Born To Die: 3 Years Have Passed

[LiamViljoen 908]

If I was Lana this would be my BTD tracklist:

 

Blue Jeans

Off To The Races

You Can Be The Boss

Diet Mtn Dew (demo)

Kinda Outta Luck

Driving In Cars With Boys

Summertime Sadness

National Anthem

Video Games

Carmen

Million Dollar Man

Hawaiian Tropic

Born To Die

[smoledman 199]

I first heard of her around the middle of Jan 2012 probably due to the Saturday Night Live fiasco. Who knew what epic journeys I would have with her music since? 

[PARADIXO 31,666]

 

This week, Lana Del Rey's first major release, Born to Die, turns 3. Definitely the fans' favorite era, the album was promoted with eight singles, a big amount of beautiful videos that went incredibly viral on Tumblr, two tours, interviews, a re-release/EP, a short film and more. The album sold more than 5 million copies and it's still charting all around the world. It was met with mixed reviews from critics, but half of them were paying attention to Del Rey's personal life instead of the album itself. Now that we're in 2015, Born to Die is among Billboard's best albums of the decade (so far) and it is waiting for more magazines and half-decade lists to praise it just like it deserves.

 

"Born to Die", the album's second single is the perfect opener – sonically and thematically. You can hear the beautiful violins and loud trip hop beats while she's singing about a young girl fantasizing and trying to survive in a world of dangerous, drug addict men. The song peaked at No. 9 in the UK and its iconic video was an internet sensation. The first promo single and fan-favorite "Off to the Races" is a masterpiece in terms of production and lyrics. While the title track is slow and depressive, "Off to the Races" is a violent alt-hip hop song about an "old bad man" and her sick relationship with him. The lyrics are more than romantic or sexual – they express how maddening love can be. The story-teller "Blue Jeans" features one of the most interesting lyrics from the album. This aggressive trip hop/soft rock song was released as the third single, accompanied by two videos. The first one is a home-made vintage film while the second is a beautifully directed, black and white work of art with a deep meaning. "Blue Jeans" became a Top 40 hit in some Europe countries and it is, without a doubt, one of Lana's most memorable songs/videos. We need to take a moment to think about the perfection of "Video Games", the album's lead single. The mystery behind it and its iconic video. The Top 10 hit was the beginning of a worldwide star, the creation of something important. It was just a simple yet intriguing video, but the whole Internet was talking about it. The majestic melody, romantic lyrics and powerful chorus make "Video Games" her best ballad. Going back to the trip hop/alternative hip hop sound, "Diet Mountain Dew" is a sexy retro song about a pretty girl wondering if her love for this bad man will last forever. The fifth single, "National Anthem", was a commercial failure due its lack of airplay and performances. Its lyrics are clever and open to a big amount of interpretations. In the controversial, high-budget video, Lana plays Marilyn Monroe and Jacqueline Kennedy, while American rapper ASAP Rocky is JFK. It was named one of the best music videos of the decade. "Dark Paradise" was released as the sixth single in order to promote the album, its re-release and the Paradise Tour. Just like the rest of the album, "Dark Paradise" has a very melancholic and dramatic melody. Its music video never saw the light of the day. "Radio" is probably the only optimistic song on Born to Die. The lyrics discusses themes such as hard-working, fame and overcoming. With "Carmen", the second promo single, the album goes back to its dark sound – but this one is definitely the darkest. Del Rey sings about this 17-year old girl Carmen that everybody loves with soft and gloomy trip hop beats in the background. "You said I was the most exotic flower," is the opening line of the jazzy "Million Dollar Man". The fans love when Lana performs this song live – it's an even jazzier version and her vocals are almost always on point (and sometimes they're just funny). The worldwide hit, "Summertime Sadness" is the eleventh song on Born to Die, and the second co-written by the amazing Rick Nowels. The indie pop/trip hop/shoegazing ballad was a hit in Europe in 2012 – it reached the No. 1 spot in Poland and became the 21st best-selling single in the UK that year. In 2013, French DJ Cedric Gervais had his breakthrough with his first single; a Grammy-winning progressive house remix of Lana's "Summertime Sadness". Both the original version and the remix were Top 10 hits in North America, Oceania, South America and Europe. The last song on the standard edition of Born to Die is the rebellious "This Is What Makes Us Girls". The outro of the song is just an epic way to end this incredible album. The deluxe version includes the ballads "Without You" and "Lucky Ones" and the sexy "Lolita".

 

VIDEOS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHOTOSHOOTS/COVERS

 

 

What's your favorite song from Born to Die? Least favorite?

Favorite thing about this incredible moment for popular music?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clGpZdf3bwY

 

 

Let's not forget my incredible post

[toshi 948]

Video Games is probably my favourite song in general. Born To Die is a masterpiece!

[graham4anything 2,859]

Born to Die is the modern day version of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon which stays on the charts forever and ever

and the 1st great album of the 2000-current period

 

Of course, Paradise, Ultraviolence and Honeymoon would soon join it on the upper echelon of greatest albums of all time. (The top 10 is getting very crowded with Lana albums, isn't it.)

 

and it keeps on going on and on and on and on

 

208 US chart weeks 4 years and counting

[Valentino 884]

It's such a great album and definitely her most iconic period. The GP's image of Lana is still from the BTD era - the flower crowns, the "daddy," the glamour and wealth combined with hip-hop imagery. Ultraviolence was great, don't get me wrong (although like BTD it suffers from a weak second half), but it failed to make that sort of pop culture impact. Honeymoon almost went by unnoticed. I don't think it's Lana's best work (I still stan super hard for AKA), but I do love that album and the idea behind it, even if the execution wasn't perfect. I hope one day she'll feel as compelled to perform and make videos for another album like she did for BTD.

[PARADIXO 31,666]

Born to Die is the modern day version of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon which stays on the charts forever and ever

and the 1st great album of the 2000-current period

 

Of course, Paradise, Ultraviolence and Honeymoon would soon join it on the upper echelon of greatest albums of all time. (The top 10 is getting very crowded with Lana albums, isn't it.)

 

and it keeps on going on and on and on and on

 

208 US chart weeks 4 years and counting

 

[gloomyharlow 1,215]

God I love this album. It's a classic.