ILostMyself 171 Posted September 17, 2015 Well I think I'm stating the obvious here, but I remember a discussion on the HM Pre-Release thread about the denotation of "Art Deco". At first, I thought calling a song Art Deco and refering to someone as it is quite tacky, but I've really come to like it and I think it's pretty clever now. For me, "Art Deco" is a Carmen 2.0, so the person refered to in the song is Carmen. There was this discussion if calling someone Art Deco is negative or postive, but I definitely think it has a strong negative connotation. Art Deco was an art style in the 20s purely for decorative reasons, as the name already suggests, and it was soley used on furniture, wallpapers etc, so it's not an independet art style, like e.g. Art Nouveau, but it is dependent on its placement and the particular time period of the 20s. It was not only supposed to reflect the zeitgeist of the time, but it was the "Golden Twenties". Everyone wanted to dive into the wealth and jazz and party of the time, and Art Deco was to reflect this. Soooo... in my opinion, calling her Art Deco in the song means that she is exactly this: a decorative object without its own "artistic" stand-alone value. She just exists to be beautiful, ever on the hunt for wealth and beauty (accompanying ruthlessness and decandence). As Lana says in her song, the addressee "wants in" but she "just can't win." Like Art Deco. Very clever in my eyes. 10 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
neuf 197 Posted September 17, 2015 Is it about Azealia Banks? "You're not mean you're just one to be seen" = her frequent beefs kept her in the news despite a lack of musical output "Shining like gunmetal" = heavy metal & reflective relationship "And they all say hello, You try to ignore them" = she leaves managements, labels. She always seeks attention then bites the hands that feed "'Cause You want more" = she's mentioned in interviews how she doesn't want to deal with labels, own her music, etc. "Got things that've yet to be seen, Like your rapper's delight" = Broke with Expensive Taste, high anticipated by everyone to see as a make-or-break by everyone but went unheard until recently Banks can perform, put on a great show, creates a lot of attention and is kind of wild and can be seen as mean. She might party hard privately, who knows? Her and Lana are purportedly friends. I'm not Banks fan but it's really convincing that this is about her to me. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GangstaBoy 3,930 Posted September 17, 2015 Well I think I'm stating the obvious here, but I remember a discussion on the HM Pre-Release thread about the denotation of "Art Deco". At first, I thought calling a song Art Deco and refering to someone as it is quite tacky, but I've really come to like it and I think it's pretty clever now. For me, "Art Deco" is a Carmen 2.0, so the person refered to in the song is Carmen. There was this discussion if calling someone Art Deco is negative or postive, but I definitely think it has a strong negative connotation. Art Deco was an art style in the 20s purely for decorative reasons, as the name already suggests, and it was soley used on furniture, wallpapers etc, so it's not an independet art style, like e.g. Art Nouveau, but it is dependent on its placement and the particular time period of the 20s. It was not only supposed to reflect the zeitgeist of the time, but it was the "Golden Twenties". Everyone wanted to dive into the wealth and jazz and party of the time, and Art Deco was to reflect this. Soooo... in my opinion, calling her Art Deco in the song means that she is exactly this: a decorative object without its own "artistic" stand-alone value. She just exists to be beautiful, ever on the hunt for wealth and beauty (accompanying ruthlessness and decandence). As Lana says in her song, the addressee "wants in" but she "just can't win." Like Art Deco. Very clever in my eyes. Art Deco was more than furniture and wallpapers tho, the style had a huge impact on architecture and it became quite popular during the 20s and 30s. According to wikipedia (mess ik) Deco emerged from the interwar period when rapid industrialisation was transforming culture. One of its major attributes is an embrace of technology. During its heyday, Art Deco represented luxury, glamour, exuberance and faith in social and technological progress. I wouldn't call Art Deco shallow but I really like a few of the points you made in your interpretation 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
May 13,310 Posted September 17, 2015 Is it about Azealia Banks? "You're not mean you're just one to be seen" = her frequent beefs kept her in the news despite a lack of musical output "Shining like gunmetal" = heavy metal & reflective relationship "And they all say hello, You try to ignore them" = she leaves managements, labels. She always seeks attention then bites the hands that feed "'Cause You want more" = she's mentioned in interviews how she doesn't want to deal with labels, own her music, etc. "Got things that've yet to be seen, Like your rapper's delight" = Broke with Expensive Taste, high anticipated by everyone to see as a make-or-break by everyone but went unheard until recently Banks can perform, put on a great show, creates a lot of attention and is kind of wild and can be seen as mean. She might party hard privately, who knows? Her and Lana are purportedly friends. I'm not Banks fan but it's really convincing that this is about her to me. at first when i read ppl thought it was about azealia i rolled my eyes but now i'm like 80% sure of it Lana and Azealia are definitely good friends, they've tweeted each other a few times, Azealia defended Lana when Eminem made a rap about Lana, she also attended the Tropico premiere, and Lana has shared Azealia's music on social media. Lana also said this abt Azealia in an interview: "I fuck with Azealia Banks because I have the same artistic inclinations as her and the same taste in men." 'You want in, but you just can't win' would go with Azealia's complaints about how the general public don't like her because she's an upfront black woman too 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Creyk 11,677 Posted September 17, 2015 "Got things that've yet to be seen, Like your rapper's delight" = Broke with Expensive Taste, high anticipated by everyone to see as a make-or-break by everyone but went unheard until recently I like your points but let's not get ahead of ourselves, outside of pop forums I never heard anyone mention her, ever. I'm not sure that album was anticipated by "everyone" 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
neuf 197 Posted September 17, 2015 I just meant critics, a large portion of pop and hip hop heads, and fans and enemies of her. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dollface 14 Posted September 17, 2015 I get a lot of BtD vibes from this song. I think that's why I love it so much. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thunder Revenant 20,936 Posted September 17, 2015 Still can't figure out if Art Deco is supposed to be something positive. The Art Deco style ontains very stylized motives and most things are without debth" or shadow. Apart from this, the overall emphasis on "decorative" stuff ... I don't know, if you project these traits on a person, it sounds like it would be someone very shallow, someone who looks great but lacks character behind his beauty. This would kind of fit the unsure downtown party queen person Lana seems to watch/talk to. but knowing Lana, she could have just searched for an artsy, retro word and it#s meaning this person has a somehow classy aura, evoking Great Gatsby vibes. 3 Quote Just do it. Just do it - don't wait! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ILostMyself 171 Posted September 17, 2015 Art Deco was more than furniture and wallpapers tho, the style had a huge impact on architecture and it became quite popular during the 20s and 30s. I wouldn't call Art Deco shallow but I really like a few of the points you made in your interpretation Yeah sure! It did have a huuuge impact as it just reflected that zeitgeist of material wealth and party life and all that, architecure and fashion, too. However, I would still consider it to be rather "shallow" as it is not an Art style per se. And the ornamental structure of Art Deco is usually really "flat" and straight lines in metallic colors, I feel like Lana quotes this in her song as well ("gunmetal"). But that's of course my opinion. Still can't figure out if Art Deco is supposed to be something positive. The Art Deco style ontains very stylized motives and most things are without debth" or shadow. Apart from this, the overall emphasis on "decorative" stuff ... I don't know, if you project these traits on a person, it sounds like it would be someone very shallow, someone who looks great but lacks character behind his beauty. This would kind of fit the unsure downtown party queen person Lana seems to watch/talk to. but knowing Lana, she could have just searched for an artsy, retro word and it#s meaning this person has a somehow classy aura, evoking Great Gatsby vibes. That's exactly what I was saying, I think Lana just wanted to use the term "Art Deco" as it's nnot been done / used like this in any song that I know of at least. And also, I don't think this song is about Azelia Banks or anyone else in particular. I think that would be too far of a stretch. If it is about anyone, it's about "Carmen" imo. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YoungCarter 24 Posted September 18, 2015 Intersting theory about Azealia. Might be true, who knows? :khaled: I like your points but let's not get ahead of ourselves, outside of pop forums I never heard anyone mention her, ever. I'm not sure that album was anticipated by "everyone" Many music critics (like NME, Pitchfork etc) praised her album. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
May 13,310 Posted September 19, 2015 i think someone else already said this in here but when she says 'you're so Art Deco' i think she's continuing the theme of Carmen and describing a girl who only exists to look good and go out at night 'Put your red dress on, put your lipstick on Sing your song, song, now the camera's onAnd you're alive again' what i mean is that there's this girl who goes out and stays out all night but she never lets people in emotionally - 'they all say hello, you try to ignore them because you want more' so she's nothing more than a decorative item. to other people, she only exists to look good, they don't know anything about what's going on in her mind because she ignores everyone who tries to be her friend. this is a messy unorganised post bc i was pretty much just writing down my thought process lel 7 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Just Cherry 3,766 Posted September 19, 2015 I think the first verse is: Queen of the downtown scene Prowling around at night You're not mean You're just born to be seen Born to be wild 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LanaFan1086 5 Posted September 19, 2015 Love this song! One of my favorite tracks on the album! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ILostMyself 171 Posted September 19, 2015 I think the first verse is: Queen of the downtown scene Prowling around at night You're not mean You're just born to be seen Born to be wild Sry, but I definitely hear a w-sound. :/ So for me it's still "want" 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
May 13,310 Posted September 20, 2015 https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/645322749083258881 it's weird that azealia hasn't talked with lana about it and just asked her 'is art deco about me?' considering how close they seemed to be a few months ago... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
InTheSummer 777 Posted September 20, 2015 I literally JUST said it can't be about Azealia but looking at the lyrics.... fuck I think it is.. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PrettyBaby 2,219 Posted September 21, 2015 All right guys, bear with me, but I'm hearing something different in the chorus. I see "Art Deco" not as contrasting with something like "Art Nouveau," but rather with something like "Neon Gold" ...something like "yellow." (Thus, "art deco" would be positive.) I'm seeing the theme all over the chorus. This is what I hear: Club queen on the downtown sceneProwling around at nightYou're not mean you're just born to be seenBorn to be wild A little party never hurt no oneThat's why it's alrightYou want in but you just can't winSo you hang in the lights You're so Art DecoOut on the floorShining like gunmetalGold and unsure Baby you're so ghettoYou're looking to scoreWhen they all say yellowYou try to ignore them Cause you want more (why?)You want more (why?)You want more (why?)Cause you want more Young thing on the downtown sceneRolling around at nightYou've got things that've yet to be seenLike your rapper's delight A little party never hurt no oneThat's why it's alrightYou want in but you just can't winSo you stay in the lights You're so Art DecoOut on the floorShining like gunmetal Cold and unsureBaby you're so ghettoYou're looking to scoreAnd they all say helloYou try to ignore them Cause you want more (why?)You want more (why?)You want more (why?)Cause you want more A little party never hurt no oneSo you stay out lateA little party never hurt no oneThat's what your friends say You put your life out on the lineYou're crazy all the timePut your life out on the lineYou're crazy all the time You're so Art DecoOut on the floorShining like gunmetal Gold and unsureBaby you're so ghettoYou're looking to scoreWhen they all say yellowYou try to ignore them Cause you want more (why?)You want more (why?)You want more (why?)Cause you want more A little party never hurt no oneNot you and meA little party never hurt no oneWe were born to be free I mean, it's in a nightclub (Neon Gold club nights) ...? Yes? No? Maybe? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
InTheSummer 777 Posted September 21, 2015 idk if the theory about gold/yellow is correct but... it's genius tbqfh 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
evilentity 13,341 Posted September 22, 2015 When they all say yellowSorry, but I distinctly hear the 'h' in "hello" every time. 3 Quote Stalking you has sorta become like my occupation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PrettyBaby 2,219 Posted September 22, 2015 Sorry, but I distinctly hear the 'h' in "hello" every time. Okay. What about gold vs. cold? 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites