Song Meaning
The narrator addresses a "pretty woman" who seems to be using superficial charm and artifice to keep him at bay, or perhaps to manipulate him. He dismisses her "cheap paint and powder," asserting that her true nature, "right down to the bone," is what he's fixated on, suggesting her outward presentation is irrelevant or even a distraction. The core of the song is a plea and a frustration: "Can't make you love me, no / No matter what I do." This establishes a clear emotional tension between his persistent affection and her apparent indifference or rejection.
The narrator accuses her of "fooling around" and using his heart as a "stepping stone," painting a picture of someone who enjoys the power her beauty affords her without reciprocating genuine feeling. He urges her to "drop that mess, come down off your throne," a plea for authenticity and a rejection of her perceived arrogance or emotional distance. The repeated question, "What's the matter with you?" underscores his bewilderment at her inability or unwillingness to return his feelings.
A striking shift occurs when the narrator moves from pleading to a more ominous prediction. He warns that her current success or perceived control is temporary: "someday when you thing you've got it made / You'll be in water so deep you can't wade." This suggests a belief that her reliance on superficiality will eventually lead to her downfall, a consequence she can't escape. The contrast between her current "throne" and future helplessness is stark.
Ultimately, the lyrics resonate because they capture the painful dynamic of unrequited love and the frustration of being unable to break through someone's defenses. The narrator's mix of adoration for her beauty, and exasperation with, the "pretty woman" feels raw. His final prediction adds a layer of bitter resignation, implying that her beauty, which captivates him, might also be the very thing that ultimately isolates her.
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