Cursive is an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, USA, formed in 1995. Mu… Read Full Bio ↴Cursive is an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, USA, formed in 1995. Musically described as emo and post-hardcore, the band has released eight studio albums and a mix of singles and EPs since 1997, released on record labels 15 Passenger and Saddle Creek.

Band members:
Tim Kasher – lead vocals, guitars, organ
Matt Maginn – bass, backing vocals
Clint Schnase – drums, percussion
Ted Stevens – guitars, backing vocals
Patrick Newbery – miscellaneous instruments

1997 - Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes
1998 - The Storms of Early Summer
2000 - Domestica
2003 - The Ugly Organ
2006 - Happy Hollow
2009 - Mama, I'm Swollen
2012 - I Am Gemini
2018 - Vitriola
2019 - Get Fixed

The Lament of Pretty Baby
Cursive Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Cursive's "The Lament of Pretty Baby" are haunting and evocative, touching upon themes of abuse, trauma, and the desire for validation despite feelings of brokenness. The opening lines speak to the experience of witnessing something traumatic and being unable to shake the memory. The use of the metaphor of a ghostly memory that keeps on haunting the singer highlights both the haunting nature of the experience and the fact that trauma can persist even when the event itself is no longer occurring.

As the song progresses, the singer's concern shifts to their sister, referred to as "Pretty Baby." The use of this name emphasizes her vulnerability and innocence, while also highlighting the singer's protective instincts. The lyrics suggest that she has been hurt in some way, and the singer's concern is palpable as they ask if she has been hurt and then reassure her that they will fix the problem.

However, the song takes a darker turn as the lyrics shift to the perspective of Pretty Baby herself. She expresses a desire not to be seen as "a pretty thing," and it becomes clear that she has experienced some kind of trauma or abuse. The lines "I'm broken" and "can you fix me, can you fix me?" suggest that she feels damaged and is seeking help. However, the responses she receives are dismissive and patronizing, with the singer telling her that they don't want to "fix" her and that they love her just the way she is. The final lines of the song, "Cry yourself to sleep 'cause I am strong and you are weak," suggest a fractured relationship between the singer and Pretty Baby, with the singer struggling to reconcile their desire to protect her with their own feelings of weakness and vulnerability.

Overall, "The Lament of Pretty Baby" is a powerful and emotional song that explores complex themes of trauma, abuse, and the struggle for validation and healing.

Line by Line Meaning

I saw something I was not supposed to see
We accidentally witnessed something we shouldn't have seen.

A ghostly memory that keeps on haunting me
The memory still haunts me like a ghost.

Oh, darling sister, have they hurt you, have they hurt you?
Asking if the sister has been hurt.

Oh, Pretty Baby, they won't touch you
Reassuring the sister that she won't be hurt.

They won't touch you again
Promising that she won't be hurt again.

We will fix this incident
Promising to fix the situation.

I don't want to be seen as a pretty thing
Not wanting to be seen as just a pretty face.

'Cause it's the pretty things that we're always breaking...
Because people always ruin beautiful things.

(And now she whispers into the mirror:) I'm broken.
Speaking to herself about her emotional state.

Oh doctor, doctor, can you fix me, can you fix me?
Asking a doctor to fix her emotional problems.

Oh Pretty Baby, you're so naive -- but it comes off so cute
The sister's naivete is endearing and cute.

We don't want to fix you
Not wanting to change who she is.

We love you just the way you are
Loving her for who she is.

The butterfly pinned to the page
A metaphor for being trapped.

The nightingale locked in the cage -- won't you sing for me?
Asking the nightingale to sing despite being trapped.

Sing for me, uh-huh
Repeating the request for the nightingale to sing.

Yeah, we love you just the way you are
Reiterating the love for the sister without wanting to change her.

Crushed 'neath fashion magazines
Feeling overwhelmed or suffocated by unrealistic beauty standards.

Trampled by circus pony dreams -- won't you kiss me?
Asking for affection and attention despite feeling trapped.

Won't you kiss me, uh-huh
Repeating the request for affection.

Oh please, mister, can't you fix me, can't you fix me? (uh-huh)
Asking for someone to fix the emotional pain.

Someone, anyone, won't you fix me, won't you fix me? (uh-huh)
Asking for someone to help with the pain.

Oh, someone, please, the moon has raped me
The metaphorical weight of the trauma is overwhelming.

I can feel it inside me
The trauma feels very real and present.

Oh, mama, please let someone fix me!
Asking for help from a maternal figure.

Let them fix me, uh-huh
Repeating the request for someone to help fix the pain.

So cry yourself to sleep
Implying that crying is a way to release pain.

Cry yourself to sleep 'cause I am strong and you are weak
Feeling strong enough to encourage the sister to cry and release her pain.

Wait, you are strong, and I am weak
Reevaluating and understanding that both of them are vulnerable.

Fuck -- just cry yourself to sleep
Encouraging crying as a healthy coping mechanism.

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Clint Frederick Schnase, Matthew Ryan Maginn, Ted James Stevens, Tim Kasher

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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