The One That Got Away

The The One That Go Away Songfacts says: The song was chosen to be the sixth single from Teenage Dream. "I'm so pleased to select 'The One That Got Away' as my sixth single because this song shows a very different side of me that I haven't shown with my past singles on this record," said Perry. "I think that everyone can relate to this song. I wrote (it) about when you promise someone forever, but you end up not being able to follow through. It's a bittersweet story. Hopefully, the listener learns from hearing it and never has to say they had 'The One' get away."

[Verse 1] Summer after high school, when we first met We'd make out in your Mustang to Radiohead And on my 18th birthday, we got matching tattoos Used to steal your parents' liquor and climb to the roof Talk about our future like we had a clue Never planned that one day I'd be losing you [Chorus] In another life, I would be your girl We'd keep all our promises, be us against the world In another life, I would make you stay So I don't have to say you were the one that got away The one that got away [Verse 2] I was June, and you were my Johnny Cash Never one without the other, we made a pact Sometimes when I miss you, I put those records on, whoa Someone said you had your tattoo removed Saw you downtown, singing the blues It's time to face the music, I'm no longer your muse [Chorus] But in another life, I would be your girl We'd keep all our promises, be us against the world In another life, I would make you stay So I don't have to say you were the one that got away The one that got away [Post-Chorus] The one The one The one The one that got away [Bridge] All this money can't buy me a time machine, no Can't replace you with a million rings, no I should've told you what you meant to me, whoa 'Cause now I pay the price [Chorus] In another life, I would be your girl We'd keep all our promises, be us against the world In another life, I would make you stay So I don't have to say you were the one that got away The one that got away [Post-Chorus] The one (The one) The one (The one) The one (The one) In another life, I would make you stay So I don't have to say you were the one that got away The one that got away