BORN TO DIE
This has always been and will always be my favorite on the album. It sets the pace and tone of the record, it has the most poetic lyrics, it's the most ambiguous, and it really describes the album as a whole in terms of the theme of dangerous love (hence it being the title track). I like it because while it used as a metaphor for the relationship (from the very beginning, she knew the relationship would end. They were never going to work out; they were always doomed to fail/end/"die"), it is also a broader metaphor for life in general: from the very moment we are born, we beginning to die. Life and death are obviously interesting concepts, and as you grow up and learn to live and you are emotionally growing, biologically speaking you are always deteriorating and dying. Anyway, the first verse is about fate. It's very spiritual ("the gates"), and she relies on fate alone to get her through this hard time, and even though the relationship is over, she still hopes that at those gates, she will be with him again. "Is it by mistake or design?" is my favorite quote--well, one of them--because it is really poetic and further plays into the idea of fate, destiny. Maybe you don't always have to be in total control of the decisions of your life; instead, you just go with the flow, or what feels right, and leave it to destiny? She has felt lost before and blind, but he made her feel "found" and she was able to "see"/live/strive with him; however, without him, she feels alone. She asks if she would devote herself entirely to him, would he be there for her? The chorus tells us how happy he made, and there are allusions to the "road" of love ("the road is long, we carry on, try to have fun in the meantime."), which is accurate, since that is what love is: a path towards the end.
OFF TO THE RACES
I think she uses "the races" as a symbol for risk and luck. People go to the races and place bets on horses; of course, any gambling or betting induces risk or chance of loss. This relates to her relationship, in which she knows there is risk of losing everything, yet she bets everything on it to "win" or get the "prize" of a successful relationship. The lyrics suggest he is a "bad man," with his dark soul and tough nature and all the other one-liners that insinuate danger and an evil nature. She lists everything bad about him, and yet se still loves him clearly, which is a common theme in all of her music--loving someone completely, regardless of his obvious flaws. I LOVE the flow of this song--the rhythm, how she sings the words, how they all flow so well and rhyme and everything. Casino, races, Las Vegas etc. are all references to betting/gambling, or things that may harm her in the end. She goes for it anyway, she "trusts in the decision of the lord." The song is also rather sexual, as he obviously has a very firm "hold" and "grab" on her, and the "light of my life, fire of my loins." This isn't the only reference to Lolita on the album, which also describes an older, dangerous man. but as Lana has said, danger = interest. A safe love would be boring. The chorus shows a duality to her character: the innocent outward appearance ("singing in the garden") matched with the inward, actual dangerous/crazy/naughty personality. There are lots of references and objects so as to give the listener a clear picture in his/her mind. Throughout the song, she is never unsure of her feelings for him, and the end sums up her positivity: "Love you forever, not maybe--you are my one true love." Her chances of a happy relationship may be risky and slim, but her love for him--for better or worse--is absolutely definite.
BLUE JEANS
This song is basically about the guy who left her, as told in the second verse entirely ("caught up in the game"), and the jeans are a symbol: probably a notable feature of his that left an impact on her, but also meant to represent the literal movement of "walking into and then out of her life" that he did (this probably sounds stupid, but jeans are worn on legs, and legs are what carry you, so he walked out of her life. That's obvious xD). Disease and evil/bad things are always references she uses in her music when describing her men, and she has an interesting play of words in the verse: "fresh" and "sick" are words that generally mean "cool" in colloquial English, and she uses them here paired with "death" and "cancer," respectively, which is common in her music to refer to death. It was just interesting to me. Like the song before, I think she acknowledges that he is bad for her, but she devotes herself to him "until the end of time" or "a thousand years"--whichever will come first. I think the chorus and bridge of this song are straightforward, more just repeating what I already said, so I won't be repetitive in analyzing them as well.
VIDEO GAMES
This song sounds sad, but as she has said it really isn't. This is the first part of the "trilogy": this one telling the beginning, BJ telling the result, and BTD the aftermath. I think the title is a symbol for an imaginary life. People play video games to escape reality. Lana, in believing this relationship that is doomed, or that is "born to die", could ever work, she is escaping reality. That, plus she has said she enjoyed watching him play video games. Everything she does is to please him, and while it sounds sad and a little disappointing to us, she is very, very content obviously. She sings about forever again, like in BJ. There are lots of specifics references that I imagine are about there relationship; like most of her songs, it seems highly personal. Heaven as a place on Earth too is another escape of reality. The song is about leaving reality and allowing yourself to make believe in a fantasy world where you have everything you want. Here, again, she sings about a crazy, turbulent love that she admires so much. The song gives a very nostalgic vibe and sounds classic.
DIET MOUNTAIN DEW
First of all, people always say that diet sodas are "healthy" or better for them, when in reality they are just as bad with added artificial sugars and such. I think this relates with the unhealthy relationship we have established--the one in which Lana ignores the bad, maybe even embraces it, because she loves him so much. She knows he is no good for her, but she wants him anyway. "Turn me to ashes" also shows she knows he's bad for her. She doesn't care what people think/say of her or "what the past says". They will take Jesus off the dashboard, even, so that truly no one can judge them. She loves him because he gives her a rush--the roller coaster, the speed, the high--and he will teach her "just what fast is," which is the feeling we know she craves: feeling alive, young, wild, and free. That's why she loves the men that we most likely find terrible! She keeps asking "Do you think we'll be in love forever?", which to me is the first time on the album she shares the same doubts we as the listeners may have for their relationship (though, she surely is positive of her feelings/love for him).
NATIONAL ANTHEM
This song is a little different, because it's the first one that doesn't seem very, very personal to her. A national anthem is a song of devotion to one's country, and I think she uses it as a metaphor to show her devotion to and love for this twisted man. But in general, as we all know, the song is about the rich, superficial lives of the upper class. Constantly through the song she refers to various places, objects, and concepts associated with the rich. Lana loves talking about the privileged, upper class in her music, but again we know that, so I will focus on a couple different, smaller things. I think the song is very sexual for a number of reasons: (1) Chanting "Red, White, Blue, is in the sky. Summer's in the air, and, baby, heaven's in your eyes. I'm your national anthem" seems very sexual, like an orgasm to me (think about it!); (2) "Can't keep your pants on" or "Put your hands up" or "Give me a standing ovation" (erection); (3) "Standing over your body, hold you like a python", which sounds like a penis to me, but also snakes are obviously very dangerous. She shows more confidence in this song than any other (sans Radio) on the album.
DARK PARADISE
I love the title and concept. She talked in an interview about this song--the pairing of "death" with "paradise." She says death must be calm and relaxing, which is strange, because most people wouldn't associate the two words together. The song, as we know based on the line "Dead like you," is about her lover who died (or maybe she's just being crazy and using death as a metaphor for leaving her life). When she closes her eyes, she still feels and sees him, and so in the darkness, she finds a peaceful paradise. He's gone, and she should move on, but she can't and won't. The rhyming scheme and flow of words in this song is beautiful, too. She feels haunted by him, but in a good way. The pairing of normally bad things (haunted, dark) with good things (a "good ghost" that she invites into her life, paradise) is interesting as well. Whatever this romance was, it obviously left strong enough an impact to be able to touch her in her sleep!
RADIO
This one, like NA, doesn't necessarily relate to her life directly and personally in terms of the relationship in the rest of the album, but it is still personal and about her career. The first word you think of when you hear "Lana Del Rey" is criticism. This song was a hint to the future of the backlash she would experience. There's really nothing much to say since this song is very straightforward and obvious, but I will add that again she compares good and bad things with "sweet" and "venom." Also, is cinnamon even sweet? Not really. I don't know if that was a mistake or an incidental comparison. Who knows.
CARMEN
I don't know who she uses the name "Carmen," but we know she likes to adopt other personalities/names, so I think "Carmen" is just a representation for both the worst parts of Lana, as well as the exaggerated personality traits she thinks or even wishes she has. This one I think is just a slightly over-the-top representation of her past as a troubled teenager. She had a drinking problem, a boy problem, etc. Everyone appears to love her, yet she feels entirely alone ("You don't wanna see all the things I've seen"), which she has said on numerous accounts that she's always felt that way. Basically, I think everyone sees Carmen's outward appearance as beautiful, flawless, perfect, yet Carmen herself knows how troubled and messed up she actually is. Or does she even know she has a problem? As suggested by the last line, everyone thinks she is fine: "Carmen, Carmen, doesn't have a problem. Lying to herself..." I think the song is about denial of one's darkest traits.
MILLION DOLLAR MAN
This song is about her bad boy. It's a song of admiration for his life, career, art, and skill. He has a power over people, her specifically, that she can't understand. She knows he's bad and wrong, yet she's absolutely captivated. I thinks he definitely knows she needs to escape, but again can't. Then, she uses one of the most clever puns she has ever used: "You look like a million dollar man, so why is my heart broke?" At first I was like, "Ugh, Lana, your grammar is awful!" but then I realized it is intentional. Meaning, all the money in the world can't buy happiness; she still feels empty and meaningless. I love that! The same idea is in the second verse: "You got the whole world, but, baby, at what price?" She will follow him anywhere, regardless of what it costs her.
SUMMERTIME SADNESS
At this point in the story, Lana knows he's leaving and I don't think she's fighting for him back, because she knows it is over. All she is asking for is a kiss goodbye. During summer, people are supposed to be happy and having fun, yet she is experience immense sadness, which just shows what a toll the breakup had on her. The verses suggest she is happy (putting on her dress, heals, makeup), but the chorus and title say otherwise. the pre-choruses all seem to be very liberating, and we knows she loves images and concepts of freedom and liberty, like the wind in the Ride video and her lyrics in general. "Cruising down the coast, going 'bout 99" suggest she doesn't really care what happens to her; she's just living life to the fullest like it's her last day now that she has nothing else to live for. I think the song is just about making do with what you have, moving on from a failed relationship (or the earliest process of doing so, anyway). Still, she will always be there for him ("Think I'll miss you forever") and even when he's gone, she will "drive" or continue living with him in mind. Devoted? Yes. Insane? Probably ;D
THIS IS WHAT MAKES US GIRLS
This is a strange, but very appropriate album closer (which is funny, because I feel the same way about The Other Woman on Ultraviolence). It's a little jokey and fun, but it stays true to the rest of the album: stereotypically, everything Lana has gone through on the album (obsessing over and loving men is what makes girls the way they are). She's joking, of course, but the song itself is very autobiographical and true to her life and past. Good closer, in my opinion!
If it wasn't an edition how would the uninformed ignorant people (like some of her critics) know that it's meant to be heard, interpreted and criticized in conjunction with the album which came before it, Ultraviolence?
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