The song is about a female friend of Daryl Palumbo who went to college and began getting involved in a life of partying and binge drinking and forgetting her friendship with, the then straight edge, Daryl Palumbo.
All lyrics written by Daryl Palumbo.
All music written by Glassjaw.
Pretty Lush
Glassjaw Lyrics
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Etched in,
Scratched in like resurrection.
Your sins are killing you
And you can bet they'll get me too.
I've got to give some to get some.
Mining in the river
Down on your knees
As you heave at the drain.
You can lead a whore to water
And bet she'll drink and follow orders.
And I said, "Is this what you wanted?"
"Is this what you needed?"
Give it some more time.
Tonight I'm going to a party,
But it's already started without me.
I aced philosophy
And mastered the art of spiritual phase.
I've got to give some to get some.
The disco ball spins away another year.
I wish you a broken heart and a happy new year.
Only three words come to mind.
The opening lines of the song "Pretty Lush" by Glassjaw, "I draw them on reckless, Etched in, Scratched in like resurrection" set the tone for the rest of the lyrics, which speak to the idea of living life with abandon and accepting the consequences of those actions. The singer acknowledges that sinful behavior might ultimately be what kills him, but he feels compelled to take risks and give of himself in order to reap rewards. He likens this process to "mining in the river" while standing in the rain - hard, dirty work that might seem pointless to casual observers.
The middle section of the song references the idea of leading a horse to water, suggesting that people will often follow orders even if it's not in their best interest to do so. The singer wonders if this is truly what the other person wants or needs, and implores them to give it more time. The final section sees the singer acknowledging the passage of time and the transitory nature of life - the disco ball spinning away another year - while offering a backhanded wish for a happy new year to fans or listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
I draw them on reckless,
I make careless decisions on a regular basis,
Etched in,
Permanently marked,
Scratched in like resurrection.
Markings made as if coming back from the dead,
Your sins are killing you
Your wrongful actions have consequences that are negatively affecting you,
And you can bet they'll get me too.
I acknowledge that my actions may come back to harm me as well,
I've got to give some to get some.
I understand that sacrifices must be made in order to achieve something in return,
Mining in the river
Searching for something valuable within a large body of water,
Standing in the rain.
Remaining in a situation that is unpleasant or uncomfortable,
Down on your knees
Submitting to an authority or situation in a vulnerable position,
As you heave at the drain.
Attempting to remove something unpleasant or negative from your life,
You can lead a whore to water
You can provide someone with an opportunity, but it is up to them to take it or not,
And bet she'll drink and follow orders.
It is likely that they will take the opportunity and do what they are told to do,
And I said, "Is this what you wanted?"
I questioned if this was the desired outcome,
"Is this what you needed?"
I questioned if this was truly necessary,
Give it some more time.
Give the situation more time to see if it will improve or not,
Tonight I'm going to a party,
I am attending a social gathering tonight,
But it's already started without me.
The party has already begun, and I am late to arrive,
I aced philosophy
I did exceptionally well in my studies of philosophy,
And mastered the art of spiritual phase.
I learned to perfect the art of achieving spiritual enlightenment,
The disco ball spins away another year.
Time passes quickly, like the spinning of a disco ball,
I wish you a broken heart and a happy new year.
I wish for you to experience heartbreak in order to grow and learn, and a happy new year,
Only three words come to mind.
I can only think of three words to describe this situation,
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BECK, PALUMBO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind