Hey Pretty
Encyclopedia
"Hey Pretty" is a song by singer-songwriter
Poe
. The song in its original version, on her 2000 album Haunted, was a sultry pop rant of a woman seeking sexual satisfaction on any grounds possible. It was remade by having her vocals eliminated and replaced with a reading by her brother, author Mark Z. Danielewski
, from his hit book House of Leaves
. This new version became a moderate radio
hit.
Getting "Hey Pretty" on the radio was not easy at a time when alternative radio was no longer playing female singers in the post-Lilith Fair
backlash. In an interview with MTV, Poe stated: "Radio was not interested. I called a few program directors, and they [said], 'We really love the record, but we're just not playing women.' This one [program director] in Portland, Oregon, said, 'My station is basically in the same boat. Do some crazy mix that you think will fit this format, and I'll play it once.' I go home, and I'm like, 'They're not playing women? Fine, I've got a brother.' So I called my brother, and I'm like, 'You gotta come over and read a piece of your book in this song.' I wrote on [the tape], 'Rough mix from Poe's house, unmastered — do not play.' ... He played it and got inundated with phone calls. By the end of the week he had played it 25 times, which wouldn't have meant all that much because it's a small station in Portland. But the next week, KROQ in Los Angeles had it. ..."
There are at least two different versions. One ends with the line, "Dark Languages Rarely Survive," followed by a woman saying, "Das nicht zu Hause sein" twice. This is German
for "Not being at home", a recurring phrase in the book House of Leaves.
The second ending has that line followed by Poe coming back in with the chorus. The video, directed by Matthew Rolston
, features erotic imagery of a scantily-dressed Poe washing, driving, and lounging on a vintage car along with a look-alike model with a similar build, hair, and identical outfit. The car scenes are interlaced with shots of Mark Danielewski performing the spoken-word portions of the song, as well as footage of Poe and her look-alike mud wrestling
.
The song was featured on the soundtrack to the MTV
original series Spyder Games
.
In January 2009 Ford began using the original version of the song in television commercials.
(United States)
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Poe
Ann Danielewski
Anne "Annie" Decatur Danielewski , professionally known as Poe, is an American singer and songwriter. She first hit the modern rock charts in the mid-1990s. Poe is the daughter of Polish film director Tad Danielewski and his second wife, Priscilla Machold. She is the sister of author Mark Z....
. The song in its original version, on her 2000 album Haunted, was a sultry pop rant of a woman seeking sexual satisfaction on any grounds possible. It was remade by having her vocals eliminated and replaced with a reading by her brother, author Mark Z. Danielewski
Mark Z. Danielewski
Mark Z. Danielewski, born March 5, 1966 in New York City, New York, is an American author, best known for his debut novel House of Leaves...
, from his hit book House of Leaves
House of Leaves
House of Leaves is the debut novel by the American author Mark Z. Danielewski, published by Pantheon Books. The novel quickly became a bestseller following its March 7, 2000 release. It was followed by a companion piece, The Whalestoe Letters...
. This new version became a moderate radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
hit.
Getting "Hey Pretty" on the radio was not easy at a time when alternative radio was no longer playing female singers in the post-Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
backlash. In an interview with MTV, Poe stated: "Radio was not interested. I called a few program directors, and they [said], 'We really love the record, but we're just not playing women.' This one [program director] in Portland, Oregon, said, 'My station is basically in the same boat. Do some crazy mix that you think will fit this format, and I'll play it once.' I go home, and I'm like, 'They're not playing women? Fine, I've got a brother.' So I called my brother, and I'm like, 'You gotta come over and read a piece of your book in this song.' I wrote on [the tape], 'Rough mix from Poe's house, unmastered — do not play.' ... He played it and got inundated with phone calls. By the end of the week he had played it 25 times, which wouldn't have meant all that much because it's a small station in Portland. But the next week, KROQ in Los Angeles had it. ..."
There are at least two different versions. One ends with the line, "Dark Languages Rarely Survive," followed by a woman saying, "Das nicht zu Hause sein" twice. This is German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for "Not being at home", a recurring phrase in the book House of Leaves.
The second ending has that line followed by Poe coming back in with the chorus. The video, directed by Matthew Rolston
Matthew Rolston
Matthew Russell Rolston is an American photographer and music video director. Rolston is known for his signature lighting techniques and detailed approach to art direction and design, and has been repeatedly identified throughout his career with the revival and modern expression of Hollywood glamour...
, features erotic imagery of a scantily-dressed Poe washing, driving, and lounging on a vintage car along with a look-alike model with a similar build, hair, and identical outfit. The car scenes are interlaced with shots of Mark Danielewski performing the spoken-word portions of the song, as well as footage of Poe and her look-alike mud wrestling
Mud wrestling
Mud wrestling is defined as physical confrontation that occurs in mud or a mud pit. The popular modern interpretation specifies that participants wrestle while wearing minimal clothing and usually going barefoot, with the emphasis on presenting an entertaining spectacle as opposed to physically...
.
The song was featured on the soundtrack to the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
original series Spyder Games
Spyder Games
Spyder Games is a television series that was broadcast on MTV from June 18, 2001 through September 20, 2001. MTV's second foray into the soap opera format following the run of the anthology series Undressed, the series was originally called Spyder Web in development.Originally intended for a 3 pm...
.
In January 2009 Ford began using the original version of the song in television commercials.
Charts
BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
(United States)
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Adult Top 40 | 30 |
| Modern Rock Tracks | 13 |