Ms. Third Ward, your first question:
What is your aspiration in life?
Oh, well my aspiration in life would be
To be happy

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

Just another stage
Pageant the pain away
This time I'm gonna take the crown
Without falling down, down

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
You tryna fix something, but you can't fix what you can't see
It's the soul that needs a surgery

Blonder hair, flat chest
TV says bigger is better
South beach, sugar free
Vogue says
Thinner is better

Just another stage
Pageant the pain away
This time I'm gonna take the crown
Without falling down, down, down

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

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 façade leaves you in the dark
You left with shattered mirrors and the shards of a beautiful girl

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
Pretty hurts (pretty hurts)
We shine the light on whatever's worst
We tryna fix something, but you can't fix what you can't see (pretty hurts)
It's the soul that needs a surgery

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)

Yeah, yes (ah, ah, ah)

Copyright: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Writer(s): Beyonce Knowles, Joshua Coleman, Sia Furler