Part I: Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream"

Music reflects the culture of it's audience. It expresses the desires and longings of the one singing and the ones listening. It conveys their values and moral standards as well. Most of you probably don't think twice about Katy Perry. You wrote her off when she came out with her single "I kissed a Girl" and things didn't get much better with her new album featuring "California Girls". Despite your opinions of her lyrics her songs quickly rise to the top of the charts. This has to say something about our culture. Right?

What exactly is it that my generation longs for?

In "Teenage Dream" Perry, in my perspective, combines two ideas of love. She merges the idea of having shelter within another person's heart (a type of pure and fulfilling love) with a fleeting love that is rapidly approaching the border of lust. Now only the artist knows the true meaning of their work. I however, as the audience, am entitled to my interpretation. The message I see Perry conveying, and her fans seeking out, is that there is hope for true love, a love that will sweep you off your feet and make you feel like your "living a teenage dream."

I don't think I need to explain the "teenage dream" metaphor but for those of you who maybe out of touch with it here is a quick explanation: to a teenager, typically the female ones, their dream of love is a handsome guy who will court them; someone who will serenade them outside their window late at night. They want someone who will make them feel complete, loved, sheltered, and taken care of.

Now in our culture filled with the ideology that sex is recreational, men become animals. The teenage dream is crushed and the hope of finding a gentleman is thrown out the window. Let's be honest, Katy Perry didn't find her soul mate. I will even venture to say that all she found was a one night stand who left her heart-broken and searching for true love. Why do I say that?

If you look at her lyrics you'll see that her imagery starts off with true love. "I know you get me/ So I'll let my walls come down." exemplifies that love involves risk. "I was a wreck... You brought me to life" demonstrates the constructive aspects of pure love. But then she throws that all away for one guy's touch. She believes love is out their simply by the reaction her heart has from a touch in her skin tight jeans or when he looks at her. She claims to "find [her] missing puzzle piece." Truth be told that despite these images of true love, Perry throws all that down the drain with imagery of fleeting, uncommitted love. I don't know about you but my dream of love doesn't include anything along the lines of getting drunk, renting a hotel room, and trying to convince myself that I can go all the way tonight and tomorrow I won't have to look back.

Yet people love hearing this. People love hearing about a love where their heart stops. Um, Katy Perry... Did you realize that when your hearts stops you're dead? If this was about true love you heart should be racing. Now given you're way too drunk and horny to see this but you have to realize that what you're conveying is simply a one night stand that only leaves you longing for more.

Now if you want love, or should I say LOVE! Then might I suggest reading Song of Songs in the Bible or listening to Matt Maher's "Set me as a Seal". Those include images that won't deceive you. They portray a true love that captures the same sensual love Perry talks of. HOWEVER this sensual love is not self centered or strictly there as sensual love like in "Teenage Dream". Take the challenge to do one of my suggestions. What are your opinions?

Our culture longs for love but they aren't willing to put forth the work. They give up so easily and settle for sensual love when their heart longs for sacrificial love in which they give of their whole self.

Follow along Tuesday for a continuation on Katy Perry and Culture. We'll be looking at her song "Firework" in conjunction with this blog post.


(To Be Continued...)