Pretty On The Inside

This is one of my favorites from Pretty on the Inside, and, as the other posters have mentioned, it's most definitely a song about the power that being beautiful gives you; I think this song is written about the abuse of that power, as well as the way that people will perceive a 'pretty girl'.

The term "slutkiss girl" is a bit confusing to me, since it was essentially made up by Courtney, but I think it's a reference to a slutty girl (hence, "slut kiss" – a slutty kiss; a girl who is perceived as classless and a slut). The song comes across as a sort of anthem about a pretty girl being worshipped by society, and Courtney is asking the "slutkiss girls" if this girl is truly beautiful beneath her physicality ("Is she pretty on the inside?") and if they are going to feed her ego ("water her rack") and bow down to her by giving her what she wants ("promise her smack"), all whilst following her trail from afar (hence the question, "is she pretty from the back?").

The "smack" is also an obvious drug reference, as others have said.

As for the people who are saying that Courtney can't write, and that the song means nothing because it's just "bullshit"– go to hell. Seriously. Are you not able to accept the fact that not ALL songs are written in a straightforward manner and don't all necessarily tell a specific narrative? Poetry and songwriting (which I essentially consider poetry in its own way) can be extremely abstract; so, yes, if you read the lyrics word-for-word and put no thought into it, the song is probably going to appear like gibberish–BUT, there is stuff going on beneath that surface. It's not some meaningless banter, it's just Love's abstraction of the subject (power and beauty).

excuse me, but courtney can write. sorry, honey, but it's a proven fact.

fuck you guys. You aren't really fans. If you don't like the music, fair enough but you are holding her image against her. Don't listen to her music and come to her page then if you don't like it. This song fucking rocks. Courtney sings HIS songs? What proof do you have? And you obviously know nothing because this stuff was written long before she even met Kurt Cobain. Kurt may have had influence on Live Through This but the albums best songs like Asking For It, Violet and Doll Parts were written before she married him and Courtney had influence on In Utero's lyrics, even the title too. When you're married and you're both artists, it's not that outrageous. But all you people saying that she can't write obviously aren't very bright, or lack music taste because in my opinion Hole were a genius band and I'd much rather listen to Live Through This before any Nirvana record actually.

"it's a song about beauty" (Courtney Love)

1365- it mentions 'smack' it isn't about 'smack'. moron,

i think this song was inspired by the lifestyle that courtney lived and was surrounded by in the years previously, particularly teen years, after all she did start strip for money around 14 was it? i always thought it referenced the decent of a girl in that lifestyle"slut kiss girl wont you promise her smack" is referencing woman who have sex with dealers and those who can promise them drugs, letting them use them however just so long as they can get drugs. 'slut kiss girl wont you water her rack" some guy blowing his load on her? yeah i know thats a gross though but imo rack obviously means boobs, either way desperation still works its way in, and promiscuity as well "slut kiss girl molasses rot black strap" i think molasses rot is just a metaphor for something sweet gone bad, black strap referencing bondage and s&m. all of these quotes seem to be about desperation and numbness to social morals. then asking whether with her beauty used the way it is, for drugs or manipulation. is she pretty on the inside. or do you just like the look of her ass, the conflict between paying attention to physical and mental sides (though what that other person said about "pretty from the back" meaning as shes walking out of your life) "there is no power like my pretty power" of what ive said before, the girl has been used and she has used others in the lifestyle she is in, to survive all the bullshit she has learned to use her "pretty power" to get the better position, she thinks of it as the most powerful of talents and in her eventual numbness of most "morals" she intends to use it and hide behind it. in this way it is definitely a feminist view, because it talks of the descent that so many women in general have to make to be noticed and make an impact.

oh yay! i'm the first to comment! ok i love this song. its prolly about when she was a stripper/prostitute/whatever, and how ppl would judge whether she was a pretty stripper or was she ugly and about her self esteem and stuff like that. iono.. just my opinion or whatever..

I think this song is about how beauty is power. how some one my be pretty on the outside but that doesn't make them pretty on the inside. i dunno....its just what i think. i could be wrong, but thats just the feeeling i got from the song. btw this is one of my fave hole songs!!!

LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!

i wrote this a long time ago kurt and Courtney are equals i like them both