PROMPT 2: GENRE ANALYSIS & MUSIC
Analysis of Teenage Dream.
Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream is a YA-pop-yearning-anthem. According to wikipedia, pop music is orientated towards younger audiences and in its post-1960s era has become” associated with music that was more commercial, ephemeral, and accessible” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_music). Teenage Dream, linked above, is a classic early 2010s sing-along that follows these conventions. The lyrics are catchy and thus commercial. The song seems to capture the all-encompassing and arguably ephemeral characteristics of young love and subsequent lust. Lastly, the song has over four-hundred million streams on spotify alone. This is evidence for its accessibility or availability to a large group of people. With respect to references, Teenage Dream stands alone and is without specific discussions of other content that I am familiar with. However, the content itself is largely general and applicable to many young people. Furthermore, the central meaning of the song is about two young people who long to become more intimate throughout the fast-paced progression of their relationship. The chorus reads:
“You make me
Feel like I’m livin’ a teenage dream
The way you turn me on, I can’t sleep
Let’s run away and don’t ever look back, don’t ever look back
My heart stops
When you look at me, just one touch
Now, baby, I believe this is real
So take a chance and don’t ever look back, don’t ever look back” (Perry).
The notion of a “teenage dream” coupled with the phrase “turn me on” communicate intense images of lust and yearning amid a coming-of-age story. The same effect is seen in the line “Let’s run away” followed by a repetition of the phrase “don’t ever look back.” Here, Perry insinuates that the actions of this youthful and romantic night have no attachments to a reality that these people would be running away from, i.e, this one night would be an escape from reality. Thus, the title of the song, Teenage Dream, is a moment in the narrator’s life so momentous and pleasurable he/she/they feel as if he/she/they are living outside of reality. The song reads “I believe this is real” referring to the intense romantic feelings. The fast-paced dance rhythm also aids in communicating the urgency of adolescent lust and romantic yearning. More, the meaning behind the song is easily extrapolated to the personal experiences of the listener. Thus, this song is easy to “queer” in its reading. Some may find it sad or idealistic; others could find it fun and spontaneous; I personally find it nostalgic and idealistic and lots of other things.
In another point, the song was written by “Perry, Bonnie McKee, Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Benny Blanco” in an effort to tell a story of young, “euphoric” love (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teenage_Dream_(Katy_Perry_song).
The process of writing the song is described as one which aimed to capture Perry’s reminiscence of her youth. The song is also described as retro (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teenage_Dream_(Katy_Perry_song)).
All of these things, aside from it being written by five people, are readable from the lyrics and tempo. All in all, Teenage Dream, is a 2010s pop-song about young love–and as dream-like as it is, it is certainly iconic.