Heroin

[Thunder Revenant 20,966]

The first part is so extremely beautiful but this breakdown after the second chorus rel

Ally decreases the albums quality. It may be authentic but it's not pleasing for the ear if she's just shouting. These "oooaaaooooaaaahs" soubd so out of tune and like something she'd do on one of her old laptop demo, it completely makes you forget the beauty of the first part. The "and shit"-s are a new low of her lyricism. The biggest problem is that the last part is almost as long as the first two verses with chorus.

Still like this song, but I really don't know why she thought it was neccecary to add those trashy vocals at tge end of it.

[Creyk 11,726]

Going off what LTM said, I do find this sing is about e personification of heroin usage. I'm going to assume both Lana and her love had been oin the heroin use due to the legend of Manson family while they lived in topanga. When Lana says she's flying to the moon, it means she's getting so high she reaches the moon. When she says she put him on an aeroplane to a foreign land, she's meaning she was the one giving him the heroin and the foreign land is the state of being high. She hoped he would survive the usage of the drug, but he didn't, note the overusage of OK. Now on the second verse, Lana compares her lover to Manson, probably because his own use of the drug and the alluring of women. Now on the bridge, it just seems like a release of anger of living in topanga, as it is always hot there and the writing on the walls with blood and shit would be the realization of her heroin usage, with her own blood from the heroin needles. In the final verse, she claims she is going to get high again, but now the mood is different as now she is dreaming about marzipan and taking her medicine. She claims she is also getting back on the aeroplane, and she is going to get off on the marzipan. This may mean that she is now seeking treatment and she hopes to come back to her lover and now she is changed and no longer addicted. The ending line of saying she would be lying if she said she wasn't sick is of it is signifying her realization of her addiction. Just my interpretation

But if she overdosed a guy to the point that he died, wouldn't Lana be in jail by now? O.o

[reputation 6,321]

But if she overdosed a guy to the point that he died, wouldn't Lana be in jail by now? O.o

I'm not saying she meant to kill him. I'm saying she is the reason why he had been addicted and that although she was aware he did it she was hoping everything would be OK. I mean we could imagine the scenarios in this song, but for it is only a song.

[salvatore 21,769]

Going off what LTM said, I do find this sing is about e personification of heroin usage. I'm going to assume both Lana and her love had been oin the heroin use due to the legend of Manson family while they lived in topanga. When Lana says she's flying to the moon, it means she's getting so high she reaches the moon. When she says she put him on an aeroplane to a foreign land, she's meaning she was the one giving him the heroin and the foreign land is the state of being high. She hoped he would survive the usage of the drug, but he didn't, note the overusage of OK. Now on the second verse, Lana compares her lover to Manson, probably because his own use of the drug and the alluring of women. Now on the bridge, it just seems like a release of anger of living in topanga, as it is always hot there and the writing on the walls with blood and shit would be the realization of her heroin usage, with her own blood from the heroin needles. In the final verse, she claims she is going to get high again, but now the mood is different as now she is dreaming about marzipan and taking her medicine. She claims she is also getting back on the aeroplane, and she is going to get off on the marzipan. This may mean that she is now seeking treatment and she hopes to come back to her lover and now she is changed and no longer addicted. The ending line of saying she would be lying if she said she wasn't sick is of it is signifying her realization of her addiction. Just my interpretation

i just had 2 reread this because it's such a damn good analysis and visual for the song; ugh it just makes the final three a reallly good highlight of the album

 

having this ending with her wanting to change and then how it bleeds into Change which is about growth but being ok with just being aware and recognizing you aren't fully there but something is happening; and then Get Free just exemplifies that by showing the desire to change

 

idk its late but it's really fucking beautiful and one of my favorite things she's ever done

[Say Yes to Heaven 27,621]

But if she overdosed a guy to the point that he died, wouldn't Lana be in jail by now? O.o

[Constantine 4,075]

Some people are still boring and tasteless I see. Those said people should refrain themselves from posting their irrelevant little opinions!

Her best song ever. The bridge and the outro especially blow me away every time

[burgerking 31]

i really liked the song the first 200 times I listened to it but now it doesn't hold up anymore for me its a little too slow and bland

[Constantine 4,075]

i really liked the song the first 200 times I listened to it but now it doesn't hold up anymore for me its a little too slow and bland

did we ask

 

OT: Beautiful lyrics

[RideOrDieConeyQueen 87]

ok so i have a theory about heroin - since it uses the word aeroplane a lot i made the connection between the song and aviation off of sirens. Aviation was written while she was staying with her uncle and learning to play guitar so it's about her breaking away from her parents and wanting to become Lizzy Grant (i think) and it also mentions her getting high. So going back to Heroin, I think it's symbolic of Lana putting "elizabeth grant" and "lizzy" and "may" on an aeroplane to be forgotten. So it's her transition into the lana we know now who lives in california (topanga as heard in the song) and all her friends also go on the plane to california and leave their lives behind. "i'll probably stay another year" is her not wanting to completely let go of lizzy because she doesn't want to lose herself completely - "bad beginning to my new year" was the whole snl drama. finally her perspective changes and she's the one leaving in the plane and she's saying hopefully she'll be successful the next time she sees her dad. kind of a stretch but it's 2 am and i can't sleep lol

[reputation 6,321]

Interesting. But how is the other person on the airplane being made up for?

[RideOrDieConeyQueen 87]

Interesting. But how is the other person on the airplane being made up for?

idk that's the gap

[longtimeman 9,011]

I though it would be useful to include the lyrics to the Lou Reed song 'Heroin' here, as it doesn't only share a title/subject matter with Lana's song, there might also be some interesting parallels people might want to explore.

 

 

I don't know just where I'm going *

But I'm gonna try for the kingdom, if I can

Cause it makes me feel like I'm a man

When I put a spike into my vein

And I tell you things aren't quite the same

When I'm rushing on my run

And I feel just like Jesus' son

 

[Chorus]

And I guess that I just don't know

And I guess that I just don't know

 

[Verse 2]

I have made a very big decision

I'm gonna try to nullify my life

Cause when the blood begins to flow

When it shoots up the dropper's neck

When I'm closing in on death

You can't help me, not you guys

And all you sweet girls with all your sweet talk

You can all go take a walk

 

[Chorus]

And I guess I just don't know

And I guess that I just don't know

 

[Verse 3]

I wish that I was born a thousand years ago

I wish that I'd sailed the darkened seas

On a great big clipper ship

Going from this land here to that

In a sailor's suit and cap

Away from the big city

Where a man cannot be free

Of all the evils of this town

And of himself and those around

 

[Chorus]

Oh, and I guess that I just don't know

Oh, and I guess that I just don't know

 

[Verse 4]

Heroin, be the death of me

Heroin, it's my wife and it's my life, haha

Because a mainline to my vein

Leads to a center in my head

And then I'm better off than dead

Because when the smack begins to flow

I really don't care anymore

About all the Jim-Jims in this town

And all the politicians making crazy sounds

And everybody putting everybody else down

And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds

Cause when the smack begins to flow

And I really don't care anymore

Ah, when that heroin is in my blood

Heh, and that blood is in my head

Then thank God that I'm as good as dead

And thank your God that I'm not aware

And thank God that I just don't care

 

[Chorus]

And I guess I just don't know

Oh, and I guess that I just don't know

 

[* note: original opening line was "I know just where I'm going]

 

 

 

 

Some people are still boring and tasteless I see. Those said people should refrain themselves from posting their irrelevant little opinions!

 

Calm down, mate. You're making me anxious about having the same opinions as you.

[Just Cherry 3,799]

Just to say it again, this is a fucking flawless song.

[strange weather 1,954]

These "oooaaaooooaaaahs" soubd so out of tune and like something she'd do on one of her old laptop demo, it completely makes you forget the beauty of the first part.

 

i fucking love this song but this part keeps it from being perfect. the layered vocals cut out at different points and don't sound right. i don't understand how she can be so meticulous about the mixing and leave it like that. 

[bummersummer 2,219]

instant favorite & probably the best song in the album.

 

my favorite thing about the lyrics is how the Manson references seem to be ambiguously written both from the pov of a cult member (expanding on what she's done before of equating the man in her life to a cult leader) but also that of a victim (Topanga Canyon murder - a musician was killed, "writing in blood on my walls" - her house being invaded by stalkers). i love how she goes from "made the kids go crazy" to "make my head get crazy", it really encapsulates the dual meaning of the song.

 

that, the ethereal melody/vocals & the gun cocking sounds = ❤️

[wittycatchphrase 1,399]

Dude can the first post be fixed, the errors are making my eyes twitch, please and thank you

[RideOrDieConeyQueen 87]

Interesting. But how is the other person on the airplane being made up for?

so in the first verse and second verse chorus she's referring to elizabeth and how she hopes that later she'll come back out and nothing will have changed and everything will be ok

 

heroin and marzipan are metaphors for fame and she dreams about fame constantly. She's taking medicine to take her thoughts away from elizabeth and hopes to see her dad as elizabeth and not merge lana and elizabeth together because she doesn't want to lose herself

[reputation 6,321]

so in the first verse and second verse chorus she's referring to elizabeth and how she hopes that later she'll come back out and nothing will have changed and everything will be ok

 

heroin and marzipan are metaphors for fame and she dreams about fame constantly. She's taking medicine to take her thoughts away from elizabeth and hopes to see her dad as elizabeth and not merge lana and elizabeth together because she doesn't want to lose herself

I do like this theory but this theme would fit more for ultraviolence or born to die. Lana has said she has forgotten the LDR persona of a Beverly hills crazy hollywood druggie queen who loves the old guys. if anything, she's more elizabeth than she has ever been 

[baddisease 17,946]

I'm going to go for the low hanging fruit here:

 

Lust For Life is, or attempts to be, a socially aware record. And socially, there's a major heroin epidemic happening (with many American towns overflowing with people dead from it/dead from fentanyl). This song is about that. 

[jvcx 3,644]

"Manson's in the air

And all my friends have come

'Cause they still feel him here"

Probably doesn't need explaining.

 

"Something 'bout this weather made these kids go crazy"

Possible Manson Family reference, weren't the most of his followers quite young?

 

"Oh, writing in blood on my walls and shit"

Definitely a reference to the Cielo Drive/"Tate" murders in 1969, carried out by Manson Family members Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian and Patricia Krenwinkel. Manson had instructed the women to leave a "witchy" sign so Susan Atkins wrote the word "pig" on the front door in Sharon Tate's blood with a towel.