Segall began his recording career as a part-time musician in various underground bands in Orange County and the San Francisco Bay Area, before beginning a solo career in 2008. Segall's first solo release was the cassette Horn The Unicorn released on the Wizard Mountain label (later re-released by HBSP-2X on vinyl record). Around the same time, Wizard Mountain also released a split cassette featuring Segall and the band Superstitions entitled Halfnonagon.
In 2012, Segall released three LPs: His solo album, Twins; a collaboration with White Fence titled Hair and Slaughterhouse, an album with the Ty Segall Band.
Pretty Baby
Ty Segall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
pretty baby, you're so ugly, your hair! yellow! you're so ugly!
oh pretty baby, oh pretty baby, oh pretty baby, yeah
pretty baby, you're so ugly, with your hair greasy and fugly
pretty baby, your hair! yellow! your oh oh oh oh oh oh
oh pretty baby, oh pretty baby, oh pretty baby, yeah
The lyrics to Ty Segall's song "Pretty Baby" may initially seem confusing or even offensive, but upon closer examination, they reveal a deeper commentary on societal expectations of beauty, and the damaging effects they can have on individuals. The repetition of the phrase "pretty baby, you're so ugly" is jarring, but serves to emphasize the conflicting messages people, particularly women, receive about their appearances. The singer is addressing someone they apparently find physically unattractive, but the use of the word "pretty" suggests that their opinion may not be entirely genuine. The references to greasy, yellow hair seem intentionally crude, emphasizing the singer's rejection of traditional beauty standards.
The repetition of the phrase "oh pretty baby" serves to further underscore the message of the song. It seems to be a common refrain used in a variety of contexts, from expressions of affection to condescending comments. The ambiguity of the phrase, paired with the harsh "you're so ugly" statement that follows, creates a sense of unease and discomfort. It forces the listener to confront their own possible complicity in upholding harmful beauty expectations. By the end of the song, the repetition of "oh pretty baby" has become almost meaningless, highlighting the emptiness of platitudes meant to make people feel better about their appearances.
Line by Line Meaning
Pretty baby, you're so ugly, with your hair greast and fugly
The singer is insulting someone they refer to as pretty baby, commenting on their physical appearance with a focus on their greasy and unattractive hair.
pretty baby, you're so ugly, your hair! yellow! you're so ugly!
The singer continues to insult the person's appearance, specifically pointing out the unappealing color of their hair.
oh pretty baby, oh pretty baby, oh pretty baby, yeah
The repetition of 'oh pretty baby' emphasizes the singer's focus on insulting this person, and the 'yeah' at the end adds a tone of agreement or satisfaction with their own insults.
pretty baby, your hair! yellow! you're so ugly!
The artist again emphasizes the person's unattractive hair color, using it as evidence of their ugliness.
oh pretty baby, oh pretty baby, oh pretty baby, yeah
The repetition of the insult and agreement continues, with the artist seemingly taking pleasure in belittling this person based on their looks.
Contributed by Julia L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.