Meaning

The song is about a real guy - an ex-boyfriend who she could never get a read on. Said Perry, "One day this person would send me a text and I would be so thrilled about it because I had been waiting for some kind of sign - a smoke signal. He would be all interested and then I would just lose him, or one day he would want to see me and then one day he wouldn't. I didn't know what was wrong with him, if he was bipolar, or if he was wearing a mood ring. I took the theme and the song kind of spilled out of me.


Source: songfacts.com

Lyrics

Katy, Do you take Alexander
To be a your lawfully wedded husband?

I do.

Alexander,
Do you take Katy to be your lawfully wedded wife?

You change your mind
Like a girl changes clothes
Yeah, you PMS like a bitch I would know
And you over-think always speak cryptically
I should know that you're no good for me

'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're "Yes" then you're "No"
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down

You're wrong when it's right
It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up

(You) You don't really wanna stay, no
(You) But you don't really wanna go

You're hot then you're cold
You're "Yes" then you're "No"
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down

We used to be just like twins so in sync
The same energy now's a dead battery
Used to laugh 'bout nothing,
now you're plain boring
I should know that you're not gonna change

'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're "Yes" then you're "No"
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down

You're wrong when it's right
It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up

(You) You don't really wanna stay, no
(You) But you don't really wanna go

You're hot then you're cold
You're "Yes" then you're "No"
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down

Someone call the doctor
Got a case of a love bipolar
Stuck on a roller coaster
Can't get off this ride

You change your mind
Like a girl changes clothes

'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're "Yes" then you're "No"
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down
You're wrong when it's right
It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up

You're hot then you're cold
You're "Yes" then you're "No"
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down

You're wrong when it's right
It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up

(You) You don't really wanna stay, no
(You) But you don't really wanna go

You're hot then you're cold
You're "Yes" then you're "No"
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down, down
Play with the song, fill the gaps
Legend
  • The video player plays from the time specified
  • Chorus
  • People Talking

Vocabulary