Ooh La
The Kooks Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

In their eyes is the place that you finally discovered
That you love it here, you've got to stay
On this rock, not a rock, an island
On which you find you love it when you twitch
You felt that itch in your petticoat
Your pretty, pretty petticoat
And then you smiled, he got wild
You didn't understand that there's money to be made
Beauty is a card that must get played
By organizations

Well, ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
And ooh la, the world just chewed her up and spat her out
And ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
And ooh la, the world just chewed her up and spat her out

The world can be a very big place
So be yourself, don't feel out of place
Love your man and love him twice
Go to Hollywood and pay the price
Oh, go to Hollywood
And don't be a star, it's such a drag
Take care of yourself, don't begin to lag
It's a hard life to live, so live it well
I'll be your friend and not to pretend
I know you, girl
In all situations

Well, ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
Well, ooh la, the world just chewed her up and spat her out
And ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
And ooh la, the world just chewed her up and spat her out

Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty petticoat
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty petticoat
In all situations

Well, ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
And ooh la, the world just chewed her up and spat her out




And ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
And ooh la, the world just chewed her up and spat her out

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Kooks's song Ooh La suggest a message about staying true to oneself while navigating the pressures of the entertainment industry. The first two lines describe a moment of discovery, implying that the singer has found a place where they feel at home. However, the line "On this rock, not a rock, an island" suggests that this place is not necessarily physical, but rather a state of mind. The following lines describe a feeling of pleasure, perhaps sexual, and the realization that one can profit from their beauty. The singer is advised to take care of themselves, "love their man", but also be prepared to "pay the price" if they want to be successful, particularly if they go to Hollywood. The repetition of "pretty, pretty petticoat" throughout the song evokes the idea of innocence, but simultaneously highlights the sexist and objectifying nature of the entertainment industry. The phrase "she was such a good girl to me" is repeated throughout the song, perhaps referring to a specific person who was mistreated by the industry.


Overall, the song seems to suggest that the entertainment industry can be a harsh and exploitative environment, but that one can navigate it successfully as long as they stay true to themselves and prioritize their own well-being.


Line by Line Meaning

In their eyes is the place that you finally discovered
You found a special spot through someone else's perspective


That you love it here, you've got to stay
You've fallen in love with the place and should make it your home


On this rock, not a rock, an island
You've found a unique and isolated spot that you enjoy


On which you find you love it when you twitch
You enjoy the little quirks that make you happy in this place


You felt that itch in your petticoat
You felt a stirring of excitement


Your pretty, pretty petticoat
Your femininity or attractiveness


And then you smiled, he got wild
Someone else became excited by your beauty and confidence


You didn't understand that there's money to be made
You didn't realize that others could profit from your beauty


Beauty is a card that must get played
Your attractiveness can be leveraged for profit or success


By organizations
Businesses or groups can use your beauty for their own gain


Well, ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
The girl was kind and meaningful to the singer


And ooh la, the world just chewed her up and spat her out
The world was cruel and unforgiving to her


The world can be a very big place
There are many opportunities in the world


So be yourself, don't feel out of place
Stay true to yourself in any situation


Love your man and love him twice
Love those who are important to you wholeheartedly


Go to Hollywood and pay the price
Pursue your dreams in a place where success comes at a cost


Oh, go to Hollywood
Encouraging someone to chase their dreams in the entertainment industry


And don't be a star, it's such a drag
Being a celebrity can be a burden


Take care of yourself, don't begin to lag
Don't neglect your own wellbeing


It's a hard life to live, so live it well
Life can be challenging, so make the most of it


I'll be your friend and not to pretend
The singer is offering genuine friendship


I know you, girl
The singer knows the person well and wants the best for them


Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty
Emphasis on beauty and attractiveness


Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty petticoat
A specific item of feminine clothing that adds to attractiveness


In all situations
Regardless of the circumstance




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Luke Pritchard, Max Clarke Rafferty, Paul James Garred

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

@iselagutierrez7592

In their eyes is the place that you finally discovered
That you love it here, you've got to stay
On the bottom of the rock, an island
On which you find you love it when you twitch
You feel that itch in you pettycoat
Your pretty pretty pettycoat

Then you smiled, he got wild
You didn't understand that there's money to be made
Beauty is a card that must get played
By organisation

And ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
And ooh la, the world just chewed her up, and spat her out
And ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
And ooh la, the world just chewed her up, and spat her out

The world can be a very big place
So be yourself don't get out of place
Love your man and love him twice
Go to Hollywood and pay the price
Oh go to Hollywood

And don't be a star, it's such a drag
Take care of yourself, don't begin to lag
It's a hard life to live, so live it well
I'll be your friend and not in pretend
I know you girl
In all situations

And ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
And ooh la, the world just chewed her up, and spat her out
And ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
And ooh la, the world just chewed her up, and spat her out

Pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty
Pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pettycoat
Pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty
Pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pettycoat
In all situations

And ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
And ooh la, the world just chewed her up, and spat her out
And ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
And ooh la, the world just chewed her up, and spat her out



All comments from YouTube:

@leahcooke1546

This, Naive and Seaside are my favourite songs by The Kooks.

@Sweetalking666

Leah Cooke The one I would add is Taking pictures of you

@tintatremix

+Leah Cooke What about she moves in her own way??

@leahcooke1546

+Keiran Pope it's definitely up there with the top 5

@skinnyhoney7915

+Leah Cooke Para mi también

@lilyv4524

see the world(acoustic) , I want you, matchbox, and jackie big tits

27 More Replies...

@Juranever

I would recommend everyone to go to their concert. It's the best experience that money can buy. Couldn't feel my legs for days

@FranklinFreshman

theyre not even performing in England for a while , hopefully they doing another LDN concert soon 

@annna19971303

yesss going tonight in Amsterdam!!! :) excited 

@FranklinFreshman

how was it ??

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