Pretty Penny
Stone Temple Pilots Lyrics


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Have you seen your mother, girl?
Has she gone away?
Gone away and found the pearl
But the price she paid

Gone
When you wake in the morning, gone
When you find that there's no one sleeping, gone
Pretty Penny was her name
She was loved and we all will miss her

How far will you go I say
Just to bait a mouse?
Shorter lived and longer gone
Can you figure out?

Gone
When you wake in the morning, gone
When you find that there's no one sleeping, gone
Pretty Penny was her name
She was loved and we all will miss her

Have you lost your sister, girl?
She's all but blown away
Blown away and lost the pearl
And the price she paid

Gone
When you wake in the morning, gone
When you find that there's no one sleeping, gone




Pretty Penny was her name
She was loved and we all will miss her

Overall Meaning

Stone Temple Pilot's song "Pretty Penny" is a melancholic track that deals with loss and grief. The song is believed to be a tribute to Andrew Wood, the lead singer of Mother Love Bone, who died of a drug overdose in 1990. The lyrics suggest that the song is written from the perspective of someone who has lost a loved one and is struggling to come to terms with their absence. The first verse asks if the listener has seen their mother girl, and asks if she has gone away and found the pearl. This is likely a metaphor for death, with the pearl representing the transcendent state that comes after passing away. However, the song suggests that this state comes at a great cost, perhaps alluding to the pain felt by those left behind.


The second verse talks about the brevity of life, suggesting that it is not worth sacrificing the present moment for future gains. The lines "Shorter lived and longer gone/Can you figure out?" suggest that time is precious and should be used wisely. The chorus repeats a haunting refrain that the person is gone and will be missed. The last verse asks if the listener has lost their sister girl and whether she has blown away and lost the pearl. This verse reiterates the theme of loss and highlights the futility of trying to hold onto something that is destined to be lost.


Line by Line Meaning

Have you seen your mother girl?
Have you recently met your mother, girl?


Has she gone away?
Did she leave and go somewhere else?


Gone away and found the pearl
She left and found something of great value.


But the price she paid
But she had to give up something of equal or greater value to get it.


Gone, when you wake in the morning
The mother is gone when you wake up in the morning.


Gone, when you find that there's no one sleeping
The mother is gone when you notice that no one is sleeping.


Gone, pretty Penny was her name
The mother's name was Pretty Penny and she is gone.


She was loved and we all will miss her
Everyone loved the mother and misses her.


How far will you go I say, just to bait a mouse?
I'm asking you how far you would go, just to lure a mouse out of hiding?


Shorter lived and longer gone
The mouse lived for a short time, but has been gone for much longer.


Can you figure out?
Can you understand the meaning behind this comparison?


Have you lost your sister girl?
Have you lost your sister, girl?


She's all but blown away
She has almost disappeared, blown away by the wind.


Blown away and lost the pearl
She disappeared and lost something valuable.


And the price she paid
She had to give up something valuable to make that loss worse.


Gone, when you wake in the morning
The sister is gone when you wake up in the morning.


Gone, when you find that there's no one sleeping
The sister is gone when you notice that no one is sleeping.


Gone, pretty Penny was her name
The sister's name was Pretty Penny and she is gone.


She was loved and we all will miss her
Everyone loved the sister and misses her.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dean Deleo, Robert Emile Deleo, Eric Kretz, Scott Richard Weiland

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@KaneDean313

have you seen your mother girl?
has she gone away?
gone away and found the pearl
but the price she paid
gone
when you wake in the morning
gone
when you find that there's no one sleeping
gone
pretty penny was her name
she was loved and we all will miss her

how far will you go I say,
just to bait a mouse?
shorter lived and longer gone,
can you figure out?

have you lost your sister girl?
she's all but blown away
blown away and lost the pearl
and the price she paid



@Pride317

Lyrics

Have you seen your mother,
Girl?
Has she gone away?
Gone away and
Found the pearl
But the price she paid

Gone
When you wake in the morning
Gone
When you find that
There's no one sleeping
Gone
Pretty Penny was her name
She was loved and
We all will miss her

How far will you go I say
Just to bait a mouse?
Shorter lived and longer gone
Can you figure out?

Gone
When you wake in the morning
Gone
When you find that
There's no one sleeping
Gone
Pretty Penny was her name
She was loved and
We all will miss her

Have you lost your sister,
Girl?
She's all but blown away
Blown away and
Lost the pearl
And the price she paid

Gone
When you wake in the morning
Gone
When you find that
There's no one sleeping
Gone
Pretty Penny was her name
She was loved and
We all will miss her
Hmm
Hmm



All comments from YouTube:

@matthewriegler6565

My mother died in 2016, love my Mom very much! Her name was Penny. I hope that Scott is singing this song to Mom. Today is Mom's birthday. Thanks to STP. Thanks to Mom. She (Scott, too) was loved and we will all miss her.

@ZombieBoy540

😭😭😭😭😭😭

@ticeuntz

My mom's name is Penny and she is dying right now. God bless you and your family 🙌

@matthewriegler6565

@@ticeuntz Prayers to and prayers for your mother, my friend (dusty hirsch).

@imterpsfan2

This song didn't receive a lot of airplay but I think it was one of their best songs.

@Capnsensible80

It was in pretty heavy rotation on the radio in Seattle and hit the top 20 so it definitely got some recognition.

@centralscrutenhagen5267

3:15p.m. on 107.9 the end everyday for what seemed like years. No airplay my ass.

@cowpoke02

it was played a lot here all time. after local girl died in car crash . ironic . so when i hear the song i think of her .. she got all miss her . weird timing ... unlucky .. stop rules .. listen to them al day to cheer me up ..

@penelopeplimsoul3617

Exactly!!

@lostlittleme2959

Agreed!!!! 🤟😎🤟

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