<p id=”par-1_53″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/katy-perry/”>Katy Perry</a>‘s <em>143 </em>is her attempt to reclaim her position as one of the Queens of Pop. It’s not surprising that <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/writer-teenage-dream-katy-perry-gave-afford-hot-water.html/”>the “Teenage Dream” singer</a> 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.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-the-complicated-background-of-a-katy-perry-single-from-143″>The complicated background of a Katy Perry single from ‘143’</h2>
<p id=”par-2_52″>Perry’s defining album is <em>Teenage Dream</em>. 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! <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/california-gurls-almost-wasnt-katy-perrys-teenage-dream-album.html/”>Tracks like “California Gurls,”</a> “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” and “Firework” are perfect music for the dancefloor, the gym, or the mall.</p>
<p id=”par-3_68″>The follow-up, <em>Prism</em>, 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 <em>Prism </em>is “Walking on Air,” a 1990s-style house tune where <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/did-the-singer-of-the-original-i-kissed-a-girl-think-katy-perry-stole-her-idea.html/”>the “I Kissed a Girl” star</a> sings about a transcendent relationship. It’s one of the only dance tracks to use fifth-grade vocabulary words like “ecstasy” and “utopia.”</p>
<p id=”par-4_53″>Perry’s <em>143 </em>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.</p>
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<iframe title=”Katy Perry – Walking On Air (Audio)” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/t4D5egXVqSg?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-why-did-katy-perry-redo-walking-on-air”>Why did Katy Perry redo ‘Walking on Air?’</h2>
<p id=”par-5_43″>So why would Perry regurgitate “Walking on Air?” It wasn’t a huge hit like “Roar” <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/katy-perry-why-you-cant-see-the-original-dark-horse-video.html/”>or “Dark Horse.”</a> 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.</p>
<p id=”par-6_45″>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.” </p>
<p id=”par-7_72″>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.”</p>
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<iframe title=”Katy Perry – LIFETIMES (Official Video)” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/vRkSjkGkhbE?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-what-inspired-lifetimes-from-143″>What inspired ‘Lifetimes’ from ‘143’</h2>
<p id=”par-8_57″>During a 2024 interview with <a href=”https://people.com/katy-perry-reveals-how-daughter-daisy-inspired-upcoming-single-lifetimes-8685622″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>People</a>, 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.”</p>
<p id=”par-9_63″>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.”</p>