Biography by Mark Deming
Put a Flower in Your Pocket
The Arcs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The heat is escalating
Every corner in the town, there's a paycheck waiting
Put a flower in your pocket
If you seem them boy you drop it and you run
Run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you just for fun
Fun
If they're gunning for you boy
You've already won
I had a dream today
About a hustle lost
He paid his dues
Then he paid the cost
Wish I knew back then
All I know right now
Things would be much different
The time has allowed
Put a flower in your pocket
If you seem them boy you drop it and you run
You run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you fust for fun
Fun
If they're gunning for you boy
You've already won
With tired eyes
And bills to pay
You gotta make it through
Another day
The streets can see
Into your soul
It ain't where ya been
But where you're gonna go
Put a flower in your pocket
If you seem them boy you drop it and you run
Run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you just for fun
For fun
If they're gunning for you boy
You've already won
The opening lines of The Arcs' "Put a flower in your pocket" set the stage for a colorful narrative of a city street in summer. Whether it’s the sweltering heat or the all-too-common sight of bustling people, the lyrics encourage listeners to drop their defenses and find an unexpected joy in every moment. The chorus "Put a flower in your pocket, if you see them, boy, you drop it and you run" creates a metaphor, urging listeners to take small moments of beauty and hide them away so they can be savored when needed.
The following lyrics suggest that the song's narrator has seen the city's darker aspects. The phrase "They may pretend they like you, but man's best friend will bite you just for fun" is a warning about the dangers of city life. The second verse describes a dream that the singer had about a person who hustled and worked hard, only to lose everything they had earned. The singer regrets that they did not know then what they know now, implying that the lessons learned the hard way would have made a difference. The chorus repeats, suggesting that the solution to navigating the harsh city environment is to find beauty where you can and hold onto it.
Line by Line Meaning
The city street is hot
The weather is hot and the people in the city are agitated.
Every corner in the town, there's a paycheck waiting
There are job opportunities available all around the city.
Put a flower in your pocket
Carry something small and beautiful as a symbol of hope and positivity.
If you seem them boy you drop it and you run
If you see danger, leave it behind and run away from it.
They may pretend they like you
People may act like they care, but they may not have your best interests at heart.
But man's best friend will bite you just for fun
Even those who are supposed to be your closest allies can be disloyal and turn on you.
If they're gunning for you boy, you've already won
If people are trying to bring you down, it means you are already ahead of them.
I had a dream today
The artist had a vision or thought about something important.
About a hustle lost
The artist had a vision of something valuable that was lost due to lack of effort or strategy.
He paid his dues
The person worked hard to pay their debts or fulfill their obligations.
Then he paid the cost
However, they had to pay a high price for their mistakes or failures.
Wish I knew back then
The artist regrets not having the knowledge in the past that they have now.
All I know right now
The singer has gained wisdom and knowledge from their experiences.
Things would be much different
If the singer had known then what they know now, the outcome would have been better.
The time has allowed
Over time, the singer has gained perspective and knowledge.
With tired eyes, and bills to pay
The artist is struggling to make ends meet.
You gotta make it through, another day
Despite the struggles, the artist is determined to keep going and survive.
The streets can see into your soul
The environment around you can affect your thoughts and emotions.
It ain't where ya been, but where you're gonna go
Your past doesn't define you, it's your future that matters.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dan Auerbach, Leon Michels, Richard Swift
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Rrodfer
A rua da cidade está quente
O calor está aumentando
Cada canto da cidade
Há um contracheque esperando
Coloque uma flor no seu bolso
Se você vê-los garoto, você deixa cair
E você corre
Você corre
Eles podem fingir que gostam de você
Mas o melhor amigo do homem vai te morder
Apenas por diversão
Por diversão
Se eles estão atrás de você garoto
Você já ganhou
Eu tive um sonho hoje
Sobre um malandro que perdeu
Ele pagou suas dívidas
Então ele pagou o custo
Gostaria de saber naquela época
Tudo que eu sei agora...
As coisas seriam muito diferentes
Do que o tempo permitiu
Coloque uma flor no seu bolso
Se você vê-los garoto, você deixa cair
E você corre
Você corre
Eles podem fingir que gostam de você
Mas o melhor amigo do homem vai te morder
Apenas por diversão
Por diversão
Se eles estão atrás de você garoto
Você já ganhou
Com o olhar cansado
E contas a pagar
Você tem que passar por isso
Outro dia
As ruas podem ver
Na sua alma
Não é onde você esteve
Mas onde você vai
Coloque uma flor no seu bolso
Se você vê-los garoto, você deixa cair
E você corre
Você corre
Eles podem fingir que gostam de você
Mas o melhor amigo do homem vai te morder
Apenas por diversão
Por diversão
Se eles estão atrás de você garoto
Você já ganhou
@sagaza91
The city street is hot
The heat is escalating
Every corner in the town
There's a paycheck waiting
Put a flower in your pocket
If you see them boy you drop it
And you run
Run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you
Just for fun
Fun
If they're gunning for you boy
You've already won
I had a dream today
About a hustler who lost
He paid his dues
Then he paid the cost
Wish I knew back then
All I know right now
Things would be much different
Than time has allowed
Put a flower in your pocket
If you see them boy you drop it
And you run
You run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you
Just for fun
Fun
If they're gunning for you boy
You've already won
With tired eyes
And bills to pay
You gotta make it through
Another day
The streets can see
Into your soul
It ain't where you been
But where you're gonna go
Put a flower in your pocket
If you see them boy you drop it
And you run
Run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you
Just for fun
Fun
If they're gunning for you boy
You've already won
@hellemgomes9129
VISÃO GERAL
LETRAS
OUVIR
OUTRAS PESSOAS TAMBÉM PESQUISARAM
The city street is hot
The heat is escalating
Every corner in the town
There's a paycheck waiting
Put a flower in your pocket
If you seem them boy you drop it
And you run
You Run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you
Just for fun
For fun
If they're gunning for you boy
You've already won
I had a dream today
About a hustle lost
He paid his dues
Then he paid the cost
Wish I knew back then
All I know right now
Things would be much different
The time has allowed
Put a flower in your pocket
If you seem them boy you drop it
And you run
You run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you
Just for fun
For fun
If they're gunning for you boy
You've already won
With tired eyes
And bills to pay
You gotta make it through
Another day
The streets can see
Into your soul
It ain't where ya been
But where you're gonna go
Put a flower in your pocket
If you seem them boy you drop it
And you run
You run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you
Just for fun
For fun
If they're gunning for you boy
You've already won
@paulinagamboa8165
The city street is hot
The heat is escalating
Every corner in the town
There's a paycheck waiting
Put a flower in your pocket
If you seem them boy, you drop it
And you run, run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you
Just for fun, fun
If they're gunning for you boy, you've already won
I had a dream today
About a hustle lost
He paid his dues
Then he paid the cost
Wish I knew back then
All I know right now
Things would be much different
Than time has allowed
Put a flower in your pocket
If you seem them boy, you drop it
And you run, run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you
Just for fun, fun
If they're gunning for you boy, you've already won
With tired eyes and bills to pay
You gotta make it through another day
The streets can see into your soul
It ain't where ya been but where you're gonna go
Put a flower in your pocket
If you seem them boy, you drop it
And you run, run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you
Just for fun, fun
If they're gunning for you boy, you've already won
@TheRealDJOsk
[Verse 1]
The city street is hot
The heat is escalating
Every corner in the town
There's a paycheck waiting
[Chorus]
Put a flower in your pocket
If you seem them boy you drop it
And you run
You Run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you
Just for fun
For fun
If they're gunning for you boy
You've already won
[Verse 2]
I had a dream today
About a hustle lost
He paid his dues
Then he paid the cost
Wish I knew back then
All I know right now
Things would be much different
The time has allowed
[Chorus]
Put a flower in your pocket
If you seem them boy you drop it
And you run
You run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you
Just for fun
For fun
If they're gunning for you boy
You've already won
[Verse 3]
With tired eyes
And bills to pay
You gotta make it through
Another day
The streets can see
Into your soul
It ain't where ya been
But where you're gonna go
[Chorus]
Put a flower in your pocket
If you seem them boy you drop it
And you run
You run
They may pretend they like you
But man's best friend will bite you
Just for fun
For fun
If they're gunning for you boy
You've already won
@0401asdf
I first heard this song 7 years ago and its still as good as on day one
@nr4dd
The greatest band that no one has ever heard of. Man what I'd do for a new Arc's album
@brna00
I have great news my friend
@timverrecchia1654
There is a new album but no richard swift R.I.P
@ethandanner487
Between the amazing music and beautiful art style, its hard to imagine that the arcs haven’t gained that much attention or at least as much as they should.
@josephhesse2634
Because the dude died
@znmcg
@Joseph Hesse Dan not dead your dead 💀
@Thirdeye387
Yeah this song is very under rated imo
@Dogman_35
@Zane McGahee Not Dan Auerbach, Richard Swift. He was with The Black Keys, but he was a bigger part of The Arcs apparently. It's pretty sad...
@Uninspired.Spectator
@Dogman_35 damn Richard swift died? That’s hurts. Dirty Jim was my favorite of his