Neurotic Bisexuality For The Masses? What do you think of Katy Perry's 'I Kissed A Girl'?
July 21st 2008 06:53
Let's take a look at the lyrics to this catchy, "controversial" song:
This was never the way I planned
Not my intention
I got so brave, drink in hand
Lost my discretion
It's not what, I'm used to
Just wanna try you on
I'm curious for you
Caught my attention
I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chap stick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it
No, I don't even know your name
It doesn't matter
You're my experimental game
Just human nature
It's not what, good girls do
Not how they should behave
My head gets so confused
Hard to obey
I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chap stick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it
Us girls we are so magical
Soft skin, red lips, so kissable
Hard to resist so touchable
Too good to deny it
Ain't no big deal, it's innocent
I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chap stick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it
So we have an interesting cocktail here - a spontaneous, alcohol-aided lesbian encounter featuring a girl who has a boyfriend, hopes he has no issues with her kissing someone else and seems to have no issues with how this might affect him. Katy's lyrics defend an unexpected but potent attraction to women, and allude to a wakening of sexual desire for the same sex. They represent a conflict - 'It felt so wrong / It felt so right' and 'It's not what good girls do / Not how they should behave / My head gets so confused' - between social expectations and her intuition ('Just human nature').
While this song is promoting the idea of lesbian attraction as something to embrace and take pleasure in, a message we don't get enough in the mainstream media, it also endorses a kind of paranoia that is all too common in people who aren't used to thinking outside the heterosexual box. It's probably popular BECAUSE of this accommodation towards people's fears over homosexuality (I think it's currently #1 in both America and Australia).
I found the video clip on YouTube, and I was surprised to see that lots of girls (and two boy) had posted up videos of themselves singing the song. A superficial browse revealed two Asian girls, five white ones and one black 'trying it on', so it appears this song has struck a chord with many a young, English-speaking Western audience... there's even a parody of the video here. You know you've made it when people go to the trouble of sending you up.
What do you make of it? Is it too conservative, too progressive, or both?
This was never the way I planned
Not my intention
I got so brave, drink in hand
Lost my discretion
It's not what, I'm used to
Just wanna try you on
I'm curious for you
Caught my attention
I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chap stick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it
No, I don't even know your name
You're my experimental game
Just human nature
It's not what, good girls do
Not how they should behave
My head gets so confused
Hard to obey
I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chap stick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it
Us girls we are so magical
Soft skin, red lips, so kissable
Hard to resist so touchable
Too good to deny it
Ain't no big deal, it's innocent
I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chap stick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it
So we have an interesting cocktail here - a spontaneous, alcohol-aided lesbian encounter featuring a girl who has a boyfriend, hopes he has no issues with her kissing someone else and seems to have no issues with how this might affect him. Katy's lyrics defend an unexpected but potent attraction to women, and allude to a wakening of sexual desire for the same sex. They represent a conflict - 'It felt so wrong / It felt so right' and 'It's not what good girls do / Not how they should behave / My head gets so confused' - between social expectations and her intuition ('Just human nature').
While this song is promoting the idea of lesbian attraction as something to embrace and take pleasure in, a message we don't get enough in the mainstream media, it also endorses a kind of paranoia that is all too common in people who aren't used to thinking outside the heterosexual box. It's probably popular BECAUSE of this accommodation towards people's fears over homosexuality (I think it's currently #1 in both America and Australia).
I found the video clip on YouTube, and I was surprised to see that lots of girls (and two boy) had posted up videos of themselves singing the song. A superficial browse revealed two Asian girls, five white ones and one black 'trying it on', so it appears this song has struck a chord with many a young, English-speaking Western audience... there's even a parody of the video here. You know you've made it when people go to the trouble of sending you up.
What do you make of it? Is it too conservative, too progressive, or both?
Katy Perry creates a tune that's catchy but problematic?
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Comment by Johnny Come Lately
Jack's Back
Genny came over and told me about Fred
He's such a hairy behemoth she said
And dumb as a box of hammers
But he's such a handsome guy
And I opened up and told her about Larry
And yesterday how he asked me to marry
And I'm not giving him an answer yet
I think I could do better
So we laughed, compared notes
We had a drink, we had a smoke
She took off her overcoat
I kissed a girl
So she called home to say she'd be late
He said he worried but now he feels safe
" I'm glad you're with your girlfriend
Tell her 'hi' for me"
So I looked at you, you had guilt in your eyes
But it only lasted a little while
And then I felt your hand upon my knee
And we laughed at the world
They can have their diamonds
And we'll have our pearls
I kissed a girl
I kissed a girl, her lips were sweet
She was just like kissing me
I kissed a girl, won't change the world
But I'm so glad
I kissed a girl
And we laughed at the world
They can have their diamonds
And we'll have our pearls
I kissed a girl
Comment by Only Rock n Roll
The Jill Sobule song, well whether you like it or not it is actually music written and played by actual musicians. Watch the video here:
Really Long Link
Chorus of "I Kissed a Girl" by Jill Sobule:
I kissed a girl her lips were sweet
She was just like kissing me
I kissed a girl
Won't change the world
But I'm so glad
I kissed a girl
For the first time
I kissed a girl
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
I do think this latest song is just a money spinner though.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by TimmyH
Tech News
Can you HACK it?
Genyration
Comment by Morgan Bell
Science News
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
if you are going to sing a song about kissing a girl at least be genuine about it (like jill sobule) and possibly actually kiss a girl . . . geez madonna and britney spears were more believable than this . . . the whole video and all the lyrics are describing a male fantasy not a lesbian experience
i think its exploitative commercial crap which is borderline offensive towards queer people
it felt so wrong, youre my experimental game?
nice . . .
Comment by Louie
Climate Red
randomthoughts
Phil's Wellness Tips
i heard on the radio in passing that more boys download it than girls which probably back's morgans argument up...
Anyhow, as a general rule I don't take art so literally and this is art after all.... sort of .....
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
I'm glad nobody claimed to adore it... My first reaction to the song was 'This singer sounds uneducated and I don't like her voice' - I didn't care what it was about. Then I heard it on the top 40 countdowns several times and realised that it was immensely popular, but it wasn't until I saw the video clip that I decided to research it.
Like Morgan, I was turned off by the lack of actual 'experimental' content in the video, and the ending confused me - while throughout the entire song Katy is shot on a hot pink bed, suggesting a topic close to her heart, at the end this is encroached upon by her token boyfriend, and she seems to 'readjust' herself in remembering her place as his girlfriend. This seems to undermine her supposed boldness in the preceding 3 minutes.
The lyrics disturb me also, but I guess at least she's singing about bisexual experimentation in a somewhat positive way, even though the message is mixed. It could be worse.
I have to admit, though, the music is a big improvement on acoustic rock of Jill Sobule's hit with the same title, at least to me. I don't particularly like either song, but it's nice that they're out there, I guess.
If you guys want to read about two other recent song which explore homosexuality in their videos, click here.
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
I also have to say, I think her voice is actually the best thing about the song.
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
It's nominated for 'Video of the Year' at the MTV Video Music Awards, I think.
This song has really left a mark on our culture - it inspired a whole article on female celebrities non-heterosexual behaviour from ninemsn, and I hear it every time I go dancing.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Science News
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
tell me what you think of this queer issue
CLICKHERE for "Sappho's Lesbian Legacy Is Unwelcome In Lesbos" on Artist Quirk
there is some dispute over the use of the word "lesbian"
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
Thanks for the heads up, I can always count on you to come up with something interesting!
I think the people who area really against the term are probably just homophobic... and they won't get that legislation passed, which is a good thing - they'll have to at least get passively tolerant of people rubbing Sappho's lesbian leanings in their faces.
Comment by Anonymous
A quote from her on the subject of the song (which is ahem cleverly entitled) 'Ur So Gay':
"A lot of girls, I think, sometimes are asking themselves 'Is he on my team or is he on the other team? Which team is he batting for because he looks like he's wearing my jeans, he looks like he's borrowed my flat iron. And I think that he left eye liner on my pillow case last night.' So there's just this whole world of figuring out who is, who's not. Or even, I've dated guys where I'm like, 'Iknow in another life, wink wink, nudge nudge... you were a gay man.'"
Not exactly the deepest of deep. Her biggest issues seem to revolve around who wants to pash her, what's wrong with anyone that doesn't. And the idea that everyone should be consciously advertising their sexuality in the way they dress isn't exactly breaking down the conservative boundaries set by her religious upbringing.
So one wonders what gems of wisdom she'll come out with next, maybe a song about whether to text the day after a one night stand, or perhaps a tune protesting that the colour of strawberry flavoured condoms makes willie seem like less of a man...
In the meantime, check out this other interview she did with a gay magazine - she even compares herself to Anne Frank!
Really Long Link
And this article also expresses an interesting interpretation of Ms Perry:
Really Long Link
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
Thanks for your thoughts, that's the kind of analysis I was hoping to come across!
The homophobia in 'It's not what good girls do' and 'It felt so wrong' or even 'you're my experimental game' (which is reducing a genuine interest in homosexual behaviour to something that can be regulated and discarded to conform to her supposed heterosexuality) is pretty apparent, and the 'Ur So Gay' song sounds just as bad, if not worse.
I was somewhat dismayed to learn that
TNG: So you haven’t actually kissed a girl. Then the whole song is a fantasy?
KP: Yeah, it’s fantasy, it’s a song about curiosity.
But it explains the video clip where it seems to all have been a figment of her imagination and not part of her current heterosexual reality.
It wouldn't surprise me if in a few years' time Katy 'confesses' that her song was in many way a voicing of insecurities about her bi-curiosity. I kinda hope she's a one hit wonder...
Thanks for the links, I will be just that bit less enthusiastic about dancing to this song next time I hear it...