I've been a "KatyCat" for a few years, and about a month ago, I questioned where she's been. Then suddenly, she drops a new single. Naturally, I immediately searched the net to give it a listen–and though I'm disappointed to say it, I initially dismissed Katy Perry's new hit single, "Chained To The Rhythm," as just another bubble gum pop tune to get people to dance. Usually, Katy Perry's lyrics either have a message, or tell a story, so I was quite confused at first. But then, I gave it another listen. And thank God I did because the lyrics are absolutely genius. I couldn't believe that I didn't hear them in the first place, but I can say that this is easily one of my favorite songs now.
If you haven't had the pleasure of hearing this song or just don't know the actual meaning to it, allow me to give my best analyzation of the lyrics for you:
[Verse 1]
"Are we crazy?
Living our lives through a lens
Trapped in our white picket fence
Like ornaments
So comfortable, we're living in a bubble, bubble
So comfortable, we cannot see the trouble, trouble
Aren't you lonely?
Up there in utopia
Where nothing will ever be enough
Happily numb
So comfortable, we're living in a bubble, bubble
So comfortable, we cannot see the trouble, trouble"
In this first verse, Katy directly addresses first world people, asking why we are the way we are. In our day to day lives, we live happily in our own little bubbles–our little "utopia"–and we demand more and more every day. All we ever do is want things for our own selfish purposes.
[Pre-Chorus]
"So put your rose-colored glasses on
And party on
Turn it up, it's your favorite song
Dance, dance, dance to the distortion"
Here, the term "rose-colored glasses" is referring to the idea that we look at the world itself and/or its past events as only being happy and pleasant experiences, rather than seeing them for what they truly are.
[Chorus]
"Turn it up, keep it on repeat
Stumbling around like a wasted zombie, yeah
We think we're free
Drink, this one's on me
We're all chained to the rhythm
To the rhythm
To the rhythm
Turn it up, it's your favorite song
Dance, dance, dance to the distortion
Turn it up, keep it on repeat
Stumbling around like a wasted zombie, yeah
We think we're free
Drink, this one's on me
We're all chained to the rhythm
To the rhythm
To the rhythm"
In the chorus, Katy points to the eerie reality that we take part in. We dance our "problems" away and think everything is alright... Or at least, in that moment. We think that we are "free" from real-world problems, when in reality, we just tend to ignore them by "partying them away."
[Verse 2]
"Are we tone deaf?
Keep sweeping it under the mat
Thought we could do better than that
I hope we can
So comfortable, we're living in a bubble, bubble
So comfortable, we cannot see the trouble, trouble"
In this second verse, she tries to awake us from our daily ignorance of what's happening around us. "Are we tone deaf" seems to suggest that we can't tell the difference from what is truly important, and what is not, while "Keep sweeping it under the mat" leans to the idea that we tend to "shoo away" negative thoughts, and issues that aren't inclusive to ourselves.
[Chorus Again]
[Skip Marley (Bridge)]
"It is my desire
Break down the walls to connect, inspire, ay
Up in your high place, liars
Time is ticking for the empire
The truth they feed is feeble
As so many times before
They greed over the people
They stumbling and fumbling
And we about to riot
They woke up, they woke up the lions"
Skip Marley's bridge preaches that the "higher ups," are all liars, though they claim to feed us the truth. Those in the "high place" are the rich and powerful. They are greedy in that they will always be hungry for more power and more money. When he mentions the "lions" and their "waking up," he is referring to those who are aware of the truth and the reality of the issues in the world, and those who are ready to fight for what is right.
[Chorus Again]
[Outro]
It goes on and on and on
It goes on and on and on
It goes on and on and on
'Cause we're all chained to the rhythm"
Katy states that this phenomenon of being completely oblivious to what's around us is continuous. I think that this is the scariest lyric of the entire song because it's never ending. We are all stuck in this cycle that feels like it can't be broken until it's too late. It's only a matter of time until we are FORCED to "wake up."
