"I wish I knew then, What I know now, Wouldn't dive in, Wouldn't bow down, Gravity hurts, You made it so sweet, Till I woke up on, On the concrete"
- 'Wide Awake' - Katy Perry
'Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection' I believe is the second album in this list that is a second edition, there is at least two others to come in this list that share this trait. Whenever an album is released, all the tracks tend to fit a theme, but for the sake of brevity and also sometimes because of technical limitations, things often get cut. Future albums don't often share the theme, and the artist goes in a different direction with their work. From time to time it is worthwhile to reissue albums with tracks added to them that fit the narrative or the theme that existed. This issue of Teenage Dream justifies that if not for any other reason but for the addition of 'Wide Awake' and 'Part Of Me' more than anything.
Wide Awake is my favourite Katy Perry track, both for the music and for the lyrics. This issue of the album was released in 2012 a year where my world figuratively came to an end. A lot of things fell apart for me that year, friendships fell apart, conflict arose, and a love was lost because of poison in my ear - that's cryptic I know and very Shakespearean but this is a story I'm not willing to tell publicly for so many reasons. Wide Awake serves as a reminder for me of that time when I fell back down to Earth with a thud. That sense of loss was amplified by 'The One That Got Away' a song that literally made me cry because of the chord it struck, and the nerve it hit.
I was 24 in 2012, which for most people is a time when their life is moving forward, where their turbulent teenage years are behind them. For me though, given the trauma of my childhood that I alluded to, my adolescence was essentially delayed for lack of a better descriptor. The years I spent in University from 2006 through 2009 and the years that followed graduation for me marked a time when I developed most of the social skills that people my own age had developed a decade before. I learned a lot in those years and what I learned helped shape who I am now but I think of those years more as "growing down" than "growing up" in that I receded into behaviours that I'm once again growing out of now years later but came at the worst possible time. Those years are meant to be when you build the foundation for your life and what you will do with it, but I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life and even today I am still uncertain but I at least think I am better able to identify what I want and what I don't, even if the former is still much harder than the latter.
Katy Perry is often considered by people to be a pop artist who makes music with little substance, I think this judgement is unfounded. Teenage Dream is an album that like the title suggests needs a teenage mindset to understand the depth of the lyrics and what they mean. Even now I know that people still roll their eyes when you describe her as deep and that's okay that derision is an indicator of cynicism something that you develop with age, which side of this debate you fall on is a clear marker for how seriously you take yourself, your life, and how old before your time you have become.
On a more light-hearted note this album also includes 'Firework' a track that serves a particular purpose for me in that it was the reason I discovered a guy named Peter Lee Johnson a guy from Seattle who created a Youtube channel where he uploaded videos of him playing Violin. One particular video saw him perform a violin cover of Firework. If you haven't figured out by now from this and previous posts the violin is one of my favourite musical instruments and I am astounded by anyone who can play it well. I find it not only sounds beautiful but it also looks beautiful too. Peter posted a number of videos on his channel, he still does; another particular favourite of mine is a mash-up video that fuses Bach with Taio Cruz's 'Dynamite' which I still listen to from time to time when I want something that will make me smile.
I've followed Katy Perry's career since 2012, I hadn't paid much attention to her work prior to the release of The Complete Confection which is yet another reason why I think the reissue was justified as I am an example of a consumer that might not have connected with her music to the extent I did if it weren't for that particular combination of tracks. Indeed, there is another album on this list that I will discuss when the time comes but it shares this trait and again I think it was justified, as for those that criticise reissue albums for the sparsity of new content, no-one is forcing you to buy every single album an artist puts out, you can buy individual tracks through Amazon, Apple Music, and you can listen to tracks through Spotify without having to buy a whole album, I don't get the anger people have in this regard - it would be different if the tracks were exclusive to that release and could not be bought or accessed elsewhere.
The Gift
For in this life we give to greed
All of that we think we need
In hope that treasures to us received
Will not leave our hearts much aggrieved
Gifts we expect to take in turn
For what we give and take in churn
That word of meaning was once sincere
A word of love not one of fear
To gift is to give not to take in kind
No return you should ever expect to find
A token of love to adoring friends
Or a sign of peace to make amends
All of that we think we need
In hope that treasures to us received
Will not leave our hearts much aggrieved
Gifts we expect to take in turn
For what we give and take in churn
That word of meaning was once sincere
A word of love not one of fear
To gift is to give not to take in kind
No return you should ever expect to find
A token of love to adoring friends
Or a sign of peace to make amends
Dance With Me
Take my hand and dance with me
Let the music lift your heart so free
Move your body with rhythm and rhyme
And let your spirit flow through time
Twist and turn and smile with glee
Here in this moment just let yourself be
Forget your cares and experience joy
Don't hold back there's no need to be coy
To live is to dance and to dance is to live
For shame is the guilt that makes us feel coy
It denies us those moments where we can feel joy
So here in this moment just let yourself be
Live in the moment and smile with glee
Twist and turn and step with me in time
And together we'll move with rhythm and rhyme
Music is the sword that will set your heart free
So here in this moment won't you dance with me
Let the music lift your heart so free
Move your body with rhythm and rhyme
And let your spirit flow through time
Twist and turn and smile with glee
Here in this moment just let yourself be
Forget your cares and experience joy
Don't hold back there's no need to be coy
To live is to dance and to dance is to live
For shame is the guilt that makes us feel coy
It denies us those moments where we can feel joy
So here in this moment just let yourself be
Live in the moment and smile with glee
Twist and turn and step with me in time
And together we'll move with rhythm and rhyme
Music is the sword that will set your heart free
So here in this moment won't you dance with me
Music Monday #12: Beautiful Soul by Jesse McCartney
'Beautiful Soul' is an album by Jesse McCartney that was released in 2004 but it wasn't until 2007 that I became aware of him or his work. I was at the tail end of my first year of University at the time and my circle of friends was expanding once more and yet again Music was the tool I used to form bonds with people and explore their interests. Not for the first time I met a girl at University who had a music collection filled with artists I had never heard of and yet again I dived right in and started to explore. Even then I didn't pick out Jesse from the list because there was so much to choose from. It wasn't until a conversation about the singers we had crushes on over the years cropped up and I mentioned having a crush on Aaron Carter in my teenage years that Jesse was mentioned and it went from there.
My American readers have probably heard of Jesse even if they didn't follow his music career they probably know him from 'All My Children' a popular daytime soap in the 90s but for context, both his music career and the soap he acted in were pretty much unknown here in the UK, indeed even today those that have heard of him probably know him for his voice acting as Roxas and Ventus in Kingdom Hearts. His music career is often overlooked here in the UK, this album for instance peaked at number 53 in the UK charts so his music career didn't get very far here, as for the soap to my knowledge that was never syndicated on UK television. I've written before about this forgotten history and the fact that "new" and "new to me" are two very different concepts yet they embody much of the same experiences. There are a wealth of artists that have enjoyed success in the US but are unknown in the UK and vice versa, and a wealth of TV shows and an abundance of content from years gone by that we never got to see, and for the most part even now with the internet there's no real service you can use to explore that content. Spotify has problems when it comes to popping bubbles and as for streaming services for TV shows, if they aren't current then they are pretty much resigned to history.
This serves once more as a reason why curators are needed, people who can say if you like this then you might like that. That's how I discovered Jesse and when I explored his music it struck a chord with me because at the time I was crushing pretty hard on yet another guy, an infatuation that ultimately led nowhere but nevertheless the title track 'Beautiful Soul' and another track in particular, 'Because You Live' serve as reminders for me now of how I felt for him. I even fell for Jesse himself for a while and still hold a flame.
Jesse's music represents a journey down memory lane for me, I don't listen to it that much any more but whenever I want to reminisce and reflect on that time in my life I listen to this album. I followed Jesse's career for a few years after discovering him, an honourable mention here goes to his 'Departure: Recharged' album in particular to the 'Body Language' track on there which is probably my most played track of his in my music library. I dropped off a few years later however when his musical styling shifted focus and no longer appealed to me. Beautiful Soul still holds a place in my heart though and it will remain in my music library even if I don't listen to it that often it holds emotion and memories that still mean a lot to me.
My American readers have probably heard of Jesse even if they didn't follow his music career they probably know him from 'All My Children' a popular daytime soap in the 90s but for context, both his music career and the soap he acted in were pretty much unknown here in the UK, indeed even today those that have heard of him probably know him for his voice acting as Roxas and Ventus in Kingdom Hearts. His music career is often overlooked here in the UK, this album for instance peaked at number 53 in the UK charts so his music career didn't get very far here, as for the soap to my knowledge that was never syndicated on UK television. I've written before about this forgotten history and the fact that "new" and "new to me" are two very different concepts yet they embody much of the same experiences. There are a wealth of artists that have enjoyed success in the US but are unknown in the UK and vice versa, and a wealth of TV shows and an abundance of content from years gone by that we never got to see, and for the most part even now with the internet there's no real service you can use to explore that content. Spotify has problems when it comes to popping bubbles and as for streaming services for TV shows, if they aren't current then they are pretty much resigned to history.
This serves once more as a reason why curators are needed, people who can say if you like this then you might like that. That's how I discovered Jesse and when I explored his music it struck a chord with me because at the time I was crushing pretty hard on yet another guy, an infatuation that ultimately led nowhere but nevertheless the title track 'Beautiful Soul' and another track in particular, 'Because You Live' serve as reminders for me now of how I felt for him. I even fell for Jesse himself for a while and still hold a flame.
Jesse's music represents a journey down memory lane for me, I don't listen to it that much any more but whenever I want to reminisce and reflect on that time in my life I listen to this album. I followed Jesse's career for a few years after discovering him, an honourable mention here goes to his 'Departure: Recharged' album in particular to the 'Body Language' track on there which is probably my most played track of his in my music library. I dropped off a few years later however when his musical styling shifted focus and no longer appealed to me. Beautiful Soul still holds a place in my heart though and it will remain in my music library even if I don't listen to it that often it holds emotion and memories that still mean a lot to me.
Desire
Look back on the days that have now gone by
But do not feel pain or sit and cry
For the magic of youth is something to behold
But the hands of time are not as they appear so cold
The magic that was lost was not cast aside
But buried instead deep down inside
Bring it to light and the innocence you knew
Can once again rise and shine so true
Age is a number and a state of mind
For of the latter you can once again find
Take the chains of knowledge and wisdom you earned
And remember that which was never learned
Innocence and ignorance have beauty within
But the latter we're taught is nought but sin
But they are one and the same you see
Accept this truth and once again be free
But do not feel pain or sit and cry
For the magic of youth is something to behold
But the hands of time are not as they appear so cold
The magic that was lost was not cast aside
But buried instead deep down inside
Bring it to light and the innocence you knew
Can once again rise and shine so true
Age is a number and a state of mind
For of the latter you can once again find
Take the chains of knowledge and wisdom you earned
And remember that which was never learned
Innocence and ignorance have beauty within
But the latter we're taught is nought but sin
But they are one and the same you see
Accept this truth and once again be free
Express Yourself
Roll the dice and play the game
For love or money or perhaps fame
Run in the race of the lives we live
And give yourself all you have to give
The past is behind you beyond your reach
With the future ahead for you to beseech
But the present is the moment in which you reside
Where your hopes and dreams move with you in tide
Remember to breathe and stay afloat
Let your heart beat loud as you emote
While feelings you have are strong and true
Until expressed they reside only in you
Let the world see what lies buried within so deep
Only then perhaps its pace you can hope to keep
For love or money or perhaps fame
Run in the race of the lives we live
And give yourself all you have to give
The past is behind you beyond your reach
With the future ahead for you to beseech
But the present is the moment in which you reside
Where your hopes and dreams move with you in tide
Remember to breathe and stay afloat
Let your heart beat loud as you emote
While feelings you have are strong and true
Until expressed they reside only in you
Let the world see what lies buried within so deep
Only then perhaps its pace you can hope to keep
Hope
Close your eyes and look inside
Find the hope that you like to hide
Take it by the hand and bring it to light
Defend its heart from those who fight
Let it gaze upon the state of the world
Until the tangled knots of despair be unfurled
For there in the light there is more to see
Than what appears at first to you and me
There is joy and happiness to be found
But not by a shrill and deafening sound
The whisper of hope can be hard to hear
For the words to echo you must hold it near
For even in darkness the light still survives
Ready to return once more to our lives
Find the hope that you like to hide
Take it by the hand and bring it to light
Defend its heart from those who fight
Let it gaze upon the state of the world
Until the tangled knots of despair be unfurled
For there in the light there is more to see
Than what appears at first to you and me
There is joy and happiness to be found
But not by a shrill and deafening sound
The whisper of hope can be hard to hear
For the words to echo you must hold it near
For even in darkness the light still survives
Ready to return once more to our lives
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