"Pretty Hurts"
[Harvey Keitel:] Ms. Third ward, your first question - what is your aspiration in life?
[Beyoncé:] Oh... My aspiration in life... would be... to be happy.
(Uh huh huh)
(Uh huh huh)
(Uh huh huh)
[Verse 1:]
Mama said, "You're a pretty girl.
What's in your head, it doesn't matter
Brush your hair, fix your teeth.
What you wear is all that matters."
[Pre-Hook:]
Just another stage, pageant the pain away
This time I'm gonna take the crown
Without falling down, down, down
[Hook:]
Pretty hurts, we shine the light on whatever's worst
Perfection is a disease of a nation, pretty hurts, pretty hurts
Pretty hurts, we shine the light on whatever's worst
We try to fix something but you can't fix what you can't see
It's the soul that needs the surgery
(Uh huh huh)
[Verse 2:]
Blonder hair, flat chest
TV says, "Bigger is better."
South beach, sugar free
Vogue says, "Thinner is better."
[Pre-Hook:]
Just another stage, pageant the pain away
This time I'm gonna take the crown
Without falling down, down, down
[Hook:]
Pretty hurts, we shine the light on whatever's worst
Perfection is a disease of a nation, pretty hurts, pretty hurts (pretty hurts)
Pretty hurts (pretty hurts), we shine the light on whatever's worst
We try to fix something but you can't fix what you can't see
It's the soul that needs the surgery
[Bridge:]
Ain't got no doctor or pill that can take the pain away
The pain's inside and nobody frees you from your body
It's the soul, it's the soul that needs surgery
It's my soul that needs surgery
Plastic smiles and denial can only take you so far
Then you break when the fake facade leaves you in the dark
You left with shattered mirrors and the shards of a beautiful past
[Hook:]
Pretty hurts, we shine the light on whatever's worst (pretty hurts)
Perfection is a disease of a nation, pretty hurts, pretty hurts
Pretty hurts, we shine the light on whatever's worst
We try to fix something but you can't fix what you can't see
It's the soul that needs the surgery
[Outro:]
When you're alone all by yourself (pretty hurts, pretty hurts)
And you're lying in your bed (pretty hurts, pretty hurts)
Reflection stares right into you (pretty hurts, pretty hurts)
Are you happy with yourself? (pretty hurts, pretty hurts)
You stripped away the masquerade (pretty hurts, pretty hurts)
The illusion has been shed (pretty hurts, pretty hurts)
Are you happy with yourself? (pretty hurts, pretty hurts)
Are you happy with yourself? (pretty hurts, pretty hurts)
Yes
Uh huh huh
One of the main points throughout the song is that society puts appearance over all. Even if you're nice, funny, and intelligent, none of these things matter if you're not considered to be "beautiful." It's so upsetting how young girls are taught to dress up and wear makeup and flirt with boys instead of being taught to treat others nicely and study hard and chase their dreams. And instead of teaching girls that their flaws are unique and amazing, our society teaches them to just fix their flaws through the use of makeup and plastic surgery.
These concepts have affected me on a personal level. When I was in intermediate and middle school, I was considered a tomboy. I had no interest in makeup or clothes or appearances; heck, I looked like a small homeless child every day I went to school. And maybe boys didn't chase me (well that's one thing that hasn't changed from middle school) and maybe I didn't ever learn how to match clothes, but I was happy. But once I reached high school, appearances were suddenly everything. You had to dress a certain way, and you were judged if you didn't conform to others' ideas of beauty.
One of my favorite lines in the song is "Are you happy with yourself?" All that matters in the end is whether or not you're happy with yourself. Do you treat others nicely? Do you take care of yourself? Do you better yourself every day? in the end, we're all going to end up as old, wrinkly people, so what really matters is what's on the inside, no matter how cliche it might seem. I think a line from one of my most favorite slam poems, "Pretty" by Katie Makkai, sums it all up. "When you ask me, 'Mom, will I be pretty?' I will wipe that question from your mouth like cheap lipstick and answer, 'No.' The word 'pretty' is not worthy of everything you will be."