Katy Perry’s ‘143’: 1 Song Sounds an Awful Lot Like 1 of Her Old Tracks
Katy Perry‘s 143 is her attempt to reclaim her position as one of the Queens of Pop. It’s not surprising that the “Teenage Dream” singer is drawing inspiration from her back catalog. What’s shocking, however, is that she ripped off one of her lesser-known tracks. The song sounded better the first time around.
The complicated background of a Katy Perry single from ‘143’
Perry’s defining album is Teenage Dream. The album has some serious moments, but for the most part, it is pop culture candy. It even had cotton candy clouds on the cover! Tracks like “California Gurls,” “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” and “Firework” are perfect music for the dancefloor, the gym, or the mall.
The follow-up, Prism, was a little more grown-up. In it, Perry referenced William Shakespeare, dabbled in Eastern spirituality, and sang a power ballad about unconditional love. One of the highlights of Prism is “Walking on Air,” a 1990s-style house tune where the “I Kissed a Girl” star sings about a transcendent relationship. It’s one of the only dance tracks to use fifth-grade vocabulary words like “ecstasy” and “utopia.”
Perry’s 143 single “Lifetimes” recycles all the key elements of “Walking on Air.” It has a house beat, a theme of transcendent love, and fifth-grade vocabulary words (“infinity” and “eternity”). Sadly, the melody of “Lifetimes” doesn’t live up to “Walking on Air,” and “Lifetimes” doesn’t have the impressive diva vocals of its predecessor.
Why did Katy Perry redo ‘Walking on Air?’
So why would Perry regurgitate “Walking on Air?” It wasn’t a huge hit like “Roar” or “Dark Horse.” In addition, fans don’t really expect her to make house music. She’s dabbled in the subgenre here and there but it’s generally not her style.
Well, maybe she rewrote “Walking on Air” because she knew she could get away with it. If Perry released a tune called “I Smooched a Lady,” we’d all know she was repeating herself. Meanwhile, only her fans have heard deep cuts like “Walking on Air.”
Sometimes, artists make great songs by repeating themselves just a tad. For example, The Beatles’ “Let It Be” is a classic rewrite of “Hey Jude” with some gospel flair. But “Lifetimes” doesn’t hold a candle to “Walking on Air.” While “Walking on Air” is a fan favorite, “Lifetimes” will probably get put on the ash heap of history alongside most of the work that Perry put out after “Chained to the Rhythm.”
What inspired ‘Lifetimes’ from ‘143’
During a 2024 interview with People, Perry said “Lifetimes” was inspired by her daughter, Daisy. “It is funny how sometimes you’re looking for your soulmate in a partner,” she said. “It could be a dog, your mum, your best friend, your cat… but for me, it came in the form of Daisy. I wrote ‘Lifetimes’ about her.”
Perry gave us insight into her relationship with Daisy. “Every night, before we go to sleep, I say, ‘I love you,’ and then I ask, ‘Will you find me in every lifetime?’ and she says, ‘Yes,'” Perry said. “The love I was missing, every mountain I climbed looking for this view, all this love, it came to me when she entered my life.”
