Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “Pretty Little Girl” by The Chieftains
Pretty Little Girl is a traditional folk song made popular by the Irish-Celtic band The Chieftains. This song speaks of the beauty of a young woman and the sorrow of an older man. He is in love with her, but he knows that she doesn’t love him back.
He describes her as “the loveliest of all who smiled on me” and his heart aches as he compares her to an angel. The imagery of light and darkness highlights the contrast between his joy when he sees her, and his sorrow when he knows that she is out of his reach.
Though the lyrics speak of a tender love, there is a sadness to the song that is both tender and heartbreaking. The man loves her, but knows that he can never have her. He realizes that“This how it must be, for pretty little girls like you never love me.”
The song paints a vivid picture of unrequited love, but its ultimate message is one of acceptance and understanding. Though the man may never have his true love, he can still appreciate her beauty and experiences the beauty of the moment.