Hey Pretty
Poe Lyrics


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Well, it's 3 AM, I'm out here riding again
Through the wicked winding streets of my world
I make a wrong turn, brake it now, I'm too far gone
I got a siren on my tail
And that ain't the fine I'm looking for

I see a stairway so I follow it down
Into the belly of a whale
Where my secrets echo all around
You know me now but to do better than that
You've got to follow me
Boy, I'm trying to show you where I'm at

Hey pretty
Don't you wanna take a ride with me?
Through my world
Hey pretty
Don't you wanna kick and slide?
Through my world

Well, I've got a mind full of wicked designs
I've got a non-stop hole in my head imagination
I'm in a building that has two thousand floors
And when they all fall down
I think you know it's you they're fallin' for

I can't forget I am a soul architect
I built the shadows here
I built the growl in the voice, I fear
You add it up, but to do better than that
You've got to follow me
Boy, I'm trying to show you where I'm at

Hey pretty
Don't you wanna take a ride with me?
Through my world
Hey pretty
Don't you wanna kick and slide
Through my world
Hey pretty
My pretty baby
Rocket through my world (see through my world)
Hey pretty (hey pretty)
My pretty baby
Rocket through my world (my world)

Hey now
Can't you feel me longing?
(D-D-Do you get the gist of the song now?)
Hey now
Can't you feel me?
(Feel me now)

Hey pretty (hey pretty, hey pretty)
(My pretty baby)
Hey pretty baby
Don't you want to take a ride with me?
Don't you want to take a ride with me?
(My baby)
Don't you wanna take a ride with me?
(My baby)
My pretty baby
(Don't you wanna)
Rocket through my world (my world)
Don't you wanna take a ride with me? (my baby)
Don't you wanna (my baby)
Don't you wanna take a ride with me?
Do you get the gist of the song now?
Don't you wanna take a ride with me?




Do you get the gist of the song now?
My pretty baby

Overall Meaning

In "Hey Pretty," Poe describes a late-night journey through the winding, malevolent streets of her own world. She takes a wrong turn and is pursued by sirens, eventually finding herself at the top of a staircase that leads her downwards, toward the secrets she keeps buried within herself. In her mind she has "wicked designs" and a non-stop whole in her head-imagination that she cannot forget. The lyrics reveal that she is the sole architect of her own world, responsible for the dark shadows and growling voice that she fears. She invites a listener, whom she addresses as "Hey Pretty," to join her on her trip, to "take a ride" through her world and "kick and slide" through the shadows with her.


Line by Line Meaning

Well, it's 3 a.m. I'm out here driving again
I'm feeling lost and wandering, driving through the twisted, confusing streets of my mind.


Through the wicked winding streets of my world
I'm navigating through the twisted and complicated pathways of my own psyche.


I take a wrong turn break it but I'm too far gone
I've made a mistake but feel like it's too late to turn things around.


I've got a siren on my tale and that's not the fine
I feel like I'm being chased or pursued, and it's not a good feeling.


I'm looking for
I'm searching for something elusive and hard to find.


I see a stairway so I follow it down
I see a path that leads me deeper into my own subconscious, and I follow it.


Into the belly of a whale
I delve deeper into my own mind, where it feels dark, dangerous, and overwhelming.


Where my secrets echo all around
In the depths of my mind, my secrets and innermost thoughts reverberate all around me.


You know me now but to do better than that
You have some understanding of me, but there's much more to discover.


You've got to follow me
To truly understand me, you need to come along on this journey and follow where I lead.


Boy I'm trying to show you where I'm at
I'm making an effort to reveal my true self to you and show you my innermost thoughts and feelings.


Hey pretty
The artist addresses someone they find attractive, someone they would like to connect with on a deeper level.


Don't you want to take a ride with me?
Wouldn't you like to come along with me on this journey into my inner world?


Through my world
I want to share with you the strange and dizzying world inside my own head.


Well I've got a mind full of wicked designs
My thoughts are twisted and dark, and I'm filled with strange and unsettling ideas.


I've got a non-stop-whole in my head-imagination
My imagination feels like an endless pit or hole that I can't escape from, and it's always churning out new ideas.


I can't forget I am a sole architect
I am responsible for creating this strange and confusing inner world, and I can't escape it.


I built the shadows here
The darkness and fear that I feel all come from within myself; I've created them here within my own mind.


I built the growl in the voice I fear
Even the things that scare me the most are something I've created and given life to within myself.


My pretty baby
Another term of endearment for the person the artist is addressing.


Rock it through my world
Join me on this strange and dizzying journey through my own thoughts and feelings.


Can't you feel me longing
The artist is expressing a strong desire for connection and understanding from the person they are addressing.


Me
Again, the singer is expressing their desire for understanding and connection, but also acknowledging their own self-centeredness and inward focus.


(You get the gist of the song now?)
The artist is asking if the listener now understands the overall meaning of the song and the emotions it's expressing.




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Annie Danielewski, Mathew Wilder, Ken Burgomaster

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@greatbearofalltime

how come poe never became as famous as alanis morrisette or shirley manson? she certainly had the talent for aggresive female songs.

@OddlyIncredible

"The longest unzipping of my life." Mark sure has a way with words... I saw Poe live when she opened for Depeche Mode back in 2001. She put on a far, FAR better show than they did, and Mark was there as a guest. "Epic" is an oft-overused term, so suffice it to say that if she ever goes back on tour I'll sell a kidney to get tickets if that's what it takes, and I don't even care if it's mine...

@lsnows

This is a great song. Reminds me of a better time: pre-9/11, 2001. Great song!!

@AutumnMoon1031

The author of the book is her brother : ) Both are amazing.

@shalrema

I am, right now, reading that book, and JUST read that passage... and I sat there, and re-read it, knowing i had heard it before.... and this song popped into my head. Amazing.

@stuffie1977

If you weren't aware, Haunted (which is Poe's 2nd album and the one Hey Pretty is on) is a companion piece to HoL. Poe is the author's sister.

@lsnows

LOL!! That's a good one. I remember when this song came out, it would never get off the radio. Great song, great times. This song came out in the first half of 2001. I miss those days- pre-9.11 2k1.

@ladyvelkor

I like the use of colour: Mark reads Johnny's words while framed (trapped?) in Blue, and Poe is the minotaur in Red. I'm gonna get sucked into that book again, I just know it.

@keetonbob

And yet not a single stripclub I've be to plays this song. Fuck it, I'm starting my own place.

@racatiwood

Agreed, all in all. However, after finally getting around to reading "House of Leaves," the album "Haunted" suddenly made more sense to me as a whole, since a number of songs were written in conjunction with Mark's book.

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