You know that feeling when you're driving at night and a certain song comes on, and suddenly you're mourning a version of your life that doesn't even exist anymore? That is the exact energy of Katy Perry in another life. Technically, the song is called "The One That Got Away," but the "In Another Life" lyric became so iconic it practically rebranded the track in the public consciousness.
It wasn't just another pop hit. Honestly, it was a pivot point for Katy.
Back in 2011, she was the queen of "candy-coated" pop. We’re talking whipped-cream bras and blue wigs. Then she drops this mid-tempo ballad about a girl who grows old alone, haunted by a boy who died in a car crash after a fight. It was heavy. It was real. And for anyone who has ever looked back at an old flame and wondered what if, it was devastating.
The Secret History of the Lyrics
Most people assume the song is just a generic story about lost love. It’s not. Katy actually wrote it with Max Martin and Dr. Luke during the Teenage Dream sessions, and she was originally going to call the song "In Another Life."
The imagery is hyper-specific. "I was June and you were my Johnny Cash." That's a direct nod to the legendary, turbulent, but ultimately enduring love between June Carter and Johnny Cash. But in Katy’s world, they didn't make it to the end. Instead of a long marriage, she’s left with a "matching tattoo" on her 18th birthday—a mark of a pact that was broken before it could ever really begin.
Who was it actually about?
This is where the fan theories go wild. For years, people speculated it was about Johnny Lewis, the Sons of Anarchy actor she dated in the mid-2000s. His tragic death in 2012 made the song’s music video—where her lover dies in a car accident—feel eerie and prophetic.
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However, Katy eventually cleared the air. In 2017, she revealed the song was actually inspired by Josh Groban.
Yeah, the "You Raise Me Up" guy.
They had a brief thing in the late 2000s. She told James Corden that he’s "the one that got away," which honestly feels like the most "California Girl" plot twist ever. It’s a reminder that even the biggest stars have those "ships in the night" moments.
That Music Video: A Seven-Minute Emotional Wreck
If you haven't seen the video directed by Floria Sigismondi, prepare to be sad.
Katy plays an elderly woman living in a cold, modern mansion. She’s married to a guy she clearly doesn't love. She’s just going through the motions. The makeup work was insane—they spent hours turning 20-something Katy into a 75-year-old "glam-ma."
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The male lead? Diego Luna. Before he was Cassian Andor in Star Wars, he was the disheveled artist boyfriend in this video.
The story moves between two timelines:
- The Past: Sun-soaked, messy, and filled with painting and Mustang make-outs to Radiohead.
- The Present: Sterile, grey, and quiet.
The ending is what gets everyone. Old Katy stands at the edge of the cliff where the accident happened. She sees the ghost of her younger self and her lover. They hold hands for a second, and then he’s gone. It’s a gut-punch.
Why This Song Refuses to Die
Pop songs usually have a shelf life of about six months. "The One That Got Away" has lasted over a decade. Why?
Basically, because it’s a universal experience. Most of us aren't global pop stars, but everyone has that one person who pops into their head when they hear the line: "All this money can't buy me a time machine." It’s about the regret of things left unsaid. Katy sings, "I should've told you what you meant to me, 'cause now I pay the price." That’s the core of the Katy Perry in another life phenomenon. It’s not just a song; it’s a shared cultural confession that sometimes, we mess up the things that matter most.
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The Chart Drama
Interestingly, this was the sixth single from the Teenage Dream album. At the time, Katy had five #1 hits from that one record. If this song had hit #1, she would have beaten Michael Jackson’s record for the most #1s from a single album.
It peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Her label even released a remix with B.o.B and an acoustic version to try and push it over the edge. It didn't happen. But in a weird way, the fact that it didn't hit #1 makes it feel more authentic. It’s a song about almost getting what you want, and the chart position reflected that.
How to Lean into the "In Another Life" Energy
If you're currently in your feelings about a "one that got away," here is how to handle it without ending up like the old woman in the music video:
- Write the letter you'll never send. Get the words out. Whether it's about a person, a career path, or a version of yourself you lost.
- Listen to the acoustic version. It’s stripped back and way more raw than the album version.
- Acknowledge the "Alternative Timeline." It's okay to wonder about the "other life" where you kept your promises, as long as you don't let it ruin the life you actually have now.
Katy Perry showed us that even when you have "million rings" and "all this money," you can still feel like you're missing the only thing that actually mattered. It’s a haunting thought. But it’s also what makes the song a masterpiece.
Your Next Steps
If you want to truly dive into the lore, go watch the extended seven-minute version of the music video on YouTube. It adds layers to the story that the radio edit misses. Then, check out her 2012 documentary Part of Me—it captures the exact moment her real-life marriage was falling apart while she was performing these songs of "forever" to thousands of people.