Oh man, it’s like the “Starbucks lovers” situation all over again. It turns out that we’ve been singing Katy Perry’s empowering song “Firework” incorrectly all this time. But the mistake is not what you’d expect.
You might assume that the line “Baby, you’re a firework” is the issue because people don’t typically refer to fireworks as individuals. However, that’s not where the error lies. You may also think that the problem lies in the lyrics “Do you ever feel like a plastic bag drifting through the wind” since things typically drift “in” the wind. Well, that’s a matter for you and your plastic bags to ponder.
However, the misinterpreted verse is found in the refrain, which, as stated by Google, states, “Because darling, you are a brilliant display of colorful lights. / Don’t hesitate, impress them with your value. / Make them react in awe.” In the music video with the official lyrics on Katy Perry’s YouTube channel, the font used at that time in 2010 is quite strange, making it difficult to determine whether the lyric is “oh” or “ah”!
During a light-hearted moment on the popular show American Idol, Katy Perry playfully corrected her co-judge Luke Bryan when he attempted to serenade her with a familiar tune. According to People magazine, Perry jokingly remarked, “It’s neither ‘up, up, up’ nor ‘ah, ah, ah’!” leaving Brian’s curiosity piqued. In a relatable moment, the country singer voiced the question that had likely been on the minds of countless viewers for years, exclaiming, “What is the correct way to sing it then? I’ve been longing for this knowledge!” Undoubtedly, we all eagerly awaited the answer to this puzzling question for so long.
According to Perry’s statement, the correct term should be “awe” instead of “fireworks.” While this clarification seems logical and leaves no room for confusion, it also raises some questions. Kerouac’s “a-w-w” does indeed resemble the word “awe,” conveying a sense of admiration or amazement towards the firework display. In that context, it aligns with the following line, “As you shoot across the sky,” and provides a somewhat better rhyme.
But Katy isn’t finished yet. The singer went on Instagram to clarify that she wasn’t the original creator of this idea; it was actually Jack Kerouac in his iconic novel “On the Road,” so if you have any issues with it, take it up with him! She posted a video of the conversation and shared a screenshot from Kerouac.com to explain the reference. Here, Katy explains it in her own words from back in the day. It’s important to note that she was embracing her authentic self long before Julia Fox became associated with Yeezy.
