#hes so lana del rey btd

[helaelaemond]

[sweetmariihs2]

A headcanon-like thing I would like to share about Queen Lorelei

Tw: death during childbirth and some light mentions of suicide and grieving

I love Queen Lorelei (King Roland's deceased wife). She barely appears or it's mentioned in the show? Yes. But oh well. Fandom.

We believe she's that genuinely kind deceased character, that everyone remembers as sweet and beautiful, always more gentle than the world was to her, like a ray of sunshine. She's absolutely adored by everyone and her beauty and kindness always brought all the eyes in the room to her and her sweet laughs and smiles.

But unfortunately she died some time after she got married, during the childbirth of the princes that her body wasn't made to support, because the only reason she got pregnant in the first place was the wishing well, and that action had consequences, which means, she got pregnant indeed but that didn't changed the fact her body wasn't capable of enduring this.

And well, she died because of that. I usually feel really bad about childbirth deaths, because I feel like that could have been avoided months earlier. She was well and healthy but trying to have children took her life, and that just happened because she wanted to have a family and live a happy life.

But well, despite being something that lacks information, her story and character fascinates me, and we try to suppress that desire to see her story through fanfiction and fanmade content.

In my case, I have a constant habit of relating characters to songs, in some cases to whole artists if their whole discography match this character or fandom. For example I can't hear some of Aurora's songs without thinking of Cedric.

In Lorelei's case, it was something I never spoke about, but since we're in a fandom and in constant search for STF related stuff and fan content to keep enjoying our favorite show, I decided to share this.

Basically, I'm a HUGE Lana Del Rey fan since around 2019. I know 90% of her released songs and I also listen to some of her unreleaseds (that despite me knowing a ton of unreleaseds there are more than 200 wandering through the internet so there's no way I know all of them)

During the start of her carreer (actually, her first albums, since her career started years before the debut album) Lana's songs told us stories. Some key words that I would like to relate to her songs are: girlhood, nostalgia and melancholy (+or tragedy if you think about it)

In her first albums (Born to Die + The Paradise Version which is a deluxe of BTD) her songs were centered around nostalgic stories and feelings surrounding girls' experiences. Because she is so beautiful and often delicate while singing about darker topics, it's like her voice and lyric choice just interconnect. She sang about girls who lost their lovers, about beautiful girls that felt unhappy or/because they wasted their youth, about tragic endings, like being taken away from your friends during your teenage years because you guys were doing all kinds of crazy stuff at that time (this song is called This Is What Makes Us Girls), all of this surrounded by a feeling of nostalgia, as if those stories had happened a long time ago.

(Her songs weren't made to romanticize anything, like some people say they were; in fact, a huge part of these songs were inspired by her own life and feelings, and Lana is just telling us stories.)

So, going back to Lorelei, some of Lana's songs remind me of her. Based on what I said you can understand why. But not only that, Lana has some very specific songs that kinds match the fandom's headcanons of how Lorelei would be like (since we have no official info about her character).

Like in the song Blue Velvet, which is a cover from Bobby Vinton's song, but Lana brought a whole different feeling to it. Bringing it to the context of her album, her version sounds a lot more heartbreaking than the original one. The lyrics are about a male character missing his lover, singing about her blue velvet dress and how he will never forget about his love for her, even after she passed. Lana's version has a whole orchestral instrumental through the song and mostly at the end of it, making the song sound nostalgic, tragic and even sounds like some kind of anthem close to the end.

There's also the song Carmen, where there is a girl called Carmen, who attracts all eyes to her and is known for her beauty, but deep inside she's not mentally well, and people seem not to care about or notice how she's feeling. By the end of the song she even gets a love confession (in french), probably hinting at the fact that she receives many of them, but it doesn't matter because those who give them don't really know her or care about it. Despite her state "she's still shining" (in Lana's words), because even though she's suffering, she's still beautiful and loved by people.

In the song Born To Die, Lana sings about enjoying your life while it's still happening, because we're gonna die sooner or later. In the music video the scenes interwine with her sitting in a throne and spending time with a lover, who seems to give her an unhealthy relationship, judging by his aggresive behavior. At the end of the music video they're travelling together by car and her boyfriend, the driver, tries to force her to kiss him back, and because of that their car crashes and she dies in his arms, making him face his guilt because he was the one who did this to her. Tragic ending.

Dark Paradise is a song about grieving a loved one. It was made based on her feelings and her life.

These are some of the songs that match because of the lyrics, but being honest, because of the album being so concrete, the lyrics don't even need to match for me to remember her, because as I said this album is about nostalgic girlhood and melancholia, and she often sings about memories like in the song This Is What Makes Us Girls, that was also inspired by her teenage years when she was taken from her friends, but the memories she carries with them last till this day and it makes her miss those times.

Going to the unreleased, there are so many more. Like the song Angels Forever, where she's singing about memories that at her youth she never thought they were going to end: "we were angels forever, forever angels".

Or Fine China, where she is watching a friend having their first child, and remembering that at her own wedding years ago her groom left her at the wedding, depriving her of the dream life she would have liked to have had, singing "I'm going down now, with all of my fine china and fresh linen, all of my dresses with them tags still on", hinting at what was left of the wedding, of a life she couldn't have, but that she was watching others around her having it in her place. This song kinda reminds me of Roland to be honest, even thought his story with Lorelei isn't really related to their wedding, he was also deprived of a life he wish he could have had. And he had her dresses packed, her stuff still there in the castle, just like in the song the pov had her fine china and dresses with tags still on (they were never used).

It kinda fits even more with that headcanon that Cedric was in love with Lorelei. He never had the chance to live a life with her, and he's a bachelor till this day, watching all the weddings and happy lives through the years but never being a part of them, thinking about what would have happened if life wasn't so cruel.

I had these thoughts and despite being a bit niche I still felt like it should be shared. I know that not many people are fans of listening to recommended songs (at least in my case that's true), but I also made this post for those who already know some of those songs and didn't noticed these connections with Lorelei's story. Those who don't know the songs and want to listen to them now are also very welcomed.

I think about how amazing would be if I made a fanfic about this and using these songs. But I won't do it, it's just a thought. Feel free to do it though, I would absolutely love to read that.

[cassiesc0rner]

hii cass!! how r u?? how was ur day???

in part one of impurities when nate walked up to y/n and asked her what she was listening to and she replied with lana del rey i remember he said he had only ever listened to video games and summertime sadness and i want to know what's the context behind that.... why would nate jacobs out of all people know lana del rey songs (i find that adorable) did maddy send him the songs? was it just that he heard him in the radio? how would he react if y/n one day plays him a song like ultraviolence or religion in his car or sharing earbuds and tells him that the song reminds her of him?? knowing him he will probably listen to the song on his own like seven times trying to figure out what she meant by that (because to him understanding what reminds her of him is like knowing how she perceives him in his head or something) imagine his reaction when he hears the lyrics "I could've died right then 'Cause he was right beside me He hurt me but it felt like true love Loving him was never enough 'Cause I'm your jazz singer And you're my cult leader" or millions of other examples (because nate is SO lana del rey) i think it would rewire his brain. omg imagine he is listening to the songs with his headphones laying on the couch but he falls asleep and then aaron comes around to be noisy and picks up his phone and sees him listening to lana and he makes fun of him for it for the next 46 years lmao. im smiling just from thinking about it it would be so funny. -signing off with luv, 💿 anon <3 p,s. i love giving u random ideas for the story because i just CANNOT stop thinking about him and im too lazy to write them out ... plus you r so good at it and i cannot wait to read the next part

hii i’m honestly really annoyed, because I got really pissed at school today, but i’m glad i’m can sleep soon (it’s past 3 am rn lol) i hope you’re doing fineee too??

and I actually just assumed both: he probably heard it on the radio a lot of times, and maddy probably listened to it as well. Literally most people I know only know one of the two songs it’s crazy😭 I mean, I obviously like a looot of lana songs, and video games and summertime sadness are no exception, but she made so many amazing songs it’s sad most people don’t know them yk?? (I’m literally in love with the Honeymoon and BTD-Paradise Edition album) but yeah that’s why I figured he’d definitely know these two. And YES he would totally over analyze the lyrics, and he’d probably feel so proud that y/n thinks about him even when she’s just listening to music, and even going as far as associating him with her music. Aaand omg.. AARON WOULD NOT LET HIM LIVE THIS DOWN SKNWKWENJ💀

AND YOU SHOULD TOTALLY WRITE FOR NATE AS WELL!! Bc I’d feel bad if I’d use all your ideas and you decide to write one day and think “Man why did I give her all these good ideas?!” you’re so creative, I bet you’d do an amazing job🙂‍↕️

[zolusbian]

lana del rey songs ranked by how lacho del rey they are: born to die (paradise edition) PART ONE

strap in this shit is crazy

born to die: 10/10

this is post 5x10 nacho reflecting on lalo in the hotel room. it's not even worth picking out lyrics because they all apply. honestly i should make a music video to this.

off to the races: 10/10

honestly giving both ottr and btd the same rating is a little weird to me because ottr is, personally, to me, more lacho. but only because it is the lacho that lives in my head where nacho fully succumbs to the lana-ification and becomes the man he was always meant to be, i.e., lalo's sugar baby. i also personally like interpreting it from nacho's pov because "my old man is a bad man" is insane, he has a broke-down life but an la crass way about him, he's putting his red dress(shirt) on, etc., but i know some people like to think of it as lalo pov, and that's valid, too! anyway i legitimately have a full music video of this in progress.

blue jeans: 4/10 (nacho pov) vs 9/10 (lalo pov)

this one gets a discrepancy because it makes less or more sense depending on who you imagine. blue jeans white shirt walked into the room made my heart hurt is obviously lalo in the famous fit:

like this could be an album cover. but the other stuff doesn't fit from nacho's pov as well.

BUT from lalo's pov we have it!!! we do have nacho in a blue jeans white shirt but lalo never saw that and it's not very nacho-esque anyway ): also it's not like lalo to cry over nacho. but the sentiments of loving you more than those bitches before (amber and jo -- sorry women, you're not bitches, but we put the feminism away for lana del rey time) and "But when you walked out that door, / A piece of me died / I told you I wanted more, / But that's not what I had in mind / I just want it like before / We were dancing all night / Then they took you away, / Stole you out of my life / You just need to remember..." is very lalo-realizing-nacho-worked-for-gus. as is the rest of the song. if only gilligould would let lalo be textually gay instead of subtextually gay.

video games: 2/10

look, video games is the first ldr song i ever heard and i love it and it's my life whatever, but it's, unfortunately, not very lacho. lana is too happy here. lalo is old and doesn't understand video games. it does get points for "I heard that you like the bad girls / Honey, is that true?" (nacho is a woman) and the lines about holding in big arms and playing pool and wild darts.

diet mountain dew: 5/10

the aesthetics are on point, but it's a pretty general song and really could be applied to any toxic relationship. also neither of them drink diet mountain dew. a few things stand out, though. the usual riding in old cars, smoking cigarettes, mention of jesus, etc, that lana is famous for, of course. this is a white pontiac heaven:

i think it's a bit too old school for the lacho aesthetic, unfortunately. they're more 60s/70s cars than 50s style. though i could imagine lalo keeping a couple of 50s around for nostalgia, but that's headcanon. (imagine little lalo riding in a car like this with his dad and his mom in a headscarf through mexico city or something...)

and no, nacho, i have never seen a girl so pretty as you.

anyway, too general. next!

national anthem: 9/10 (lalo pov) and 10/10 (nacho pov)

god, they are both so handsome! national anthem blah blah blah lalo is mexican and nacho is chicano and they probably tease each other about that. there’s already an fanvid to this but i can’t find it. a link would be appreciated! so since you guys already have it from lalo pov, i’ll do nacho.

here’s a bugatti veyron, which if nacho was alive in 2012, he definitely would have one:

“ Money is the reason we exist” yes, you are in a cartel. “Um, do you think you'll buy me lots of diamonds? ("Yes, of course I will, my darling")” nacho get over yourself and let yourself be a sugar baby!!!

seriously, you can be his housewife. you don’t have to cook and you don’t have to clean because you’ve got that wet ass pu-

dark paradise: 9/10

one that is unequivocally from lalo’s pov. i knocked a point off because we don’t have lalo canon mourning nacho and also he has no friends to tell him that he’s wrong. their relationship is definitely a dark paradise though!

nacho is dead. :(

radio: 2/10 (canon) 10/10 (the secret good version of lacho that lives in my head)

the 2/10 for canon comes from this:

nacho’s father is an immigrant who believed in the american dream and if i talk about it too long i’ll get sad, which is not the point of this. moving on!

again, nacho, give in. this could be your life. you could be sweet like cinnamon. your life COULD be like a dream you’re fucking living in. YOUR DAD DOESN’T EVEN LIKE YOU. GO TO YOUR NEW DADDY.

carmen: 0/10

this is not lacho at all. good song though and definitely applicable to other blorbos.

million dollar man: 5/10 (nacho pov) 8/10 (lalo pov)

first of all, this is a great title. i should save this for a fic. lalo is a million dollar man. he’s a seven million dollar man, actually.

i’m getting a bluebell tattooed on me i swear.

anyway, lalo didn’t break nacho’s heart so it’s not as applicable from his pov, even though he IS the most exotic flower and lalo IS screwed up and brilliant and looks like a million dollar man. here’s the fun part, though: so does nacho! therefore, it is actually better from lalo’s pov, as nacho did leave his heart broke ): 

summertime sadness: 4/10 (nacho pov) 7/10 (lalo pov)

alas, if only nacho had lived to see the summertime. he could be putting on his red dress and dancing in the pale moonlight. but he killed himself so. it is kinda applicable if you think about it as being right before his suicide, but also he told lalo he was a soulless pig and not “baby, you’re the best” so. 

but this is very lalo if lalo had the emotional ability to let himself feel sad over the betrayal. but he doesn’t! 

now if this was what comes next ‘verse....10/10 for both of them <3

this is what makes us girls: 0/10

nacho is a girl but he was hustling as a teenager, not whatever this is, so 0/10. also my least favorite song on the album.

[hoochy-coo]

do you think anya will keep her popularity that she acquired because of the queen’s gambit or do you think her hype will die down eventually (sort of like jlaw)? also what do you think lana del rey’s career trajectory will be? do you think she’ll become an icon? and last question, do you think harry will reach legend status? i feel like he’s kind of overhyped and that everything he does is mediocre yet fawned over just because of who he is. his music isn’t bad per say but it’s nothing revolutionary or new. his fashion isn’t revolutionary either and his acting isn’t bad but also isn’t oscar worthy so i’m curious as to what your thoughts are.

Anya Taylor-Joy: I think if Anya finds herself in another hit or critically acclaimed project then she’ll be able to sustain her hype. She’s got a good grasp on both the mainstream audience and the critics so I think she’ll be sticking around. Imo a lot of actress (and their teams) have seen what happened with JLaw and know to not risk overexposure like she did.

Lana del Rey: If you’re asking me, Lana’s already somewhat of a cult figure within the alt/indie scene? Like BTD was a moment in pop culture and those images of her are pretty much burned into the GP’s brain. I think she’ll continue to put out more lyrically-focused, singer-song writers projects like NFR and COTCC, and they’re gonna keep getting good reviews.

Harry Styles: I can’t tell yet but I think Harry is about one other big era away from making it as a household name. He’s got a lot going for him (well-connected team, rabid fanbase, the media loves him, etc.)

[benjaminposs]

MY TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE '10s

BORN THIS WAY - LADY GAGA 

This record saved my life. When BTW came out, I was just coming to terms with my sexuality, and dealing with my first ever spout of dark depression. To this day, when I feel like I have nothing left to lose, I turn on this incredibly produced, lyrically genius, and inspiring album to make me feel strong. It makes me feel like I don’t need anyone to complete me, and that is a rare feeling when you can feel both enraged and empowered love yourself just by listening to a body of work. 

BORN TO DIE ( THE PARADISE EDITION ) - Lana Del Rey

I have never in my life heard anyone like LDR, and Born To Die is a prime example of that. The Paradise Edition of this record has to be one of my favorites, which then Lana turned into a short film entitled Tropico, which is stunning in every way. Her sultry voice makes it's way through the orchestral swells in her tunes, and always leaves you feeling both heartbroken and understood. As soon as the title track starts, you know that you are in for an experience - not just an easy listening album. That is why BTD will always be one of my top albums regardless of the decade, because it is timeless.

ELECTRA HEART - MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS

Conceptual albums are always a hit or miss for the GP. However, ELECTRA HEART is one that I think is highly underrated. The archetypes Marina explores on this record are done with both wit and utter genius. She becomes Electra throughout this record, and we see her unveil a lot about herself through the use of these characters.

ARTPOP - LADY GAGA

Perhaps one of the most underrated and under appreciated albums of this decade is ARTPOP. At the height of what feels like a spiritual awakening for LG, Artpop was done with such admiration for high art, fashion, and pop music mixing all the elements as Gaga does for the greater good of love and humanity. As she sings “We could, We could belong together...” There is a sense that she knows we are all connected, but society has denied us of that true connection that we only find in art and music that tries to push the boundaries. Lots of innovative things Gaga wanted to happen with this record happened, while most of them were changed because of the normal record label game that artists experience when trying to also sell a record. Artpop has aged like fine wine, and I really do feel the GP will look back on it as one of the best records ever constructed. With producers Zedd, Madeon, DJ White Shadow, and others, it was way ahead of its time.

EMOTION - CARLY RAE JEPSEN

This is what pop music is. Carly Rae is THAT pop girl as the kids say, Emotion was one of the best albums of the decade. It proved that once again, CRJ could write an entire record of bops both fast and slow of pure pop bliss.

STARBOY - THE WEEKND

I was lucky enough to not only see the tour for this album, but to dive deep in love with the concepts in this record. We hadn't really seen anything like this from The Weeknd. Sure, he has tons of tracks, but not like Starboy. Every track hits the right way at the right time.

HOPELESS FOUNTAIN KINGDOM - HALSEY

A conceptual album based off of Romeo & Juliet, HFK is a force of sound you can’t mess with. Every song has a pivotal part to the grander story. I fell in love with this album immediately, and songs like Alone and Sorry tugged on my heartstrings. So many real, and profound lyrics in this record.

RAINBOW - KESHA

One word... Praying. In the midst of me healing from a recent sexual assault / rape trauma, one song came out that helped me heal a lot... followed by a body of work from a fellow survivor of abuse. Kesha is such a brave soul full of honesty, grace, and light. I am so thankful she made this album, and experimented with her sound in the way that she wanted to.

YOUNGER NOW - MILEY CYRUS

Quite possibly one of her most iconic records... not to mention that album cover, Younger Now made a huge impact on me. Thinkin’, Die For You, Rainbow Land with Dolly, and the title track are such incredible songs for Cyrus.  Also, I love the fact that this record was released on the same day as my own first full length album. Definitely one I go back to time and time again.

REBEL HEART - MADONNA

I have always had a respect for Madonna, but digging into here discography this past year, I discovered so many songs especially on this album that moved me. It is fierce, unapologetic, honest, and iconic. The journey M takes us on is remarkable, and full of enlightenment on what it takes to be a rebel. A whole lot of symbolism, talent, and faith in the bigger picture,

[cherry-interlude]

My Personal Top 10 Unreleased Lana Del Rey Songs

Lana has an extensive collection of unreleased songs, and these are my personal, in my own opinion, top 10 favourites. I love all the songs wholeheartedly and it’s so difficult to put into a list but I thought I’d give it a go anyway. This is more brief and less descriptive compared to my usual writing but hey ho, I have to keep it short.

10. You Can Be The Boss

This was one of the first few songs I had heard from Lana and it was one of the ones that had me hooked (aside from Young and Beautiful and Put Me In A Movie). Though I feel like I’ve heard it a thousand times, therefore don’t feel like listening to it as often, it still has the pure Lana feel to me and the vibe of BTD; the imagery of cigarettes and the flirtatious, spoken verses aimed at her possible daddy-to-be have some of the Lizzy, Lolita charm, so it feels like a classic to me.

9. Go Go Dancer

I adore this song because it’s such a fun one; it’s full of energy and makes you just want to dance much like her, the go-go dancer. It is like the more upbeat, flirty sister of Disco and I think it’s definitely one of her more sexy ones (especially since she’s “pushing up her ahh in your face, in your face”). It’s another with a Lolita vibe, aimed at a rich man with money that she’s dancing for, and I can’t not smile and dance to it in a poor imitation of the fabulous imagery she gives.

8. Last Girl On Earth

I am obsessed with this beautiful song and the lyrics. Lana paints such a sad but gorgeous picture of being loved but lonely, and it’s quite mellow with a strong piano which I think pulls at the heartstrings more. The imagery is my favourite part (”I belly dance and do the tango”, owning Mexico and rollercoasters and the lines about Cleopatra and Caesar which I adore). The strange echoing voice playing under her singing through either ear like buzzing thoughts you can’t get rid of add a complicated layer to it as she ponders living forever. It’s a thoughtful song and her voice and vision makes it straight away one of my favourites.

7. On Our Way

I had originally heard the much more acoustic, stripped back version of this song and when I heard the fuller version with more instruments I still loved it the same, though the former version is locked in my heart. The song is one of her most meaningful and romantic, and it feels like it is one of her most personal. The drawl and accent in her voice makes it feel more raw and cuter, and the chorus makes me want to smile, cry and twirl on a dance floor with someone I love every time. The stripped back, lone guitar version has more of a one-on-one serenade feel, whilst the other version sounds better for a performance due to the strength to it. Either way, it’s a feel good, sweet song with a country twist and I love it.

6. Riverside (feat. Barrie-James O’neill)

This song was originally intended for Barrie’s album and I stumbled on it by accident. The entire song from start to finish is gorgeous and I wish it had been released somehow. It’s a very eerie track, with light vocals echoing over an uncomfortable, long sound much like static (the only way I can describe it) and their dreamy vocals paired with the strong piano and yearning lyrics has me breathless each time. Their voices are beautiful together, even more so than in the cover of Summer Wine, and though it has an other-worldly feel to it, it is still meaningful and has far more emotion behind it, especially in the way they sing “finally I’m getting closer - to the dream”. It’s one I can’t resist replaying.

5. Roses

This song, my God. I don’t know where to start with it: the dramatic, sweeping piano, the burst of pop, the lyrics, Lana’s pissed off and saddened yet sexy vocals - there’s too much in this song for me to handle. It may not be typical Lana Del Rey, leaning towards mainstream pop, but I think it’s a stunning song, especially with her higher vocal range. The anger and adoration she switches between, as well as her typical go-to lyric of roses, is quite powerful and it blows me away every time. The slice of rap thrown in adds to it, and I wish Lana would release some kind of video with this. It’s definitely a song I love to sing along to, and if you’re pissed off with someone who is just no good, this is one of the songs to use to get critical.

4. Serial Killer

It’s one of the classics, the one Lana frequently sings live, and it would be impossible to not include this on the list. It’s a fun song musically but darker lyrically as she sings of her deadly obsession with love. It’s got a cute and sexy twist to it and the best part of the whole song is the moan in the bridge (when she sings it live, oh boy). It’s loved by pretty much all the fans and is a firm live favourite, so it is of course one of the best unreleased.

3. Prom Song Gone Wrong (Teenage Wasteland)

This is a song I have cried over many times just because I love it so much. Firstly, her voice is so sweet and alluring and slides into spoken verses when not crooning about the one she loves, her teenage sweetheart, which gives it an edge. Secondly, the 1950′s schoolgirl, doo-wop vibe (much like in Driving In Cars With Boys and Lust For Life) is charming and classy. Thirdly, the chorus is so beautifully sung, and has real emotion behind it, enough to make an emotional soul like me cry. Fourthly, how romantic and happy with just an edge of sadness and despair (”I’m leaving, are you coming with me?” - the hope for another fresh life with this one she loves, as seen in Paris and Puppy Love) not only brings the extra pile of emotion but can be so relatable to so many listeners, particularly those who are young and madly in love. Everyone has had that feeling of being so in love with someone, criticised for how deep it feels and yearning to just leave with them. Fifthly, the bridge. That bridge has been responsible for so many emotions from me, with the gentle questioning of whether or not he will be leaving with her. I could go on about this song for a long time, but it will always remain one of her most underappreciated songs.

2. Fine China

The final two are both newer found singles, leaked only this year, but I feel they are both some of her most enchanting songs that definitely should be on an album. Fine China is the long, lightly sang lament of beautiful things falling apart, good times turning sour, and it’s just so gorgeous. The musical throb keeping a steady pace of the song and her despairing vocals, the sweetness of her singing and of course the imagery: listed in the chorus are dull silver, white horses and ivory almonds and the pureness of themes such as newborn babies and weddings tarnished by everyday life problems that “[shatters the earth]” are both stunning to imagine and relatable. I think her high, clean vocals and the theme of white and beautiful things make this song one that stands out from most of her collection.

1. Best American Record/Architecture

The apparent Lust For Life outtake is what I believe to be one of her personal best. It’s another slow, steady song, much like Fine China which seems to continue to slowly progress, but this has even more power and more passion inside it. The music - the pluck of a guitar throughout, the gentle plinks in the second verse (you know what I mean), the rolling way the chorus seems to grow and then it reverts back to a softly spoken, gentle vibe - the music is what really makes this. Of course, the lyrics are absolutely brilliant (I can’t even list them all because I’ll just be listing the whole song); of course, some may disagree that these may not be her best lyrics, but I personally adore the mix of simplistic observations (”he was cool as heck”, “you were so obsessed with writing the next best American record”) to the slightly more intricate way of wording things (”my baby used to dance underneath my architecture” (sex), “he was seventies in spirit, nineties in his frame of mind” (free but falling apart)). Her voice changes from soft and practically whispering to strong and clearly hurt, and I love this mixture of simple and soft to intricate and emotive. I especially love the additional parts to this song - the beeps at the start like in a black and white movie, that weird noise in the background just before the first guitar plucks start, the smashing of glasses at the end of the bridge. This song, to me, is one of her best pieces of work and has emotion and something different to it. Of course, it’s a slow burner and sometimes repetitive, but I can’t resist it and wish it could have been on Lust For Life to give it the recognition it deserves.

There are SO many (unreleased) songs I could talk about (and probably will end up doing so) and ones that I love but this is the best I could do at refining them without struggling to pick between different ones. However, remember this is all my opinion too, and I’m not ignoring some of her other songs which of course are some of her best work. Thanks for reading.

(PS I love requests)

[huesoflana-blog]

LANA and THE DOUBLE

Every listening experience of Lana Del Rey (including her pre-BTD bodies of work) varies depending on the listener. Every person meets a different Lana. Every person meets a particular Jim and a particular Bill as well. There are strong reasons to think that Jim and Bill are not fictional characters. Not least because in a recently leaked interview she named them as friends with whom she’d go out during her period in her trailer park. There are strong reasons to speculate that she re-worked their identities in a fictional (read artistic, perhaps) fashion into her songs. Jimmy Gnecco, for example, claims that Lana is actually singing about Jim Beam (a kind of whiskey), which would not be far astray given Lana’s difficult relationship with alcohol. I think it is safe to assume that Jim and Bill exist both as real and fictional persons. However, it is a fact that they are consistently present in Lana’s work throughout the eras. Famously, Lana said at the beginning of her stardom as the BTD singer that she was always singing about the same damn guy. Was she? Is she still? If so, is this guy Jim or Bill? K seems to be a dear old friend of hers. But could it be Ray?

Ray. It is legit to believe that he is either Jim or Bill. In Wayamaya she sings that she moved to Hawai’i with her lover and they changed their “names to Lana and Ray” (go wild and speculate that Ray in Lana Del Ray is a reference to the guy and she was pledging allegiance to him through her name). Who is this lover? We’ll probably never know, but there is probably a way to trace Bill and Jim’s presence in Lana’s songs in a safe manner. ULTRAVIOLENCE, for one, seems to be constantly going back to Jim. Not least because she mentions him directly in the title track. And Jim seems to be a brutal character. He is the man with the “ultraviolent swing” in Hundred Dollar Bill and the man who raised her up. Could Ray be Jim? In the song Raise Me Up, she is refercing Ray as the guy to raise her up. It could be Jim. As I said, although I’m going back to this digression, we’ll probably never know. Won’t we though? I genuinely think that in LUST FOR LIFE we are going to get some more storytelling about her most mentioned lovers. In Architecture (which hopefully will be on the record!) she mentions Bill. And if we link the guy who “used to dance underneath [her] architecture [...] smoking on ‘em cigarettes” to her “baby swining, his parliaments on fire” while she’s singing on the balcony, it would probably be a safe bet to assume that in West Coast she’s singing about Bill. I’ll have to write something about Jim’s presence in the music video for West Coast though - perhaps in another post. To conclude, I hope we’ll get some more about this in Lust For Life. Hopefully White Mustang is about either of them. Hopefully, her “boyfriend’s back” to expand on his story with Lana. “He’s cooler than ever” (LFL) // “He was cool as heck” (BAR/Architecture)

[hoochy-coo]

Tbh I think Zayn’s delivery on every song is starting to sound the same, he sings everything the same way and in that same tone as well so I get how someone would listen to his latest project and thinks all the songs sound very similar to each. other.

This actually makes a lot of sense and I think Lana del Rey gets the same response from those listening to her that think all her music is the same when in truth she has so much versatility within her songs throughout her albums, but she sings the same way on a lot of her songs (not all though as she does play around with her voice and melodies). I think the lazy and soft way she sings (not an insult, but I’ve heard a vocal coach describe it that way when trying to teach others to sing like her) paired with the slow pacing of a lot of her music gives the impression that all her songs sound exactly the same.

All of this! If Lana didn’t have such a cult following or the amazing pen that she has, I bet a lot of people would think all her music sound the same as well because her projects stopped hitting the radio after BTD: Paradise.