Comments on: Pretenders Lyrics... or... What Is Reet... or... Special Reet Service

Question: Pretenders Lyrics... or... What Is Reet... or... Special Reet Service

crapples — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 15:43:48 -0800

Is this really the right lyric to Brass In Pocket by The Pretenders? If so, what on earth does it mean?

All of the lyrics sites that Google produces give me this lyric:

"GOT RHYTHM I CAN'T MISS A BEAT
GOT NEW SKANK IT'S SO REET"

What does "Reet" mean? Also, is there some sort of late-70's slang that would explain the words "Got new skank"?

(PS: Of course I put "define: reet" into Google, but the resulting definition is almost certainly not what Hynde was talking about.)

By: pyramid termite

pyramid termite — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 15:46:43 -0800

reet = right ... see "reet petite" by jackie wilson

By: pyramid termite

pyramid termite — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 15:48:31 -0800

oh, yeah, skank would be a sexy walk, i believe

By: solid-one-love

solid-one-love — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 15:48:43 -0800

"Reet" is fairly common pre-80s slang for "good"/"excellent"/"awesome" etc. Jackie Wilson's song "Reet Petite" uses it in the title.

"Skank" can mean "dance", and is still used in that sense today in some subcultures (punk, ska).

By: tellurian

tellurian — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 15:53:53 -0800

More discussion here.

By: edgeways

edgeways — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 15:59:41 -0800

Reet

By: tellurian

tellurian — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 16:14:33 -0800

This question prompted me to look up Skatalites on YouTube and this is one of the results. Talk about skank.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 17:34:28 -0800

Wow, thanks for that, tellurian.

By: bouncebounce

bouncebounce — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 08:45:27 -0800

See "Skanking to the Beat" by Fishbone, and yes reet is right