Teeth in the glass

Posted by Smokey Stover on August 14, 2005

In Reply to: Teeth in the grass Posted by Jamie King on August 14, 2005

: I heard the phrase "teeth in the grass" in a song yesterday and wanted to know what it meant. I want to know whatever there is to know about the phrase. The song was Teeth in the Grass by Iron & Wine.

You misheard. The song is "Teeth in the Glass," and it refers to the fact that elderly folk often have false teeth which they take out and put in a glass at night, sometimes with a cleaning agent. It is sometimes used as a catch-phrase to evoke the notion of old age, sometimes of our own mortality. Iron & Wine is a pseudonym of Sam Beam, who lives in Florida. SS