Silver spoon
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The English language expression silver spoon is synonymous with wealth, especially inherited wealth; someone born into a wealthy family is said to have "been born with a silver spoon in his mouth". As an adjective, "silver-spoon" describes someone who has a prosperous background or is of a well-to-do family environment. In Australia the expression "silvertail" is also often used, although it has an almost identical meaning.
Silver spoons, because of their weight and number, are often one of the most valuable parts of a rich household's effects, a traditional target for burglars. For example, in the feature film Far and Away, the character Shannon plans to pay for her emigration from Ireland to the United States with spoons that she stole from her wealthy landowner parents.
The expression gave rise to the title of the 1980s television series Silver Spoons, starring Rick Schroder and Joel Higgins.
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." In the song She Came In Through The Bathroom Window by the Beatles, the lyrics say "She came in through the bathroom window, protected by her silver spoon", meaning the girl would have no trouble being naughty. The lyrics from the 1985 song "The Wolf" by Heart start with "You were born to privilege, lickin' on a silver spoon". The song "This is Music" by The Verve features the lyrics "I stand accused just like you, for being born without a silver spoon". The song "Substitute" by The Who parodies this term with the lyrics "I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth".
Then-Texas State Treasurer Ann Richards was best 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 has a title that translates as "The Silver Spoon", and uses that title in its English translation; the title is, according to the introduction to the Phaidon Press English edition, derived from the English expression.
