Katy Perry – I Kissed A Girl And I Liked It – A Timely Song
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in
possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may
be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well
fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered
the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.”
- the opening lines to Jane Austen’s “Pride & Prejudice”
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For anyone who has not been following popular music recently, for the last month Katy Perry’s Single “I Kissed A Girl” has been number one on the iTunes and Billboard charts. According to Wikipedia, the song hit #1 in over 30 countries around the world.
Some songs reach popularity because they arrive on the scene at a culturally opportune moment.
Some songs reach popularity because they express a common feeling or frustration.
Other songs become popular because they communicate a multi-sensory aesthetic of a particular idea or action.
“I Kissed A Girl” appears to be effectively pushing all of those buttons.
The lyrics of the song struggle with a woman’s decision to kiss another woman. And while the action is unfamiliar and questioned by the singer, on one point she is clear:
Whether it was wrong or right, she enjoyed it.
Her proclamation, with some enthusiasm, is that in light of the ethical debates about such an action, she wants it to be known that for her personally, she liked the pleasures she experienced in kissing another woman.
And that simple rebellious note seems to be resonating with many people at this cultural moment in time.
Another interesting aspect of the song is that it doesn’t present the moral dilemma (and it does express it as a moral dilemma) as simply a choice of being exclusively straight or exclusively homosexual. The narrator of the tale has a boyfriend and is questioning not so much if she is gay, but rather she is questioning whether she might be bisexual (“I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it”).
“I Kissed A Girl” music & lyrics by Cathy Dennis, Max Martin, Lukasz Gottwald & Katy Perry
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 chapstick
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
Your 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 chapstick
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 chapstick
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
© All rights reserved by the respective artists.
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“I Kissed A Girl” on Wikipedia
You can hear the above song here on Katy Perry’s MySpace page:
http://www.myspace.com/katyperry
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I have serious qualms with this song. Not only does it present girl-on-girl action as something that “nice girls” don’t do, the narrator of the song is also deliberately using another woman whose name she does not even know to further her own knowledge of her sexuality.
I have heard many songs in which men were using women for sexual experiences, I don’t see why this song about a woman doing the same should be any better.
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OneMoreOption: I appreciate your thoughtful criticism.
I’m not sure your literal reading of the lyrics is necessarily what Katy Perry intended. As in many of her songs, in this song, her tongue is firmly in cheek. I think she intelligently is using “sexist” euphemisms and sexual standard stereotypes to question, highlight, and poke fun at sexism and sexual standard stereotypes.
hey kathy…brill song i luv it!! best of luck 4 da furture!! xx
hey katy you are awesome love the new song!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HEY
I KNOW MOST PEOPLE LOVE HER SONG THEY R SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD !!!!!!!!!!!!! XXXXXXXXX
I LOVE IT KATY
i love you do you!
i love it and you are so nice!
♥I love Katy Perry!!♥
I too love katy perry she is soo cool
i love katy!!!!!!
katty it sweet & a nice girl ..
Uwielbiam Katy jest zajebista!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it reminds me of my boyfreind, dylan…….i hate it!!!!!!!!
Amazin. luvd it. XxXxX
love katy perry cmok
your so sexy katy perry i love you so much im your no.1 fan!!!mwuahh!!!♥♥♥
I lOVE YOUR SONG IT’S SO AWESOME!!!!!!!
Thank you!!!!It’s really amazing!!!!
YOU HAVE ONE HELL OF A LOVeLY VOICE
love you . !
katy I love you
aj love
I Love Katy and i love this song I kiss a girl that’s great
hey katy great song! this songs says alot bout wat i think and wat many others probs think lol
frm cc x : )
I LOVE YOU KATY!! YOUR OUTFIT IS SO CUTE!! and i love your hot and cold song!! i’m your big fan!!!!
katy i love you and i love your songs
This song makes bisexual people sound greedy. Not all bisexual people kiss girls of the same sex whilst with someone of the opposite sex. For bisexual people, that’s cheating too >.>
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OneMoreOption: Thank you for the considerate feedback.
Yes, I think I see your point. For many bisexual people, this also may be cheating. But the lyric says “I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it.” For other bisexual people, this may not be cheating. It may depend on the relationship arrangements & boundaries – and whether there has been sufficiently transparent disclosures and acceptance of the co-existing relationships.
I love to KATY PERRY is the best!!! Is it max!! I from Venezuela……Bye!!
ye shes nice, alright want a fact guys? U DONT KNOW HER, what the hells wrong with you “Shes cool” did you ever speak to her eye to eye? seriously if she has the money and a beautiful voice that doesnt mean that shes a perfect person, no one is…
♥♥♥ I LOVE YOU KATY ♥♥♥
I love katy
I thinck you are a great singer but not the best, I LOVE YOUR SONGS !!! ther cool and i liker your acctitud it’s vevy cooll hahah well kip on going wiht your song
(L)(L) beye (L)(L)
you are an super popstar
You are the best
i think your hot
Katty is the best
i love ketty
pas seulement très belle, mais un talent fou,
continue comme ça et on t’aimeras de plus en plus, gros bisous.
why do you give another view on all of the negative comments? it’s an opinion, even if it’s against katy perry.
personally i think she gives bisexuals a bad name.
want to give me one more option?
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OneMoreOption: I guess I don’t know what to say to the positive “I Love You Katy” style comments, except “Okay. Sounds good.” So, I just post them.
I tend to respond to criticisms on all the posts more often because the existence of a criticism suggests there’s some dispute or difference of opinion – so, that naturally invites more discussion of different viewpoints.
I hear you saying you think Katy gives bisexuals a bad name. If you’d like to explain why, that might be interesting to hear.
to be honest i stumbled on this when i was making a post secret. i didn’t know it was a blog of sorts.
is it your blog?
i feel bad now because i sounded rude =)
but you have to see where i’m coming from!
and yes, i think she makes them seem a little slutty, or a little…flighty? like, oh i like to kiss boys and girls because it’s fun. so i’m bi. there ya go.
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OneMoreOption: No worries. Thank you for your comments.
hello katy perry i love song
Hello Katy Perry I Love You
hello kety pery i love you ,.-)
te amo katy perry i love
i effin love you!!! your my idol your music’s kickass!!!
I think intellectualizing this work of art (I’m holding back my urge to use quotations) is wha… you know what – it’s just lame.
I love your review of ’12 Reasons Why I Love Her” though. =)
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OneMoreOption: Thank you for the compliments and criticisms.
hola tus canciones me gustas si no estan ten mal
omg guys… i <3 this song…
I KISSED A GGGIIIRRRLLL and IIII LLLIIIKKKEEEDDD IIITTT!!!
The taste of her cherry chapstick…
I love you Katy
you are the best
hi ketty perry my nameis caitlin d alonzo your the best
i Love Ketty vc é d +++ sou seu fâ N 1!”!!
hello katy perry!I love you song!!!
katy i a brazilian boy
I love you
kisssssssssssssss
i love you katty-perry
I see this song as more of a timid sexual exploration and triumph. I don’t think KP is, or implies she’s bisexual. The song over-sexualizes bisexuality because she says she has a boyfriend, and she kisses someone else.
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OneMoreOption: Thank you for expressing your thoughts. I don’t know what you mean when you say, “The song over-sexualizes bisexuality.” How would a person or a song “over-sexualize” bisexuality?
more specifically, as sex-craving. what i mean is that the song lends this appeal to bisexuality.
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OneMoreOption: And are you suggesting that attempting to make bisexual sex appealing is a bad thing?
Katys awsome
NO! I feel like she is suggesting that her act of kissing another girl is being rebellious, implying that being bisexual is rebellious. I think the song is just kind of stupid because she thinks that she’s being rebellious by being bi. Meanwhile, as a bisexual, I’m kind of like “so what.” It’s like she’s exploiting bisexuality to be edgy and get media attention. This might be valid in a vastly heterosexual mainstream media, but as someone on the fringe, I kinda just want to tell her to go fuck herself.
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OneMoreOption: Thank you for explaining your thoughts more clearly to me. You have expressed yourself beautifully. Lovely to hear your fight – even if she may not be our biggest adversary. Thank you.
Sure thing. Sorry to give you the wrong impression a first.
At least the song is a little catchy.
-Matt
What about her song “Ur so gay.” What the hell is wrong with her?
k onda cm taz sos super, estas en onda me llega la cancion de I KISSED THE GIRL y la de HOT N COLD.
Hola me gusta mucho tu musica y tu estilo
Katy Perry is beautiful. Songs are nice.
é tudo de bom!!!!
a katy perri é muito gira sou tua fã
Nem nagyon de szeretlek Katy Perry!nagyon szerencsés vagy hogy holivoodban élhetsz ! Sánta Adry NAGYON SZERET TÉGED!!!!!!!!XP
copy♥ ♥ ♥
and♥ ♥ ♥
paste♥ ♥ ♥
if♥ ♥♥♥♥
you♥ ♥ ♥
love♥ ♥ ♥
katy♥ ♥ ♥
perry♥ ♥ ♥
i love you
Katy ur soooooooooooooooo
Awesome!!! Keep on rockin’!!!!!!:)
OMG I LOVE U AND UR MUSIC Hot n Cold is my favorite…..so far!(: u r sooo amazing and ur really pretty keep on rockin’ the music world
haha all of these people replying TO katy perry like she runs this blog are hilarious.
good song
good song
This song is AWFUL. And, for anyone with an ounce of intelligence, INSULTING.
ilove kate perrj
I LOVE YOU. WILL YOU MARRY ME.IF YOU’RE YES COME TO MOSCOW.
hay♥♥♥♥ katy parry i iovenu ♥♥
i love katy perry my kiss
y love you katy
Ah my Gawd i’m doing a presentation about katy perry! :3
Love you Katy <3
!!!!te amo katy perry cantas hermoso sos mi idola pop!!!!
HOLA TODOS
TE AMO KATTY PERRY
ERES LA MEJOR
OMG guys did you here about the big fight Between Lady Gaga and Katy Perry! Katy Perry was making fun of Lady Gaga’s new video Alejandro! She said she mixed it with sex and religion! And I’m with her on that! Lady Gaga is a good singer. But she is very inappropriate for young children.
I <3 KATY PERRY!(:
singer . but she is very inappropriate for young children mixed it with sex and religion andd im with her on that lady gaga is a good singer but she is very inapproriate or young chilldren .
Here is something David Bowie complained about, the confusing of an artist with his/her songs. If a band creates a song about bank robbers, it doesn’t mean they actually robbed a bank and are now singing about it.
Writing a song about a girl kissing another girl as an experiment, doesn’t mean that katy actually did it. She is writing from the perspective of another girl. ” Ur so gay ” is a song written from the perspective of another person and I suppose oppositional to this song.
Any good actor wants to play different parts; crimminal, cop, predator, victim, sinner, saint, gentleman, creep, etc. Why? Because they all part of the human experience.
Why shouldn’t a songwriter do the same and write songs from different perspectives?
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OneMoreOption: Thank you for your comments. You’re probably right. In this specific case, Ms. Perry had kissed a girl and she liked it. You can read her related comments in the recent Rolling Stone interview.
love you my soul…………….energetic….
katy parry is the bist in world and nicest I love so mouch <3
How do you make yourself so butiful?
u r smoking hot just like a dimented ice cube that could not