Pretty Dirty Habits
Julie Arsenault Lyrics
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Lights up a cigarette
My my, what a pretty mouth you have
It’s a pretty dirty habit this I must admit
It’s much easier to cope with something touching my lips
And the warmth that it brings to my fingertips
Makes it easier for me to
Be alone like this
Oh I’m right here, she says, with a longing he could never detect
It’s a strange way to live
Either cooped up in your bed
Or perched up on, upon the fence
Between what’s real and what is just up in your head
And the booze on your breath
Now it only suggests
You’re feeling blue again
For no reason other than it’s what you do,
She says, unwilling now to pretend that she’s in love
Even though she knows she still is
It’s a pretty messed up habit giving everything you have
To just one man, one man you know, who can never give it back
Oh I’m right here, she says, with a heaving in her breast
Oh I’m right here, she says, with a longing he would never understand
The lyrics of Julie Arsenault's "Pretty Dirty Habits" explore the inner turmoil and contradictions of a woman struggling to come to terms with her relationship. The opening lines depict a moment of sexual intimacy between the woman and her partner. She lifts her dress and he lights up a cigarette, symbolizing a momentary detachment and numbness. The repetition of the phrase "pretty" creates a contrast between the beauty of the woman and the "dirty" nature of the habit. She admits that she is hooked on the sensation of something touching her lips and the warmth that it brings to her fingertips. This habit is a coping mechanism for her to be alone and to deal with the loneliness in her life.
The following lines reveal the emotional and mental instability of the woman. She describes her life as a "strange way to live," where she is either cooped up in bed or perched up on a fence between reality and the unreal. Her breath reeks of booze, which suggests that she's feeling blue again. She's unwilling to pretend that she's in love even though she knows that she still is. The bridge of the song reveals that she's giving everything she has to one man who can never give it back. Even though she's right there, ready and waiting for him with a heaving in her breast and a longing he could never understand.
Overall, "Pretty Dirty Habits" is a powerful portrayal of a woman trying to navigate her emotions and her relationship. It's a song that evokes a sense of sadness and longing, and it portrays the complex and often contradictory nature of human emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
She lifts up her dress and he just
He pays more attention to lighting his cigarette than to her.
Lights up a cigarette
He is more interested in smoking than in her.
My my, what a pretty mouth you have
Her physical beauty is the only thing that he notices or appreciates.
It’s a pretty dirty habit this I must admit
Her reliance on him and her self-destructive behavior are not healthy habits.
It’s much easier to cope with something touching my lips
She finds comfort and distraction in smoking and drinking.
And the warmth that it brings to my fingertips
The sensation of holding a cigarette or a drink provides physical and emotional comfort.
Makes it easier for me to
These habits help her to ...
Be alone like this
... deal with her loneliness and emotional pain.
Oh I’m right here, she say, with a heaving in her breast
She is physically present, but emotionally distant and struggling.
Oh I’m right here, she says, with a longing he could never detect
She is trying to connect with him, but he is not capable of understanding her deeper emotions and desires.
It’s a strange way to live
Her lifestyle is unconventional and unhealthy.
Either cooped up in your bed
She spends a lot of time alone in her bedroom, possibly depressed or avoiding the outside world.
Or perched up on, upon the fence
She is indecisive or uncertain about her feelings or actions.
Between what’s real and what is just up in your head
She struggles with distinguishing between reality and her own thoughts and perceptions.
And the booze on your breath
She has been drinking and is probably intoxicated.
Now it only suggests
The smell of alcohol indicates ...
You’re feeling blue again
... that she is sad or depressed.
For no reason other than it’s what you do
She is stuck in a cycle of self-destructive behavior and cannot seem to break free.
She says, unwilling now to pretend that she’s in love
She admits that she is no longer pretending to have feelings for this man.
Even though she knows she still is
Despite her admission, she is still in love with him.
It’s a pretty messed up habit giving everything you have
She has invested everything in this relationship, and it is not healthy for her.
To just one man, one man you know, who can never give it back
She is giving to him everything she has, while he is not capable of returning the same.
Oh I’m right here, she says, with a heaving in her breast
She is still present, but struggling emotionally and physically.
Oh I’m right here, she says, with a longing he would never understand
She is trying to connect with him, but he is not capable of understanding her deeper emotions and desires.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Julie Arsenault
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind