I saw something I was not supposed to see
A ghostly memory that keeps on haunting me

(The kitchen door was open a crack,
So naively we peeked inside)

Oh, darling sister, have they hurt you, have they hurt you?
Oh, Pretty Baby, they won't touch you
They won't touch you again
We will fix this incident

I don't want to be seen as a pretty thing
'Cause it's the pretty things that we're always breaking...

(And now she whispers into the mirror:) I'm broken.

Oh doctor, doctor, can you fix me, can you fix me?

Oh Pretty Baby, you're so naive -- but it comes off so cute
We don't want to fix you
We love you just the way you are
The butterfly pinned to the page
The nightingale locked in the cage -- won't you sing for me?
Sing for me, uh-huh
Yeah, we love you just the way you are
Crushed 'neath fashion magazines
Trampled by circus pony dreams -- won't you kiss me?
Won't you kiss me, uh-huh

Oh please, mister, can't you fix me, can't you fix me? (uh-huh)
Someone, anyone, won't you fix me, won't you fix me? (uh-huh)
Oh, someone, please, the moon has raped me
I can feel it inside me
Oh, mama, please let someone fix me!
Let them fix me, uh-huh
Let them fix me, uh-huh

So cry yourself to sleep
Cry yourself to sleep 'cause I am strong and you are weak
Wait, you are strong, and I am weak
Fuck -- just cry yourself to sleep


Lyrics submitted by jephque

The Lament of Pretty Baby Lyrics as written by Clint Frederick Schnase, Matthew Ryan Maginn, Ted James Stevens, Tim Kasher

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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The Lament of Pretty Baby song meanings
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    General Comment

    WHOA...morons post on this. All right, Cursive is genuis. I listen to this song and think about innocence being stolen. That is my plain and simple interpretation of it. Don't say that they suck, they are very good...musically, lyrically, in all aspects they are incredible...think this way kids, people are deeply affected by this music, and it can make you think about life in completely different lights. Just because you don't like it because you don't have enough brain matter to comprehend it doesn't mean you have the right to say it sucks.

    EyesSoBrighton March 05, 2003   Link

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