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“Steel and Glass” is another Lennon diss track (see also: “How Do You Sleep?”), but it’s not clear who the target is. Quoth the John:
That’s one of the modern punk tracks for me. It actually isn’t about one person in particular, but it has been about a few people and, like a novel writer, if I’m writing about something other than myself, I use other people I know or have known as examples. If I want to write a “down” song, I would have to remember being down, and when I wrote “Steel and Glass” I used various people and objects. If I had listed who they were, it would be a few people, and you would be surprised. But it really isn’t about anybody. I’m loathe to tell you this, because it spoils the fun. I would sooner everybody think, “Who’s it about?” and try and piece it together. For sure, it isn’t about Paul and it isn’t about Eartha Kitt.
Some people think it’s actually John writing about himself. (That would fit “Your mother left you when you were small.”) Others think “S&G” is about Allen Klein, the business manager John, George, and Ringo picked for The Beatles over Paul’s objections. (He later represented, and acrimoniously split from, all three as solo artists.) According to The Beatles Bible,
Although Lennon never admitted that “Steel and Glass” was about Klein, it was widely interpreted as an attack on the pugnacious businessman. However, although he was trying to extricate himself from their contract, Lennon remained friends with Klein throughout the 1970s.
Well, all that’s inside baseball anyway. Whoever it is, they come in for some harsh treatment.
Well, your mouthpiece squawks as he spreads your lies
But you can’t pull strings if your hands are tied
Well, your teeth are clean but your mind is capped
You leave your smell like an alley cat
I’m tempted to make reference here to the current occupant of the White House, who stunk up the place today in a mortifying display of abject awfulness. But hell, it’s Friday night, let’s try to forget that motherfucker and have a good time.
“Steel and Glass” is a gorgeous piece of music, with the horns and strings pushing each other along, and a lovely, economical guitar solo from Jesse Ed Davis. I give it two thumbs up.
wow, to be honest, very little memory of this song, but so much cool shit going on musically. pretty darn cool!
confession, maybe I took my breakfast gummy on an empty stomach, but had to listen to this three times in a row!