National Anthem

[Your Girl Lana 549]

Money is the anthem of success
So before we go out, what's your address?

I'm your national anthem
God, you're so handsome
Take me to the Hamptons
Bugatti Veyron
He loves to romance 'em
Reckless abandon
Hold me for ransom
Upper echelon

He says to be cool but I don't know how yet
Wind in my hair, hand on the back of my neck
I said, "Can we party later on?"
He said, "Yes"

Tell me I'm your national anthem
(Boo-yah, baby, bow down, makin' me say wow now)
Tell me I'm your National Anthem
(Sugar-sugar, how now, take your body downtown)
Red, white, blue's in the skies
Summer's in the air and, baby, heaven's in your eyes
I'm your national anthem

Money is the reason we exist
Everybody knows that it's a fact, kiss-kiss

I sing the national nthem
While I am standing
Over your body
Hold you like a python
And you can't keep your hands off me
Or your pants on
See what you've done to me
King of Chevron

You said to be cool but I'm already coolest
I said to get real, don't you know who you're dealing with?
Um, do you think you'll buy me lots of diamonds?

Tell me I'm your national anthem
(Boo-yah, baby, bow down, makin' me say wow now)
Tell me I'm your National Anthem
(Sugar-sugar, how now, take your body downtown)
Red, white, blue's in the skies
Summer's in the air and, baby, heaven's in your eyes
I'm your national anthem

It's a love story for the new age
For the sixth page
We're on a quick sick rampage
Wining and dining, drinking and driving
Excessive buying, overdosing, dying
On our drugs and our love and our dreams and our rage
Blurring the lines between real and the fake
Dark and lonely, I need somebody to hold me
He will do very well
I can tell, I can tell
Keep my safe in his belltower hotel

Money is the anthem of success
So put on mascara and your party dress

I'm your national anthem
Boy, put your hands up
Give me a standing ovation
Boy, you have landed, babe
In the land of sweetness and danger
Queen of Saigon

Tell me I'm your national anthem
(Boo-yah, baby, bow down, makin' me say wow now)
Tell me I'm your National Anthem
(Sugar-sugar, how now, take your body downtown)
Red, white, blue's in the skies
Summer's in the air and, baby, heaven's in your eyes
I'm your national anthem

Money is the anthem
God, you're so handsome
Money is the anthem of success
(x4)

[Philomene 928]

I love this song especially 

 

 

And you can't keep your hands off me
Or your pants on

    

[Honeymooner 336]

Not sure if this is quite the right place for this topic, but here goes.

 

My interpretation of the meaning behind National Anthem:

 

The song appears to be about a woman (portrayed by Lana in the video) who is with a wealthy man (portrayed by A$AP Rocky).  Or maybe she's the wealthy one.  In any case, to me, the theme seems to be wanting him to tell her that she is his "National Anthem," i.e. she is his world, his everything.  She talks about the things they do, the places they go, the lifestyle they live, but behind it all, she just wants to know that he loves her and that she is everything to him.

 

This idea also goes hand-in-hand with the way that during live performances, National Anthem is almost always the last song, and that while playing it, Lana takes the opportunity to meet her fans in the front rows.  I say it goes together because she is telling her fans that she loves them and that they are the world to her.  (I know it sounds contrary to what she has said in some recent interviews, but that's still how I see it.)

 

Thoughts/comments?

[HEARTCORE 18,971]

The song appears to be about a woman (portrayed by Lana in the video) who is with a wealthy man (portrayed by A$AP Rocky). Or maybe she's the wealthy one.

um...you do understand that the video is about JFK's assassination, right? Lana plays Marilyn Monroe at then start when she sings 'Happy Birthday Mr. President', whom JFK reportedly had a relationship with. Throughout the rest of it, she plays Jacqueline Kennedy (née Bouvier), JFK's wife. A$AP Rocky plays JFK.

[Honeymooner 336]

um...you do understand that the video is about JFK's assassination, right? Lana plays Marilyn Monroe at then start when she sings 'Happy Birthday Mr. President', whom JFK reportedly had a relationship with. Throughout the rest of it, she plays Jacqueline Kennedy (née Bouvier), JFK's wife. A$AP Rocky plays JFK.

 

Yes, according to the video.  But if you were just listening to the song and hadn't seen the video, the whole JFK theme wouldn't be apparent.  Sorry, I meant to say that in my original post but forgot.  My interpretation is based on the words.  Plus, on the album, she doesn't sing Happy Birthday first.

[KTirion 1]

I've heard people mention they think the first verse (in the music video) would be sang by Jackie Kennedy and the second by Marilyn Monroe. It'd be really interesting if anybody could have a go at an interpretation of the lyrics alongside the video.

[MotelHoney 306]

but behind it all, she just wants to know that he loves her and that she is everything to him.

 

I agree with it all except I don't think that she actually wants his love over material possessions etc. 

I think she's playing Lolita-esque Lana chasing money, power, parties and the American Dream the only way she can, through an established male.

[Honeymooner 336]

I agree with it all except I don't think that she actually wants his love over material possessions etc. 

I think she's playing Lolita-esque Lana chasing money, power, parties and the American Dream the only way she can, through an established male.

Perhaps not over material possessions, but it seems to me like she is asking for his love, or at least for him to acknowledge it if nothing else.  That's what "Tell me I'm your national anthem" says to me.  But perhaps I'm just a hopeless romantic, haha (I am, actually)...

[Intriguing Penguin 867]

I believe she use to tell the boys she use to have sex with, that they were her "National Anthem", and she only wanted them to do the same as they came, but they never did. So she released this song for all her fans to tell her she was their national anthem.   

[Lily 120]

I've always assumed it's a critique on modern ideals of wealth and power - an Oscar Wilde-esque approach if I ever saw one, but still.  It's so very very shallow, and she does not come across as a shallow woman at all.  "Before we go out, what's your address" - the lower an address is in wealthy areas, the more wealthy the inhabitants of the home, at least here in Michigan with waterfront property.  It's a classic "I'll only date you if you're rich" line.  And on and on with all of the sacchrine references to diamonds, money, sex, and class.  It's amazing. I love this piece so much!  I know she stated she loved the idea of being a man's  "national anthem," of having that kind of importance in someone's life, but it goes so far beyond that.  It's a scathing critique of society and how people are just into money instead of love. 

[HEARTCORE 18,971]

I finally understood how clever and analytical this song is!

 

 

 

 

Money is the anthem of success

So before we go out, what's your address?

 

She's asking to see how rich her guy is - a person's address usually denotes their wealth, by which Lana is determining the man's worth. If he's from a rich area, she'll agree to go out with him. From the start, she puts across the materialism evident throughout the song - "money is the anthem of success".

 

I'm your national anthem

God, you're so handsome

Take me to the Hamptons

Bugatti Veyron

 

After finding out he is indeed rich, she begins to compliment him in order to gain some of this wealth. She asserts herself and says she is his 'national anthem' in order for him to worship her in the same way that she worships money. Lana compliments him to coerce him into doing what she wants.

 

He loves to romance 'em

Reckless abandon

Hold me for ransom

Upper echelon

 

Again, it's all about the wealth and money - he could kidnap her and hold her for a ransom, yet the only thing that matters to her is that he comes from an affluent background. We also see that the man loves to play girls and 'romance 'em'.

 

He says to be cool but I don't know how yet

Wind in my hair, hand on the back of my neck

I said, "Can we party later on?"

He said, "Yes"

 

Lana starts off as being less confident, as she isn't sure how to fit into this glamorous lifestyle. The man is possessive over her - his hand is on the back of her neck, suggesting he is controlling her. She also asks if they can party - she struggles to fit in initially.

 

Tell me I'm your national anthem

(Boo-yah, baby, bow down, makin' me say wow now)

Tell me I'm your National Anthem

(Sugar-sugar, how now, take your body downtown)

Red, white, blue's in the skies

Summer's in the air and, baby, heaven's in your eyes

I'm your national anthem

 

Lana implies that she uses sex as a way to get money from her guy, whilst also comolimenting him once more to gain money.

 

Money is the reason we exist

Everybody knows that it's a fact, kiss-kiss

 

Again, compliments are intermingled with desires of money in order for Lana to satisfy her materialistic desires.

 

I sing the national nthem

While I am standing

Over your body

Hold you like a python

 

Sex + compliments = $$$$$

 

And you can't keep your hands off me

Or your pants on

See what you've done to me

King of Chevron

 

Same as before, sex is a tool.

 

You said to be cool but I'm already coolest

I said to get real, don't you know who you're dealing with?

Um, do you think you'll buy me lots of diamonds?

 

We see now how much Lana has changed - she now fits into the glamourous lifestyle of the rich and famous, declaring herself to be 'the coolest'. She is far more confident, shown through the way she confronts her guy in 'don't you know who you're dealing with?'. However, the use of 'um' and a question suggests she's realised she's overstepped the mark and attempts to go back to the timid girl who her guy first fell for. She's a clever woman.

 

It's a love story for the new age

For the sixth page

 

Lana is certainly right in claiming that it represents 21st century society, but who is the love story between? Lana and the guy? Or Lana and money?

 

We're on a quick sick rampage

Wining and dining, drinking and driving

Excessive buying, overdosing, dying

 

It's interesting how Lana refers to excessive buying whilst also referring to other dangerous addictions. To her, materialism is another fatal addiction.

 

On our drugs and our love and our dreams and our rage

Blurring the lines between real and the fake

 

What is real? Does Lana truly love him? Does he love her? Will materialism allow for happiness?

 

Dark and lonely, I need somebody to hold me

 

Lana plays the damsel-in-distress once more in order to gain his wealth.

 

He will do very well

I can tell, I can tell

 

Her words seem cold and dark, like she is simply selecting who to love due to his wealth.

 

Keep me safe in his belltower hotel

 

Lana is nothing more than a possession, something to keep safe and treasure.

 

Money is the anthem of success

So put on mascara and your party dress

 

This further symbolises how Lana is nothing but a trophy wife - just something that looks good and can be shown off.

 

I'm your national anthem

Boy, put your hands up

Give me a standing ovation

 

She wants his gratitude and adoration - she wants to be his national anthem, the thing he worships. Standing ovations are usually given at the end of performances - her whole confession of loving him is just a performance.

 

Boy, you have landed, babe

In the land of sweetness and danger

Queen of Saigon

 

This sums up the whole song - sweetness and danger. Playing games to get what you want. Faking sweetness to cover the danger of what you truly desire.

 

Money is the anthem

God, you're so handsome

Money is the anthem of success

(x4)

 

And here we see Lana repeating her words at the start - the whole thing is a cycle, with Lana repeatedly using guys for money and using her body to gain wealth. It's a dark and extremely clever song, I can't believe I didn't realise it until now. It really demonstrates her lyrical talent and ability to analyse our society.

 

[MinigunsNRoses 17]

Excuse me, but WTF does "tell me I'm your national anthem" mean, anyway? Lol!

[Lad 8,801]

Excuse me, but WTF does "tell me I'm your national anthem" mean, anyway? Lol!

Lol yeah what's the meaning behind some pop song lyrics! Hahaha lol!

 

Anyway

 

It's something like "tell me I'm important to you / tell me you love me". It's not that hard to understand in the context of the song.

[MinigunsNRoses 17]

Right... I guess what threw me off was that the national anthem doesn't mean THAT MUCH to me. Heh... ;p

[PARADIXO 33,091]

Right... I guess what threw me off was that the national anthem doesn't mean THAT MUCH to me. Heh... ;p

 

;p

[DuckyOlo 0]

National Anthem is awesome song. That song talks about all that stuff that Lana seems to love - money, strong and famous lover, America.

John Kennedy seems to be perfect husband for Lana. I love her apperance in this song

I think that Lana wants to be an pop-icon, not the new-age shitty pop, but really classy singer

[Guest HaroldBofIllell]

Could anyone translate the first verse of the Finnish national anthem?

 

Oi maamme, Suomi, synnyinmaa

Soi sana kultainen

Ei laaksoa, ei kukkulaa,

ei vettд rantaa rakkaampaa

kuin kotimaa tдд pohjoinen.

Maa kallis isien.

[HEARTCORE 18,971]

Could anyone translate the first verse of the Finnish national anthem?Oi maamme, Suomi, synnyinmaaSoi sana kultainenEi laaksoa, ei kukkulaa,ei vettд rantaa rakkaampaakuin kotimaa tдд pohjoinen.Maa kallis isien.

Why is this relevant

[LanaDelCunt 8]

Tbh she needs to make more pop songs like this.

I love all her stuff regardless of the mood or sounds

But her pop ones are definitely my favs

[Creyk 11,727]

Tbh she needs to make more pop songs like this.

I love all her stuff regardless of the mood or sounds

But her pop ones are definitely my favs

 

She doesn't seem to have as much appreciation for songs like this as she does for slower songs, like Carmen and Without You from the same album for example. 

In BTD we had: OTTR,DMD, this, as fast more upbeat songs

in Paradise there was none

In UV there was Florida Kilos, but just as a bonus track

 

I like songs like this but I don't think it's what she's going for

Too bad because they are all amazing