The Problem With… Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night”

I’m starting to think the whole ’80s retro thing has run its course. We’ve seen plenty of it in recent memory, and now Katy Perry’s latest single “Last Friday Night” is the latest attempt to pull at your nostalgic side — while referencing, of course, to the ABC sitcom block T.G.I.F.  

Ugh. So. Many. References.

In the video, Perry starts off dolled up in Steve Urkel garb. She ends up — post-makeover, of course — looking something like Kimmy Gibbler. We also get Hanson and Kenny G. Pretty cool.

Psyche!

Anyway, the track keeps up with Katy’s cotton-candy persona. It’s has a pop-rock character, complete with slap bass that takes us back to those corny sitcom theme songs for Alf and Family Matters.

The whole thing’s just weird. For starters, Katy is 26 years old. Which, while not ancient, is definitely grown. So, um, isn’t it kind of crazy how she’s obsessed with youth? Sure, a Rebecca Black cameo is cool and all (Debbie Gibson and Corey Feldman, not so much). But why is there a 13-year-old in a Katy Perry video? It’s just weird.

And it’s making me worried. Who knows? Maybe Katy’s obsession with youth will catch up with her. If she keeps this up, she might end up like Elizabeth Bathory and start bathing in the blood of virgins to keep herself looking young.

Unfortunately, the lyrics don’t quite match with the teenage party theme of the video. For instance, not every teenager has their own boss, credit card or car. So some might not relate.

The saxophone solo is rather bizarre, too. To Katy’s credit, she recorded this track months before Lady Gaga’s “The Edge of Glory”. So Katy got a head start on the whole saxophone thing. In other words: The whole sax solo revival Katy’s fault.

This also probably means we’ll see invisible saxophones solos on the dancefloor soon enough.

Happy, happy. Joy, joy.

To put it in terms Katy will understand: “Last Friday Night” is all that and a bag of chips.

Not!