Silver Spoon - Cultural References

Cultural References

The phrase "born with a silver spoon in his mouth" appeared in print in English as early as 1719, in Peter Anthony Motteux's translation of the novel Don Quixote: "Mum, Teresa, quoth Sancho, 'tis not all Gold that glisters, and every Man was not born with a Silver Spoon in his Mouth." Because the phrase is used as a translation of a Spanish proverb with a different literal meaning ("muchas veces donde hay estacas no hay tocinos," literally: "often where there are hooks there are no hams"), it seems that the phrase was already considered proverbial in English at the time. In fact, the phrase next appears in a book of Scottish proverbs published in 1721, in the form "Every Man is no born with a Silver Spoon in his Mouth."

The term has frequently made its way into popular music. Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son" includes the lyrics, "Some folks were born silver spoon in hand." Thy lyrics to "Cat's in the Cradle" say: "... And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon..." The lyrics to "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window", by the Beatles, say, "She came in through the bathroom window, protected by her silver spoon," meaning the girl would have no trouble being naughty. One line of the Eagles song "Witchy Woman" is: "And she drove herself to madness with a silver spoon." The first few lines from the song "Gold Dust Woman", by Fleetwood Mac, are, "Rock on, gold dust woman/Take your silver spoon/And dig your grave." The lyrics from the 1985 song, "The Wolf by Heart", start with: "You were born to privilege, lickin' on a silver spoon." "This is Music", by The Verve, features the lyrics: "I stand accused just like you, for being born without a silver spoon." The Who's "Substitute" parodies this term with the lyrics, "I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth." Yoko Ono mourns the loss of her "silver spoon" in a line in the song "Mrs. Lennon"Template:Whick. In "Just Like Greta", Van Morrison says: "Then sometimes it feels so easy, like I was born with a silver spoon".

Then-Texas State Treasurer Ann Richards was well known for saying, "Poor George. He can't help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth," at the 1988 Democratic National Convention.

The Italian cookbook Il cucchiaio d'argento translates to "The Silver Spoon" and uses that title in its English edition; the title is, according to the introduction to the Phaidon Press printing, derived from the English expression.

John Galsworthy's novel, The Forsyte Saga, contains a chapter called "The Silver Spoon", which refers to a cockered heiress, Fleur Forsyte.