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Katy Perry

Katy Perry

Date: Feb 23 2009

Themes: Music, Pop Culture

Grammar: Passive Voice

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

One sure way for girl musicians to get a lot of publicity is to kiss other girls. Remember when Madonna and Britney Spears locked lips at the MTV music video awards? Or what about that crazy girl band t.A.T.u., who made out in one of their music videos? And let’s not forget Jill Sobule, who wrote the first song called “I Kissed a Girl” back in 1995.

The pop singer Katy Perry has a song called “I Kissed a Girl” too. It’s made her a huge success on the pop charts, but a controversial figure for some. Listen to Beren and Dale talk about the song and the scandal.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Dale

Dale

Beren

Beren

Dale:  I’m actually a DJ and I do a lot of parties. And one of the ones that’s a number one hit is “I Kissed a Girl.”

Beren:  Oh, I think that’s a number one hit everywhere. I went to a teeny, tiny town and went out dancing…like nobody on the dance floor. All of a sudden, they started playing “I Kissed a Girl,” and girls started making out.

Dale:  Do you think that’s kind of weird though?

Beren:  It’s very weird.

Dale:  This Katy Perry character or person is actually trying to make other girls kinda make out with other girls…I don’t know. Does that seem like a good thing or a bad thing?

Beren:  Do you think the song was written and intended to be like that hit that would make girls slutty on the dance floor?

Dale:  Well, after I started listening to the song, actually it was banned in high schools.

Beren:  I heard that too, actually.

Dale:  Because more girls started doing that. And saying they kissed a girl and they liked it. From rumors I heard also, Katie Perry said that she’s not gonna have sex for a year.

Beren:  I heard that possibly is incorrect, but I don’t know.

Dale:  So do you think she’s very controversial anyway?

Beren:  Somewhat controversial. I mean, maybe. I don’t know. ‘Cause to me she seems more modern day bubble gum pop. Like, really well-written songs actually, ‘cause it’s super catchy.

Dale:  Oh, super catchy.

Beren:  I don’t know, maybe it’s the last line kids can cross now, you know?

Dale:  Mm-hm.

 

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Discussion

“I Kissed a Girl” is one of the most popular songs right now. Dale is a DJ, and he gets asked to play it all the time. It even gets the crowd excited in tiny towns, like the one Beren visited recently.

Beren and Dale both think the popularity of the song is a little strange. There’s been a lot of controversy over it, and some high schools have even banned it. There have also been some rumors about Katy Perry’s love life. But Beren thinks that even though the singer is somewhat controversial, she has a light, bubble gum pop sound. She and Dale agree that her songs are super catchy.

Beren says that girls kissing other girls might be one of the last controversial subjects. There are a lot of songs out there with violent or sexual lyrics that aren’t as controversial.

Do you think song lyrics are too violent or sexual these days? Does this song deserve all the controversy?

 

Comments

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EstebanM

EstebanM

Colombia

A simple catchy song… No more!

09:25 PM Feb 26 2009 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

I don’t know this singer,because it is not the music style that I hear,but I can try :)

08:24 PM Feb 26 2009 |

Hani44

Hani44

Saudi Arabia

heheehe nice one

02:17 PM Feb 26 2009 |

mandark

mandark

Cuba

it´s a great song, Katy´s song are popular right know…

02:50 PM Feb 25 2009 |

lulu6151

lulu6151

China

wow so controversial! i like to listen every kind of music cause via lyric u will know how's others life going on .its not bad thing . just enjoy ur life and tolerance of others.

03:28 AM Feb 25 2009 |

daniebelle

daniebelle

Brazil

I like some of her songs, but I think it's about marketing!

04:23 PM Feb 24 2009 |

armess

armess

Turkey

you are hot and cold:)

03:40 PM Feb 24 2009 |

majed123456

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

Hello there…..

It is too improtant to know and to understand this type of music….Is it good to be like this song say " girls kiss girls" very bad and very strange I think.

thanks to read my opininonSmile

12:55 PM Feb 24 2009 |

zhzloverzy

zhzloverzy

China

..take easy ///it doesn't matter

12:04 PM Feb 24 2009 |

indira1812

indira1812

Kazakhstan

In actually, I havent heard her other songs except this one, but she has the perfect voiceSurprised

09:52 AM Feb 24 2009 |

faqir

Afghanistan

which song

 

09:14 AM Feb 24 2009 |

faqir

Afghanistan

hi im new user of the this site

09:12 AM Feb 24 2009 |

Lady Starlight

Ukraine

I think that violent and sexual songs are much better tan that ones that make peole to cut their veins or something like that

08:41 AM Feb 24 2009 |

leydijp

leydijp

Colombia

right now that is normal, but i think that is wrong…

12:33 AM Feb 24 2009 |

Sawdestination

Mexico

Well, I think "I kissed a girl" doesn´t deserve more attention to make it look like the most controversial song, I mean there are more sex explicit lyrics in another songs (like "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails).

I think her songs are really funny but I don´t think she can survive a lot in music if she try to copy the same style for her next record.

Right know in Mexico, her second single ("Hot N Cold") is at number one on the radio.

10:08 PM Feb 23 2009 |

pinkyd

Cambodia


Kiss

hy

 

 

 

09:07 PM Feb 23 2009 |

adeilto

Brazil

it's crazy, but i respect, what it matters exactly is to be happy.

See you guys…

08:26 PM Feb 23 2009 |

cerol

cerol

Turkey

   I think it's just her fantasy..She suppress something in her mind and she try to reveal like that..

08:17 PM Feb 23 2009 |

Gellerke

Gellerke

Slovakia

I like her and also her voice.

07:57 PM Feb 23 2009 |

Guisawyer

Guisawyer

Germany

Here in Brazil, one teacher from High School played this song in the Class of English… and for that reason him it was dismissed!

07:39 PM Feb 23 2009 |

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