phones existed, Pockets always
refers top money, as heart refers to love, when we said "avoir le coeur
brisé" it means that we got hurted in love .So, "talking to their
pockets" ,means for me that fthier friends are making relationships
because they do have money.
I would suggest that it is a "combination"
reference to people who keep secrets AND ALSO put money ahead of people,
and yet wish/expect to be loved. The notion that a poet writes to
produce an effect that is beyond the simple meaning of the words, is
well taken .
I think talking to the pockets means an empty pocket. The next line says
"Everybody wants a box of chocolates
And a long stem rose"
which means people are dreaming of a lavish life with an empty pocket.
Welcome to WR, @naimul!
I think if Leonard Cohen was talking about 'empty pockets', there will be the word empty. I would trust the natives on that expression, even if it's not an idiom.
On this website (American Songwriter : Behind the song), you can find:
I think if Leonard Cohen was talking about 'empty pockets', there will be the word empty. I would trust the natives on that expression, even if it's not an idiom.
On this website (American Songwriter : Behind the song), you can find:
Everybody knows
Other comments about this song's extract found online:
Other comments about this song's extract found online:
