Pretty Fin
Pati Yang Lyrics


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Come here and seat down on my arm, butterfly
Show me your wings, I'll show you how to get high
I know it's late
And you wanna leave
But if you decide to stay
You'll make my day
Let's have a party on the bridge
My advice:
Before you jump
Tighten your lips
Close your eyes
The water is cold
And we'll be alone
But after little while
It will feel like home

I guess I'll see you on the other side
I will be waiting till you come and dance
I'll let the river know you're moving in
I'll let you tango with my pretty fin

See how you fight
Want me to get you
Seduce, stretch twist
And hypnotize
I know it's late
And you wanna leave
But if you decide to stay
You'll make my day

And then you take me
And I am not opposed
I guess I want to be taken
Underneath the surface
In your hands my temples crush
And then boil
I need to breathe
I need to breathe like a mermaid

I guess I'll see you on the other side
I will be waiting till you come and dance




I'll let the river know you're moving in
I'll let you tango with my pretty fin

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Pati Yang's "Pretty Fin" set a whimsical, magical tone that pervades the entire song. The singer invites a butterfly to sit on her arm, and promises to show it how to fly high. She encourages it to stay and have a party on the bridge. Despite the rather ominous advice to tighten lips and close eyes before jumping into the water, the singer assures the listener that they will not be alone for long - the cold water will feel like home after a little while.


The second half of the song takes a sensual turn, with the singer inviting her lover to "seduce, stretch, twist, and hypnotize" her. She admits that she wants to be taken "underneath the surface". The imagery in this section is both erotic and aquatic, with the singer's temples crushing and boiling, and her desire to breathe like a mermaid. Throughout the song, there's a sense of surrender and trust, as if the singer is willingly giving herself over to the unknown.


Line by Line Meaning

Come here and seat down on my arm, butterfly
The singer invites the listener to sit next to her and enjoy the moment.


Show me your wings, I'll show you how to get high
The singer encourages the listener to show her true self and promises to take her to new heights.


I know it's late
The singer acknowledges the time but wants the listener to stay a bit longer.


And you wanna leave
The singer understands that the listener may want to leave but hopes she won't.


But if you decide to stay
The singer expresses her hope that the listener will choose to stay.


You'll make my day
The singer will be delighted if the listener stays longer.


Let's have a party on the bridge
The singer proposes to have some fun on the bridge.


My advice:
The singer offers some advice.


Before you jump
The singer warns the listener of potential danger associated with jumping in the water.


Tighten your lips
The singer advises the listener to be cautious and keep her lips tight while jumping in the water.


Close your eyes
The singer advises the listener to close her eyes while jumping in the water to avoid getting injured by debris.


The water is cold
The singer informs the listener that the water is cold.


And we'll be alone
The singer says that there won't be anyone else around.


But after a little while
The singer assures the listener that they will get used to the water temperature soon.


It will feel like home
The singer says that they will get comfortable soon.


I guess I'll see you on the other side
The singer implies that they will meet again in the afterlife.


I will be waiting till you come and dance
The singer promises to wait for the listener to join her in the afterlife.


I'll let the river know you're moving in
The singer will inform the river that the listener is coming.


I'll let you tango with my pretty fin
The singer suggests that the listener can join her in the dance using her pretty fin.


See how you fight
The singer observes the listener resisting her advances.


Want me to get you
The singer implies that the listener desires her help.


Seduce, stretch twist
The singer describes the process of her seduction.


And hypnotize
The singer suggests that she has hypnotic powers to charm the listener.


And then you take me
The singer hints at the listener taking control in this situation.


And I am not opposed
The singer expresses her consent.


I guess I want to be taken
The singer reveals her desire to be taken by the listener.


Underneath the surface
The singer suggests they go deeper in the relationship.


In your hands my temples crush
The singer describes the intensity of the experience.


And then boil
The singer describes the feeling of excitement and arousal.


I need to breathe
The singer requires some space to breathe and recover from the intense experience.


I need to breathe like a mermaid
The singer compares herself to a mermaid, who needs to come to the surface to breathe.




Contributed by Grace A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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