Katy Perry's "Roar" is an anthem of empowerment, but its lyrics have two notable points of contention: a common mishearing of a key line and a significant dispute over the song's originality. šµ Full Lyrics Here are the official lyrics to "Roar" as released on the Prism album . Verse 1 I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath Scared to rock the boat and make a mess So I sat quietly, agreed politely I guess that I forgot I had a choice I let you push me past the breaking point I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything Pre-Chorus You held me down, but I got up (hey!) Already brushing off the dust You hear my voice, you hear that sound Like thunder, gonna shake the ground You held me down, but I got up (hey!) Get ready 'cause I've had enough I see it all, I see it now Chorus I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter Dancing through the fire 'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar Louder, louder than a lion 'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar! Post-Chorus Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh You're gonna hear me roar! Verse 2 Now I'm floating like a butterfly Stinging like a bee, I earned my stripes I went from zero, to my own hero Pre-Chorus You held me down, but I got up (hey!) Already brushing off the dust You hear my voice, you hear that sound Like thunder, gonna shake the ground You held me down, but I got up (got up) Get ready 'cause I've had enough I see it all, I see it now Chorus I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter Dancing through the fire 'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar Louder, louder than a lion 'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar! Bridge Roar, roar, roar, roar, roar! Final Chorus I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter Dancing through the fire 'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar! --- šÆ The Disputed Lyrics While the song is well-known, there are two main areas of dispute regarding the lyrics. 1. "A Fighter" vs. "The Fire" The most common lyrical dispute involves the second line of the chorus. The official lyrics and the liner notes of the album state the line as: "I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter" . However, due to the way Katy Perry sings the line, many listeners mishear it as: "I got the eye of the tiger, the fire" . This is a classic example of a mondegreenāa misheard phrase that becomes popular in its own right. 2. The "Brave" Plagiarism Accusation A much more significant dispute arose almost immediately after the song's release in August 2013, when critics and listeners pointed out a strong similarity to Sara Bareilles' song "Brave," which had been released just a few months earlier in April 2013 . Ā· The Claim: The similarity in theme (self-empowerment), structure, and particularly the rhythmic melody of the chorus led to accusations that "Roar" was derivative of or plagiarized from "Brave" . Ā· The Response: Neither Katy Perry nor her songwriting team (which included Max Martin and Dr. Luke) officially admitted to any influence. Sara Bareilles herself handled the situation gracefully, saying in interviews that she was flattered by the comparison and believed there was room in pop music for multiple empowering anthems. This remains one of the most famous disputes over a pop song's originality in the 2010s.
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