Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Yeah, eh yeah yeah
I can feel a phoenix inside of me,
As I march alone to a different beat,
Slowly slowing down my fear,
Yeah, yeah
I am ready for the road less traveled,
Suiting up for my crowning battle,
This test is my own cross to bare,
But I will get there
It's never easy to be chosen,
Never easy to be called,
Standing on the front line when the bombs start to fall,
I can see the Heavens,
But I still hear the flames calling out my name
I can see the writing on the wall,
I can't ignore this war,
At the end of it all,
Who am I living for?
I can feel this light that's inside of me,
Growing fast into a bolt of lightning,
I know one spark will shock the world,
Yeah, yeah
So I pray for favor like Esther,
I need Your strength to handle the pressure,
I know there will be sacrifice,
But that's the price
It's never easy to be chosen,
Never easy to be called,
Standing on the front line when the bombs start to fall,
I can see the Heavens,
But I still hear the flames calling out my name
I can see the writing on the wall,
I can't ignore this war,
At the end of it all,
Who am I living for?
I can see the writing on the wall,
I can't ignore this war,
At the end of it all,
Who am I living for?
At the end, at the end,
Who am I living for?
At the end, at the end,
Who am I living for?
Heavy is the head that wears the crown,
Don't let the greatness get you down
Heavy is the head that wears the crown,
Don't let the greatness get you down
Oh yeah
I can see the writing on the wall,
I can't ignore this war,
At the end of it all,
Who am I living for?
I can see the writing on the wall,
I can't ignore this war,
At the end of it all,
Who am I living for?
At the end, at the end,
Who am I living for?
At the end, at the end,
Who am I living for?
I can feel a phoenix inside of me,
As I march alone to a different beat,
Slowly slowing down my fear,
Yeah, yeah
I am ready for the road less traveled,
Suiting up for my crowning battle,
This test is my own cross to bare,
But I will get there
It's never easy to be chosen,
Never easy to be called,
Standing on the front line when the bombs start to fall,
I can see the Heavens,
But I still hear the flames calling out my name
I can see the writing on the wall,
I can't ignore this war,
At the end of it all,
Who am I living for?
I can feel this light that's inside of me,
Growing fast into a bolt of lightning,
I know one spark will shock the world,
Yeah, yeah
So I pray for favor like Esther,
I need Your strength to handle the pressure,
I know there will be sacrifice,
But that's the price
It's never easy to be chosen,
Never easy to be called,
Standing on the front line when the bombs start to fall,
I can see the Heavens,
But I still hear the flames calling out my name
I can see the writing on the wall,
I can't ignore this war,
At the end of it all,
Who am I living for?
I can see the writing on the wall,
I can't ignore this war,
At the end of it all,
Who am I living for?
At the end, at the end,
Who am I living for?
At the end, at the end,
Who am I living for?
Heavy is the head that wears the crown,
Don't let the greatness get you down
Heavy is the head that wears the crown,
Don't let the greatness get you down
Oh yeah
I can see the writing on the wall,
I can't ignore this war,
At the end of it all,
Who am I living for?
I can see the writing on the wall,
I can't ignore this war,
At the end of it all,
Who am I living for?
At the end, at the end,
Who am I living for?
At the end, at the end,
Who am I living for?
Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes
Who Am I Living For? Lyrics as written by Christopher Stewart Katy Perry
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Hipgnosis Songs Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song is about Perry's personal struggle between the direction she wants her music to take her and her fans and what pop culture and the media expects and wants from her. She is a former gospel singer, so she does have strong Christian roots. Her debut single "I Kissed A Girl" is sexually charged and homo-erotic, which obviously butts heads with a Christian belief system. Songs from this album like "Peacock" and "T.G.I.F" are about lust and gluttony. The title of "Who Am I Living For?" states the idea of the song - is she performing music that she feels in her heart or is she performing music that will boost her record sales? "I march alone to a different beat" means even though her songs are similar to artists with more unapologetically sexual songs like Rihanna with "S&M" and Ke$ha with "Fuck Him He's A DJ" (yes, that is the actual title), she feels separate from them because she knows there's more to music than sex. "I am ready for the road less traveled/suiting up for my crowning battle" she's mentally and spiritually preparing herself to write and perform music she feels more comfortable with, possibly with a more religious feel. "It's never easy to be chosen/never easy to be called" she feels God has literally chosen her to be a voice of reason in this corrupted music industry. He helped her on her path to success specifically so she could bring God back into the mainstream. "I can see the Heavens but I still hear the flames/Calling out my name" she knows her 'task' is possible, yet the allure of giving into what the mainstream wants for her and her career is all too real. The chorus addresses how in the beginning of her career she went along with what everyone wanted of her but now she can no longer ignore that this is not what she intended for her music. "I can feel this lightness inside of me" she feels the light of God in her soul and she knows if she introduced it into her mega-popular music, she could share God's love and "shock the world". In the second verse after the first chorus she addresses God directly and asks for His favor "like Ester". Perry knows she will have to sacrifice popularity if she wants to share her message of God's love with the world, "But that's the price" she is willing to pay. "Heavy is the head that wears the crown" She feels this is an extremely risky and daunting task to undergo, but she will not "Let the greatness get (her) down". The points in the song when she sings with an English accent ("crowning bat'le" and "bol a light-en-ning") are nods to her English husband Russell Brand who clearly supports her in her charge of bringing her beliefs into the mainstream. The numerous biblical allusions (phoenix, cross to bear, being chosen, Heaven/Hell, writing on the wall, Holy War, inner light, Ester, sacrifice) all reference what Perry's struggle is about - giving into the mainstream or staying true to her religious beliefs. For Perry this is an incredibly deep song and an insight into her view of the media industry and what it all means to her. Will she give in? Or will we continue to see more songs like this from her?