katy perry’s message to teens

“Do you know that there’s still a chance for you, cause there’s a spark in you”

“you’re original, cannot be replaced”

“It’s always been inside of you, and now it’s time to let it through, cause baby you’re a firework, come on show ’em what your worth” – Katy Perry “Firework.”

Before I get to Katy Perry and her song Firework <and why I am writing about Katy> let me begin with the fact I try and define musicians based on three factors.

–          How bad is their really bad work.

–          The songs that are just songs.

–          What they do with the few opportunities to make a difference with those special songs.

Some artists never get in the third category. And we shouldn’t underrate category 2. Sometimes a musician creates a great hook. A great lyrical chorus. Just a great fun song. And we should give them credit for not only generating it but not trying to make it anything other than what it is (for example – Sheryl Crow’s all I wanna be is just a great fun song … but she didn’t waste the opportunity to do something good and say something meaningful with “strong enough“…another well written song).

Regardless.

This is about Katy Perry.

And you may just think she is a wacky eccentric sickly sweet pop queen but, while I do not know her personally, I think she is more than that.

Being a musician is tough. Sometimes you have a schtick <persona> you build for marketing yourself and it begins to overshadow the music … and the message.

In situations like that … category 3 of my criteria becomes really really important … not just to lil ole me but to the artist.

Because someone like Katy Perry has an incredible platform to do … well … something good. Make an impact on a shitload of young people who are hanging on every note and word she sings and says.

So we should measure someone like Katy Perry on those moments.

And I have to tell you … she measures up really well if you do that.

Her song “Firework” is an amazing message to every teen out there.

Yeah. I am serious.

The lyrics are empowering. The video is relatable.

This version of Firework is from a charity event <despite the fact it says Grammy’s>. First of all I give her HUGE credit for how she changed her typically wacky schtick to make it appropriate for her audience and the event and, secondly, just take a second, even if you don’t like her or the song, and watch the audience. If you don’t believe a musician can make a real impact after seeing this I will never be able to convince you.

Firework live at event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-ilyCH7C7A

Ok.

The actual video.

Relatable.

Each kid shown suffers some self esteem … insecurity driven real life situation <yeah … she could have done without the cancer victim but I will overlook it as creative cinematic license>.  Each kid not only has captured the loneliness but also the lack of hope associated with being different (or thinking you are different).

The lyrics are pretty simple … just reminding kids that they all have something special inside of no matter how badly they may feel about themselves.

It’s a little thing but she avoids the obvious ‘spark inside’ but rather goes for it … goes for the big message … that we all have fireworks inside to share if we let it out.

Here is the official video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw&ob=av2e

The video gets joked about because there is a scene where it looks like her rather spectacular chest is shooting fireworks  <of which I would personally have fired the video director for screwing up what should have been an empowering scene and it turns out to be a joke that makes people overlook the bigger issue> but the entire video supports the idea that we all have fireworks within. Fireworks burst from the kids as the light inside them becomes free for all to see.

A doubly good message.

Each kid is overcoming insecurities.

Each kid is letting themselves ‘shine.’

Symbolically I love the end.

With fireworks bursting from all the children it implies an entire generation, all kids, can light the sky and make a difference. Empowering for not only individuals but also the entire generation <well done Katy>.

Am I giving her too much credit? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm … I don’t think so.

At her acceptance speech at some award show (I cannot keep track of them all) for Firework she simply says “thank you, I am really proud of this.” <plus … I will always give kudos to Katie for bringing her grandmother – her own Grammy – to the Grammys … good sense of humor and kind of a once in a lifetime treat for her ‘grammy’ who got to wear versace>.

She knew exactly what she was doing. She knew exactly what her opportunity was. She knew exactly what she accomplished.

She took the opportunity to give kids some perspective.  And they were very thoughtful in the way they did it in the video … no kid in the video ever changes physically … cured of anything or becoming thinner or changing … it is simply accepting who they are. That the obstacle isn’t external but internal.

Gotta tell ya.

That’s a pretty good message to be sharing with kids.

It’s actually a pretty good message not just to teens but Katy knows exactly who listens to her music, who watches her videos … and who she can communicate with.

Is she Robert Frost or even Hemingwayesque? Certainly not.

Is it a fun song with a great message? Certainly yes.

“let your colors burst” … thank you Katy.

accepting for Firework

Probably doesn’t matter to you but you have my respect. Well done.

Most of Firework lyrics:

Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin

Like a house of cards

One blow from caving in

Do you ever feel already buried deep

Six feet under scream

But no one seems to hear a thing

Do you know that there’s still a chance for you

Cause there’s a spark in you

You just gotta unite the light

And let it shine

Just own the night

Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you’re a firework

Come on show ’em what your worth

Baby you’re a firework

Come on let your colors burst

Make ’em go “Oh, oh, oh!”

You’re gonna leave ’em fallin’ down-own-own

You don’t have to feel like a waste of space

You’re original, cannot be replaced

If you only knew what the future holds

After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe you’re reason why all the doors are closed

So you can open one that leads you to the perfect road

Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow

And when it’s time, you’ll know

You just gotta unite the light

And let it shine

Just own the night

Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you’re a firework

Come on show ’em what your worth

Make ’em go “Oh, oh, oh!”

As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you’re a firework

Come on let your colors burst

Make ’em go “Oh, oh, oh!”

You’re gonna leave ’em fallin’ down-own-own

Boom, boom, boom

Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

It’s always been inside of you, you, you

And now it’s time to let it through

Cause baby you’re a firework

Come on show ’em what your worth

Make ’em go “Oh, oh, oh!”

As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you’re a firework

Come on let your colors burst

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Written by Bruce