It's her first album under the stage name Katy Perry, following her debut Katy Hudson (2001), which was released under her real name on Red Hill Records. It received mixed reception from critics, with some deeming it as being filled with "potential hits" and others criticizing the material they perceived to be weak. Commercially, it debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200, selling over 47,000 copies in its first week of sales, and also peaked within the top-ten charts in Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Norway, and Switzerland. One of the Boys earned Perry two Grammy Award nominations, and has sold 7 million copies worldwide, being her 3rd highest-selling album to date. It has been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
One of the Boys
Katy Perry Lyrics
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I didn't scream
'Cause I can belch the alphabet
Just double dog dare me
And I chose guitar over ballet
And I take these suckers down cause they just
Get in my way
The way
You look at me
Is kinda like a little sister
You high-five
Your goodbyes
And it leaves me nothing but blisters
So I don't want to be one of the boys
One of your guys
Just give me a chance
To prove to you tonight
I just wanna be one of the girls
Pretty in pearls
Not one of the boys
So over summer something changed
I started reading Seventeen
And shaving my legs
And I studied Lolita religiously
And I walked right in school
And caught you
Staring at me
'Cause I know
What you know
But now your gonna' have to take a number
Its OK
Maybe one day
But not until I get my
Diamond ring
'Cause I don't want to be one of the boys
One of your guys
Just give me a chance
To prove to you tonight
I just wanna be your homecoming queen
A pin up poster dream
Not one of the boys
I wanna be a flower
Not a dirty weed
And I wanna smell like roses
Not a baseball team
And I swear maybe one day
Your gonna' wanna' make out make out make out with me
(Don't wanna be)
Don't want to be
(Don't wanna be)
Don't want to be
(Don't wanna be)
'Cause I, I don't wanna be one
One
One of the boys
I just wanna be one of the girls
So pretty in pearls
Not one of the boys
In "One of the Boys," Katy Perry sings about her frustration with being seen as "just one of the boys" and her desire to be recognized and appreciated as a woman. In the first verse, Perry shows her toughness by proudly proclaiming her ability to belch the alphabet and her preference for guitar over ballet. She takes the boys down who get in her way, but in doing so, they see her as a little sister who they high-five and leave with blisters. Perry resents this and declares that she doesn't want to be seen as just one of the boys. In the chorus, Perry emphasizes this point, saying that she doesn't want to be one of their guys and just wants a chance to prove that she's just as capable as any of them.
In the second verse, Perry shows her desire to be seen as a girl by reading Seventeen Magazine, shaving her legs, and becoming obsessed with the novel Lolita. When she catches the guy she likes staring at her, she knows that he knows what she knows, but she's not going to make it easy for him. She now has a sense of self-worth and knows that she deserves better than to just be seen as one of the boys. In the bridge, Perry makes it clear that she wants to be seen not as a dirty weed but as a flower that smells like roses. She wants to be appreciated for her femininity and wants to be recognized as a pin-up poster dream, not one of the boys.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw a spider
I am not afraid of creepy crawlies
I didn't scream
I can handle things that many girls would scream at
'Cause I can belch the alphabet
I have some unconventional talents
Just double dog dare me
I am not afraid of a challenge
And I chose guitar over ballet
I have my own interests and passions
And I take these suckers down cause they just
I am ambitious and will not let anyone stand in my way
Get in my way
I am determined to achieve my goals
The way
The way you treat me
You look at me
The way you see me
Is kinda like a little sister
You see me as someone who is inferior or not a romantic interest
You high-five
You don't show any romantic interest in me
Your goodbyes
You treat me like one of your male friends
And it leaves me nothing but blisters
I am hurt by your lack of interest in me
So I don't want to be one of the boys
I don't want to be seen as just one of the guys
One of your guys
One of your male friends
Just give me a chance
I want you to see me as a romantic interest
To prove to you tonight
I want to show you that I am not just one of the guys
I just wanna be one of the girls
I want to be seen as a feminine and attractive woman
Pretty in pearls
Elegant and classy
Not one of the boys
Not just a platonic friend or buddy
So over summer something changed
I started to change my appearance and interests to be more appealing to you
I started reading Seventeen
I started reading magazines to learn more about being attractive to guys
And shaving my legs
I started grooming myself to be more feminine
And I studied Lolita religiously
I tried to understand what men find sexy in young girls
And I walked right in school
I wanted you to notice me
And caught you
I saw that you were paying attention to me
Staring at me
You were looking at me in a way that made me think you might be interested in me
'Cause I know
I became aware of
What you know
What you find attractive
But now your gonna' have to take a number
Other guys are also interested in me
Its OK
It's fine if you don't want to be with me
Maybe one day
Perhaps you will change your mind
But not until I get my
Only when I achieve
Diamond ring
A symbol of security and commitment
'Cause I don't want to be one of the boys
I don't want to be seen as a platonic friend
I just wanna be your homecoming queen
I want to be the most beautiful girl to you
A pin up poster dream
An idealized version of feminine beauty
I wanna be a flower
I want to be delicate and feminine
Not a dirty weed
Not undesirable or unattractive
And I wanna smell like roses
I want to be sweet-smelling and attractive
Not a baseball team
Not masculine or unattractive
And I swear maybe one day
I promise that I will try to be your dream girl
Your gonna' wanna'
You will eventually desire
Make out make out make out with me
To be intimate with me
(Don't wanna be)
I am not interested in
Don't want to be
I don't want to be seen as
(Don't wanna be)
I am not interested in
Don't want to be
I don't want to be seen as
(Don't wanna be)
I am not interested in
Don't want to be
I don't want to be seen as
('Cause I, I don't wanna be one)
I don't want to be seen as just one of the guys
One
One of the guys
One
One of the guys
One of the boys
I don't want to be just your male friend
I just wanna be one of the girls
I want to be seen as a feminine and attractive woman
So pretty in pearls
Elegant and classy
Not one of the boys
Not just a platonic friend or buddy
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DARRELL WAYNE PERRY, ROYCE PORTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sebastian
on Box
I was trapped in my own thoughts and couldn't escape
I was closed off to the outside world and not receiving any communication
When I took a broader perspective on my life
I was unaware of the passing of time or new beginnings
I had a realization that struck me hard
I realized that not everyone would support my choices
I was uncertain about the future
I had to let my inner desires guide me
It was an exhilarating experience
When you gain new perspective and awareness
As if seeing things for the first time
Unexpected but exciting
I started breaking free from my limited thinking and behavior
Pushing past my previous boundaries and limitations
I refused to conform to the expectations of others
I was always aware that I needed to make a change
When I stopped being passive and found inspiration
I had been living differently than before
I was determined to continue my new way of living no matter what challenges came my way
I had been living with my own weaknesses and flaws
My insecurity and lack of confidence often held me back
I reached a breaking point and needed to take action
I had to let go of my past patterns and habits that kept bringing me down
I realized that others were not supportive of my choices
I couldn't keep conforming to please others
I made a choice to live my life the way I wanted to
I was breaking free from the expectations and constraints of others
I was saying goodbye to following the crowd
I valued being clear about my intentions and goals
It only requires a small effort
I needed to identify my true desires and separate them from the influence of others
I was more deliberate with my choices and actions
When I removed the barriers that previously held me back
Embracing a new, unconventional way of living
Challenging the status quo and taking risks
John P Winder
on Dark Horse (feat. Juicy J)
Dark Horse ...