Listening on Repeat for Three Days
Some amount of time ago, a friend (possibly schuyler, but I could be wrong about that) linked to the Ukrainian polka band cover of "Hot 'N Cold" and said it was proof that Katy Perry is a better songwriter than singer. I couldn't quite agree with her because what I find offensive about "Hot 'N Cold" is the way it relies on stereotypes about women to make its point: "You change your mind / like a girl changes clothes / yeah, you PMS like a bitch / I would know." This is often what I dislike about Katy Perry's music; I actually like her sound - it's catchy! - but nearly every song of hers I've heard has at least one set of offensive lyrics. (This is why I adore "California Dorks.") But now there's a cover that makes me believe in Katy Perry's songwriting skills.
Last week, Mark Rose did a cover of "Teenage Dream" (link goes directly to the mp3). "Teenage Dream" is something of a love song even when Katy Perry sings it, but Mark truly turned it into a soft, lovely love song. It's also a fascinating look at the influence of gender roles on meaning/perception. When Katy Perry sings "I might get your heart racing / in my skin-tight jeans" and "let you put my hands on me / in my skin-tight jeans," it grates because it reinforces all the other bajillions of messages we get telling us that women - especially entertainers like her - are sex objects. Mark is a man, and in a society where men are sex subjects, not objects, that element of meaning disappears and the "skin-tight jeans" become just part of the song. I think this is a big part of why I love straight up covers by artists of a different gender than the original artist.
Last week, Mark Rose did a cover of "Teenage Dream" (link goes directly to the mp3). "Teenage Dream" is something of a love song even when Katy Perry sings it, but Mark truly turned it into a soft, lovely love song. It's also a fascinating look at the influence of gender roles on meaning/perception. When Katy Perry sings "I might get your heart racing / in my skin-tight jeans" and "let you put my hands on me / in my skin-tight jeans," it grates because it reinforces all the other bajillions of messages we get telling us that women - especially entertainers like her - are sex objects. Mark is a man, and in a society where men are sex subjects, not objects, that element of meaning disappears and the "skin-tight jeans" become just part of the song. I think this is a big part of why I love straight up covers by artists of a different gender than the original artist.