# Is This a British Expression? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 21, 2004, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559 "2004-03-21T16:43:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559/1 "2004-03-21T16:43:13Z")
My question comes from lyrics of a song, but I seek a factual answer here, so I purposely did not post this on the _Cafe_ Board. In the song “Heat of the Moment” by Asia (circa 1980) - a band comprised of established British bands such as Genesis, ELP, and Yes, IIRC - they sing: _You catch a pearl and ride the dragon’s wing_ Is this just waxing poetic, or is it a British expression? What does it mean? From the context, it sounds like someone who wants the best of best at any cost…and usually gets it. Moderators, bump only if necessary…I submit to your greater wisdom. - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559/2 "2004-03-21T16:47:41Z")
It’s not one that I’ve ever encountered, I’m afraid. (N.B. Not really having my finger on the pulse of popular culture, this might not mean much!) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559/3 "2004-03-21T16:55:46Z")
I haven’t encountered it either. It sounds like the _type_ of thing that might be from a famous novel, or it might be a reference to drug taking. ---
**Author:** ![Patr100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Patr100](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patr100)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559/4 "2004-03-21T16:56:23Z")
No, I have never come across it. I think it is just a lyric that you can interpret. Also Google also only gives me a link to someone else asking exactly the same question. ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559/5 "2004-03-21T17:08:33Z")
> [@Patr100](#): > > No, I have never come across it. I think it is just a lyric that you can interpret. Also Google also only gives me a link to someone else asking exactly the same question. Google gives a lot more to me: [http://www.peacemakercommunity.org/current-circles.htm?c=N72LTK](http://www.peacemakercommunity.org/current-circles.htm?c=N72LTK) “The circle meetings are regenerating moments, where each of us finds a way to deeply express him or herself and always finds occasions to catch a ‘pearl’- an illuminating-unexpected-surprisefull bit of wisdom coming from deeply listening to others.” ? Buddhist [http://www.cjmag.co.jp/magazine/issues/1999/May99/The%20IT%20Job%20Market.html](http://www.cjmag.co.jp/magazine/issues/1999/May99/The%20IT%20Job%20Market.html) “Read on and catch a pearl or two of wisdom from this veteran career coach.” [http://www.lonewolf.de/band\_texte.php?param\_action=show\_song¶m\_song=17](http://www.lonewolf.de/band_texte.php?param_action=show_song¶m_song=17) " I don’t understand your world, 'cause it’s flying high above my mind. And sometimes I can see your sky, if I could only take a UFO and fly… take a UFO, take a UFO and fly to your sky, high… Refrain If you leave, I’ll be there, If you stay, I’ll care, if you only be there, there ain’t nobody in between, If you leave, I’ll be there, If you stay, I’ll care, if you hold my hand and, and keep my locked up in your soul alone, alone, alone, you and me. 1. And let me dig into your soil, perhaps I’ll bring a nice treasure home. and let me dive into your sea, I think I’ll catch a pearl and bring it back, bring it back, bring it back to you, to you, to you…" ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559/6 "2004-03-21T17:26:12Z")
Oops - I had not realised that the “location” had disappeared, so I ought to have explained that I am British, and have lived here all my life, in various places. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559/7 "2004-03-21T19:03:28Z")
The closest slang term I know to this is [“chasing the dragon”](http://www.drugscope.org.uk/druginfo/drugsearch/ds_results.asp?file=%5Cwip%5C11%5C1%5C1%5Cchasing_the_dragon.html), which is a method of smoking heroin. But it’s not terribly close, and probably isn’t what they’re talking about. Aside: I learned this while watching _The Barbarian Invasions_. Great movie. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559/8 "2004-03-21T22:38:48Z")
No, it’s not any sort of standard British expression. It’s just an example of what passes for expressive and poetical lyrics in pretentious prog rock. (Not meant in a derogatory way - I happen to like a lot of pretentious prog rock, and the often cringe-worthy lyrics are just part of the fun.) British, born and bred. (Unfortuntely. Would prefer to be American.) ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559/9 "2004-03-21T22:46:42Z")
May I ask a similar question? Thanks 🙂 Judas Priest (from Birmingham, England) had the following lines in their song, _Call For The Priest_: Let the cynics drop dead in their critical head They’re wrist merchants as we all can see “Wrist merchants”? The first thing I thought of when I heard that was that calling somebody a “wrist merchant” is the same as calling them a “jerkoff”. An insult, in other words, somebody who masturbates too much. Am I close here? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559/10 "2004-03-21T22:51:54Z")
Wanker. ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559/11 "2004-03-22T22:34:15Z")
That is _exactly_ what it means. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-british-expression/235559/12 "2004-03-23T01:38:52Z")
Thanks 🙂 I guessed right the first time, but it’s one of those things that’s bugged me for years.