Their first full-length album, Funs Cool, was released in 2016 and earned positive reviews from critics, who praised the blunt honesty of their lyrics, the prominent use of the ukulele in their music, and their inventive reinterpretations of other songs (The Misfits, Dolly Parton). Several reviewers noted that The Prettiots subvert the "cutesy" tropes and expectations that come along with being an independent band fronted by women and featuring ukulele.
The single, Suicide Hotline, has been especially praised for its sardonic humor and honest discussion of mental health. Katie Presley of NPR wrote that the song "couches stunning barbs of insight between sweet, fun harmonies and playful ukulele strums.
Anyways...
The Prettiots Lyrics
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I can't seem to get myself off the floor
I wish I had met you yesterday
I fear that today is just too late
you broke me but I wasn't yours to break
you took me but I wasn't yours to take
I wish you would let me run away
I knew you were no good when we met
I wish I had met you yesterday
I fear that today is just too late
you broke me but I wasn't yours to break
you took me but I wasn't yours to take
I wish you would let me run away
I'll run away anyway
The lyrics to The Prettiots' song Anyways... deal with the aftermath of a failed relationship. The singer expresses that she can no longer handle being around herself and that she feels stuck on the floor, unable to move past her pain. She wishes that she had met the person she's singing about earlier, as if their relationship had started sooner, things may have turned out differently. However, now she worries that it's too late and that he's broken her even though she wasn't his to break. She also wishes that he would let her run away and escape the pain that he caused her.
The song is raw and emotional, conveying the hurt and anguish that can come with a broken heart. The use of past tense ("you broke me" and "you took me") indicates that the relationship is over, but the singer is still struggling to come to terms with it. She acknowledges that she knew that the person she's singing about was no good when they met, but she wasn't ready for a good relationship yet. Throughout the song, the singer is grappling with both regret and a desire to escape the pain. The final line, "I'll run away anyway," shows a sense of determination, even in the face of heartbreak.
Overall, the lyrics to Anyways... capture the complexities of dealing with a failed relationship. It's a beautifully written song that many listeners can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't be around me anymore
I am so tired of being around myself, I need a change.
I can't seem to get myself off the floor
I am lost, lonely, and need to pick myself back up.
I wish I had met you yesterday
I wish I had met you sooner, so that we could have avoided all of the pain and heartache.
I fear that today is just too late
Maybe it's too late already, and we should let go of what we had rather than trying to fix it.
you broke me but I wasn't yours to break
You hurt me deeply, but I wasn't fully yours to damage; you didn't have the right to do that.
you took me but I wasn't yours to take
You got me, but I wasn't someone to be taken for granted or possessed.
I wish you would let me run away
I wish you would set me free so I can escape and start anew.
I knew you were no good when we met
I had a sense from the start that you weren't the kind of person I should be with, but I ignored it.
but I wasn't ready for good yet
Even though I had doubts about you, I wasn't ready to give up on love and something good.
I'll run away anyway
I will take control of my life and make the decision to leave, even if it's the hardest thing to do.
Contributed by Olivia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.