Prettiest Thing in Town

I think this song was one of my first truly personal love songs in which the melody was constructed at the same time as the lyrics. In fact I remember sitting in my old house with the guitar writing this song. It was originally never meant to be a love song but a song about artificial beauty against natural beauty, and how the person with the artificial appearance was comparing themselves to the natural beauty. However amongst one night of utter despair and depression I penned this song. It talks about falling in love with someone who does not love you back, in fact that person is admired by many other people in town, and you (probably with you artificial beauty) are far far far back in the queue, you make countless promises to show this person that you will be true to them forever (verse 2) BUT this does not work in today's society, so you're better off performing sexual favours!! JOKES!! DON'T DO IT...keep your pride foolish youth (I'm laughing to myself so hard right now). In all seriousness this song was a true heartbreaker for me. In fact the narrator in the song is trying to save the person that he loves, he is telling them that the countless acts of (maybe) sexual favours and constant drinking is ruining the purity within their soul (verse 1). The song always comes back to haunt me, even two years later I can sing this song and find that the meaning has reawakened. I suppose that is one of the true beauties of songs, they can last a lifetime.

Verse

Diamond in the rough is what they call you

Oh what a name to hold
You’re too good a person to turn them down
But the damage that it’s doing to your soul

Build
And I, I run to you
To find a lonely room

Chorus
How’s it feel being the prettiest thing in town?
To have people fall before you like ragdolls to the ground
And when it comes to choices I’m a number in a crowd
How does it feel to be the prettiest thing in town?

Verse
You’re just a one week stand to any other
But to me you’re a life time guarantee
A kingdom of false hearts is all you gather
But you’re the strong and the silent victim’ee

Build
It’s just a passing thought
But who knows we just could work

Chorus
How’s it feel being the prettiest thing in town?
To have people fall before you like ragdolls to the ground
And when it comes to choices I’m a number in a crowd
How does it feel to be the prettiest thing in town?

Mid 8
Hold me close a little while,
Love me like it’s out of style
Whisper words like it will be alright

Call it love, Call it lust

Call it wrong if you must
I cant leave I’m not that strong,
until, until it feels wrong, wrong!

Build
And I, I run to you
To find a lonely room

Chorus
How’s it feel being the prettiest thing in town?
To have people fall before you like ragdolls to the ground
And when it comes to choices I’m a number in a crowd
How does it feel to be the prettiest thing in town?
How does it feel to be the prettiest thing in town?

 Karl Smitherman © 2010 published 2012