The song was played for the first time during an exclusive album listening party in Berlin, Germany. Perry has described the song as how she's "more than one thing". The song was written around January of 2017 with co-writer Sarah Hudson confirming she wrote the lyric "Marilyn Monroe in a monster truck". The music video was filmed November 5-6 and on December 17, 2017 Perry posted photos from the set with each picture captioned "HEY".
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
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)
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
@badgame717
Verse 1]
A big beautiful brain with a pretty face, yeah
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
[Pre-Chorus]
'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
[Chorus]
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-o-o-o-oh, no way
No-o-o-o-oh, no way
No-o-o-o-oh, no way
You think that I am cracking, but you can't break me
(Br-br-break me)
[Verse 2]
Yeah, I bounce back like a pro 'cause I'm so resilient
LOL at all your limits
Keep your penny thoughts, I'm making a mint
[Pre-Chorus]
'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
[Chorus]
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-o-o-o-oh, no way
No-o-o-o-oh, no way
No-o-o-o-oh, no way
You think that I am cracking, but you can't break me (uh-uh)
(Br-br-break me)
[Bridge]
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
[Chorus]
Hey, 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-o-o-o-oh
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-o-o-o-oh, no way (No)
No-o-o-o-oh, no way (No way)
No-o-o-o-oh, no way (Uh-uh)
Oh, you think that I am cracking, but you can't break me (Uh-uh)
(Br-br-break me)
@alaskacosplay
I love how Katy is dressed up as one of the most powerful women in history (Joan of Arc) and one of the most misunderstood queens (Marie Antoinette) and show what a powerhouse the could really be.
@LucasNinoMusic
IKR!
@creeper6473
when i first watched this music video (i was 14 at that time), i didn't understand the reference. Around last year i started to have interest in royal history and now I understand wtf is going on in this MV.
@wyster14
Marie really got blamed for everything by historians, which is really sad because she was a polite and reserved girl in truth, and her last words were actually an apology to the executioner, because she had accidentally stepped on his foot
@Portableholefromthefuture
Same!
@ewwewwwew9553
@@creeper6473 +1 😿
@belladonnavon8014
I’m not sure why people say the message of this song is obscure? Seems pretty clear to me that it stresses the importance that stereotypical femininity ≠ weak.
The dynamic of Marie Antoinette, known primarily for femininity, vs Joan of Arc, a relatively masculine female figure, isn’t to pit women against each other but to encourage traits regardless of how they’re seen socially “Cause I’m feminine and soft but I’m still a boss”. The idea of “Marilyn Monroe in a monster truck” is arguing that women who dress in soft flowing clothes (MM being the epitome of ‘Yin’ femininity in a ‘Yang’ masculine mechanism) etc. can still be badass (“Karate-chopping the clichés and norms of in a dress”). Dressing feminine doesn’t stop women from doing awesome things and it doesn’t stop women dress it suits achieving things either. The whole point of feminism is freedom, not ridicule. Even if she’s put in Rococo wigs she doesn’t want and forced to play nice with men she hates, she still stands up for herself even at the cost of social ‘death’ or disgrace.
The overall point is that women shouldn't have to adopt masculine traits to be respected if they prefer standardised femininity, and instead of ridiculing women who do we need to pay attention to their character and how they stand up for themselves. Basically women supporting women in a very cool feminist anthem! Not vague at all. A lot of this is integrated into the video too but hope that clears stuff up.
@pinky_princesspie9675
Amazing sypnosis
@robinskull
KATY PERRY SUCKS, MY MUSIC IS BETTER
@kennedypatton7874
This analysis definitely deserves more attention.