After singing in church during her childhood, she pursued a career in gospel music as a teenager. Perry signed with Red Hill Records and released her debut studio album Katy Hudson under her birth name in 2001, which was commercially unsuccessful. She moved to Los Angeles the following year to venture into secular music after Red Hill ceased operations and she subsequently began working with producers Glen Ballard, Dr. Luke, and Max Martin. After adopting the stage name 'Katy Perry' and being dropped by The Island Def Jam Music Group and Columbia Records, she signed a recording contract with Capitol Records in April 2007.
Perry rose to fame in 2008 with her second album, One of the Boys, a pop rock record containing the controversial U.S number one song "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold". Three subsequent albums have topped the U.S. Billboard 200. The disco-influenced Teenage Dream (2010) spawned five chart-topping U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles–"California Gurls", "Teenage Dream", "Firework", "E.T.", and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" — a record tying her with Michael Jackson's "Bad". Its follow-up record Prism (2013) was inspired by her divorce, and incorporates pop and dance along with themes of self-reflection, everyday life, and relationships. With the music videos for its chart-topping songs "Roar" and "Dark Horse", Perry became the first artist to have multiple videos reach one billion views on Vevo. Her 2017 electropop album, 'Witness' featured a political subtext and a theme of liberation. Her sixth studio album 'Smile' followed in 2020.
Perry has nine U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number one singles and has received various awards, including four Guinness World Records, five Billboard Music Awards, five American Music Awards, a Brit Award, and a Juno Award. She has been included in the annual Forbes lists of highest-earning women in music from 2011 to 2019. Her estimated net worth as of 2016 is $125 million. Perry is one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 18 million albums and 125 million singles worldwide. In film, she released an autobiographical documentary titled "Katy Perry: Part of Me" in 2012, and voiced Smurfette in the 2011 film The Smurfs and its sequel in 2013. Her Super Bowl halftime show performance is the most watched in history. Perry also began serving as a judge on American Idol in 2018.
HEY HEY HEY
Katy Perry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A babydoll with a briefcase, yeah
A hot little hurricane, ha
'Cause I'm feminine and soft, but I'm still a boss, yeah
Red lipstick but still so raw, yeah
Marilyn Monroe in a monster truck
'Cause I can be zen, and I can be the storm, yeah
Karate chopping the clichés and norms all in a dress
Hey, hey, hey
You think that I'm a little baby
You think that I am fragile like a Fabergé
You think that I am cracking, but you can't break me
No, no way
No, no way
No, no way
You think that I am cracking, but you can't break me (break me)
Yeah, I bounce back like a pro 'cause I'm so resilient
L-o-l at all your limits
Keep your penny thoughts, I'm making a mint
'Cause I can be zen, and I can be the storm, yeah
Smell like a rose, and I pierce like a thorn, yeah
Karate chopping the clichés and norms all in a dress
Hey, hey, hey
You think that I'm a little baby
You think that I am fragile like a Fabergé
You think that I am cracking, but you can't break me
No, no way
No, no way
No, no way
You think that I am cracking, but you can't break me (break me)
I ain't got no strings (no strings, no strings, no strings)
I'm no one's little puppet
Got my own cha ching in my chubby little wallet
And secretly you love it (you fucking love it)
And secretly you love it
Hey, hey, hey
You think that I'm a little baby
You think that I am fragile like a Fabergé
You think that I am cracking, but you can't break me
No
Hey, hey, hey
You think that I'm a little baby
You think that I am fragile like a Fabergé
You think that I am cracking, but you can't break me
No, no way (no)
No, no way (no way)
No, no way (uh-uh)
Oh, you think that I am cracking, but you can't break me
In this song, Katy Perry sings about not fitting into the stereotypical mold of femininity. She describes herself as having a "big beautiful brain with a pretty face," and being "a babydoll with a briefcase," which suggests that she is both smart and capable, despite societal expectations that women should only be pretty and submissive. She also refers to herself as a "hot little hurricane," which implies that she is full of passion and energy.
Perry then goes on to declare that she is both soft and powerful, able to be both calm and fierce. She sings about "karate chopping the clichés and norms all in a dress," which suggests that she is breaking out of traditional feminine roles without sacrificing her femininity. Perry then rebuffs the idea that she is fragile, proclaiming that she can bounce back from anything and that no one can break her.
Overall, "Hey Hey Hey" is a declaration of Katy Perry's strength and independence as a woman.
Line by Line Meaning
A big beautiful brain with a pretty face, yeah
Despite my looks, I possess a remarkable intellect
A babydoll with a briefcase, yeah
I may look cute, but I'm a powerful professional
A hot little hurricane, ha
I am a force to be reckoned with, despite my small size
'Cause I'm feminine and soft, but I'm still a boss, yeah
I embrace my femininity, but that doesn't make me any less of a leader
Red lipstick but still so raw, yeah
I can be glamorous, but I'm not afraid to be bold and authentic
Marilyn Monroe in a monster truck
I embody a blend of femininity and strength, like the iconic actress in an unexpected vehicle
'Cause I can be zen, and I can be the storm, yeah
I am versatile and can adapt to any situation
Smell like a rose, and I pierce like a thorn, yeah
I may seem delicate, but I have the ability to defend myself and stand up for what I believe in
Karate chopping the clichés and norms all in a dress
I defy societal expectations and refuse to conform, all while maintaining my feminine identity
You think that I'm a little baby
People underestimate me and assume I am weak
You think that I am fragile like a Fabergé
Others view me as delicate and fragile, like a priceless egg
You think that I am cracking, but you can't break me
Despite their assumptions, I am resilient and cannot be easily defeated
No, no way
I refuse to be broken
Yeah, I bounce back like a pro 'cause I'm so resilient
I have the ability to recover from setbacks quickly and with ease
L-o-l at all your limits
I laugh at those who doubt me and attempt to limit my potential
Keep your penny thoughts, I'm making a mint
I am successful and making a fortune, despite others' doubts
I ain't got no strings (no strings, no strings, no strings)
I am independent and not tied down to anyone
I'm no one's little puppet
I am not controlled by anyone else's desires or expectations
Got my own cha ching in my chubby little wallet
I am financially secure and independent
And secretly you love it (you fucking love it)
Others may not expect me to be successful or powerful, but they secretly admire and appreciate it
No
I am not weak and I will not be broken
Hey, hey, hey
I am confident and strong
No way (no)
I will not be defeated
No way (no way)
I refuse to give up
Uh-uh
Not a chance
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALI PAYAMI, KATY PERRY, MAX MARTIN, SARAH HUDSON, SIA FURLER
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 ...