Pretty Boy

The song 'Pretty Boy' by TV Girl delves into the superficiality and emptiness that can be associated with physical attractiveness. The lyrics paint a picture of a character who is admired for their looks, yet there's an underlying sense of hollowness and a lack of substance. The opening lines suggest a desire to freeze the moment, to capture the pretty boy's beauty in a static form, perhaps to control or understand it better. The mention of stealing cigarettes and the softness seen through smoke hints at a yearning for a deeper connection that is obscured by the haze of superficial interactions.

The chorus, with its repeated lines 'Oh pretty boy, don't speak... You pretty boys are only good for one thing,' reinforces the theme of objectification. It suggests that the value of the 'pretty boy' is seen only in their appearance and not in their thoughts or words. This refrain could be interpreted as a critique of how society often values beauty over substance, reducing individuals to mere objects of desire. The song also touches on themes of loneliness and the fleeting nature of youth and beauty, as seen in the lines about the character's soft hands and the money from his grandmother, implying a reliance on inherited wealth rather than personal achievement.

The second verse introduces a female character who struggles with her own expression and emotions. Her inability to remember the words to a song and her reliance on alcohol to jog her memory suggest a parallel between her and the pretty boy—both are trapped in their own ways, unable to fully communicate or connect with others. The song ultimately paints a melancholic picture of beauty and relationships, where appearances are deceiving, and true connection is elusive.