Bonus Tracks 1. Without You 6:39 2. Lolita 15:09 3. Lucky Ones 22:37 Music Videos 1. Born To Die 27:30 2. Video Games 35:00 3. National Anthem 38:40 4. Carmen 44:25 5. Summertime Sadness 47:34 Million Dollar Man Live Performance 50:57
Someone that appreciates Lolita? I knew I liked you. It’s such an underrated gem of Lana’s discography-the strings and teasing lyrics are indeed just so alluring every single listen.
It’s hard to understate how influential Lana has been on the music industry. Billie Eilish said when she interviewed Lana earlier in the year that Lana was her first Lock Screen and that “You changed the way the music industry hears and sees music, and you changed the way people sing.” Taylor Swift is a Lana fan to the point where it is almost embarrassing "Lana Del Rey in my opinion is one of the best musical artists ever. The fact that I get to exist at the same as her is an honor and a privilege.” Adele said that “I’m obsessed with her,”
Rosalía also talked about Lana and said that the way she's been able to create a universe through her writing is incredible, that she loves her lyrics and melodies. She also said she's been listening to Say Yes to Heaven and thinks it's a really pretty song. ❤
@@supreme1572As much as I have loved Mazzy Star (and the warm intentions album) since the first time I heard Fade in to You in the 90’s, it’s hard to really track their influence over the next 10-15 years. With Lana, it is very easy to identify a large number of successful artists who have noted her as a clear influence.
Everytime Lana uses the baby voice as in Lolita and Off to the Races I interpret it as her portraying this sugar baby character. I think Lolita is just a full on character presentation of this persona and Off to the Races is a more nuanced look into this character's life, since she starts low, serious and cynical and turns on the Lolita voice only in the chorus.
Actually, Video Games was the first single, she recorded the video with her webcam and edited it herself (just with random footage of internet, films, etc [the drunk lady is Paz de la Huerta]) and then she just uploaded to youtube and it went virale. About National anthem, the 'trust no one' tattoo is real, it's not for the video, and the double ring is just aesthetic. The scene where she is playing Marilyn is just the first one where she is singing happy birthday.
I feel like you’d appreciate this personal story- the way I was introduced to Lana was through a friend in 8th grade. He told me he found this artist he thought I’d love and he sent me a couple of her lizzy grant era songs. A few weeks later I pulled an all nighter and at like 5am as I was all delirious and the sun was rising outside the Video Games music video started playing on mtv jams on my tv. I didn’t put it together at first that it was the same girl my friend had showed me. My jaw literally dropped at the song & the video. I remember saying out loud in my room all alone “WHO is that and WHAT is this” It was unlike anything I’d ever heard or seen before. I’ve been obsessed with her and her art ever since.
about the little bumo hair, she used to do a lot during that era, but sometimes she uses it, recently she used in "candy necklace" music video and even more recently on her live perfomance on "mita- são paulo"
if you don't recognize him, the man playing JFK in "National Anthem" is Rihanna's baby daddy A$AP Rocky. they have a collaboration a few albums down the road called "Groupie Love". also, a lot of the visuals and beautiful moments are just aesthetic. the deep meanings aren't everywhere. 🥰
The thing I always loved about Lolita is that the song is another interpretation of the book. Because the book can be read both ways, but initially, it’s supposed to make you think it’s a girl seducing an older man, even though we all know it’s the other way around. It’s supposed to make you think she’s the predator and he’s the prey. I love this song because to me, it’s almost like Lolita is taking her power back, but if you listen to the music, it’s almost thrillerish, and scary. Love it.
Lana actually used to make her own music videos! This song was put on MySpace and she had put together a bunch of clips. Abel (the weekend) saw this and fell in love and they ended up being bestfriends after he posted this song.
Also the summertime sadness official video was cut, it had an intro with clouds in the sky and a woman's voice saying "remember I'll always love you, bye". I can't remember if it was Lana's voice
Oh my god, you are diving in so deep!!! It's so appreciated and sweet that you really want to take suggestions, and go all in! But remember that if you feel too overwhelmed with people wanting you to react/analyze stuff, don't be afraid to take a step back from that :) Also! Thoughts on Lolita - you said it makes it seem like she's closing in on her prey. In my opinion, she's being closed in on by a predator. The fun, childish, dreamy lyrics contrast GREATLY against the horrific instrumentals. Like the narrator doesn't realize she's in trouble, very similar to the situation in Lolita.
@@officialcassreacts The (Kubrick) movie and the book are very different and lines up closer to your interpretation. I'm pretty certain Lana is more inspired by the movie, I think she's said that she really likes it. That changes things, the book is a lot more horrific than the movie.
I would like you to know that I will be here every step of the way haha, I love your lana reactions! I think you will absolutely love her latest few albums, particularly the newest one, Did you know that there's a tunnel under ocean blvd, her lyricism gets even better with the years and her voice evolves beautifully. not to mention her personal story arc that she highlights with even more brevity later on. she's unpredictable yet consistent, she's in her own world yet touches on such collective emotions! excited for your next one!
i like to think the blue jeans video having alligators in the water is a literal way of saying she’s treading dangerous water in this relationship and i think he IS the alligator when they’re kissing rather than her riding one
I'm so happy you are continuing with this deep dive in Lana's albums, cannot wait for Paradise now. Also, VERY IMPORTANT to listen to Young and Beautiful, the song it's a fan favorite but its not in any of her albums since it was made for The Great Gatsby soundtrack. It was released around the Paradise EP era, so i think tou can include in the same video. Thank u for the videos!!
It blows my mind how she starts the album with “you and I.. we are born to die” and finishes with “you and me are the lucky ones this time” About The music video: The aligator represents the guy. She does not understand he is dangerous for her and in the end he ends up drowning her. He has lana in his chokehold it shows how much control he had over her and she couldn’t escape it. In born to die, lana in the church is dead. That’s why she knows she died because of the guy.she knows the guy was not good for her. That is why she is pissed in many shots. The other version of lana in the MV is innocent, lost and so much in love that she can understand he is no good for her.
Elizabeth Woolridge Grant aka Lana Del Rey was sent to Kent School at 14 to get sober. She was preoccupied with death as a child. "When I was very young I was sort of floored by the fact that my mother and my father and everyone I knew was going to die one day, and myself too. I had a sort of a philosophical crisis. I couldn't believe that we were mortal. For some reason that knowledge sort of overshadowed my experience. I was unhappy for some time. I got into a lot of trouble. I used to drink a lot. That was a hard time in my life."
The girl in the summertime sadness video is Jamie King! She was a famous model in the 90s (or that’s what I know her as at least) Her and Lana were good friends. But she is totally separate from the friend who passed away. I say “were” because we never see them together anymore, but who knows! People think some of the lyrics in the unreleased Lana song “fine china” reference her friendship with Jamie.
If you do Paradise EP next, you should do music videos and Tropico movie all in one, cause there are not many songs as it's an EP. It has also a Bonus Track called Burning Desire with music video too 😛 She used to do a lot of bonus content in the first few projects but not in the last albums I'm loving your reactions and can't wait to get to the last album that she released this year, I wish I could hear all of them again for the first time, what a journey😂
Lolita is an underrated song and I will die on that hill. It's so hated by fandom but I think it's so much fun and I agree that it almost gives the vibe she's hunting prey. Also your read on the book Lolita is pretty on the money. The book is written from the older man's PoV and he's an unreliable narrator, but the way he tells it she is a seductress. Of course we don't really know if that's actually the case. Later in the book once she is older she says he ruined her life, but I think it's possible that like a lot of young girls, she genuinely believed she was in love with this older man at the time and he took advantage of that. IMO this is Lana basically writing a song from Lolita's perspective at that time with the idea that Humbert's narration is actually true and accurate. I think it's very creative.
The book Lolita is narrated from the point of view of a predator, the way the protagonist describes Lolita as a femme fatale are just part of his sick mind, I wouldn't be surprised by making the music sound sexy but kind of scary Lana show that point of view
some clarifications about themusic videos. in Blue Jeans the alligator/crocodile represents the danger, which is him (the guy is the same from Born To Die btw). in Video games, the drunk girl who falls is Paz de La Huerta, a model and actress. a little anecdote about it. During a performance Lana sees a girl with her breasts out, and only later learns it was Paz, she said then. "My vision is complete. My life is fucking made!" . Then in National Anthem, she only plays Marilyn in the Happy Birthday part, and that's what Marilyn actually sang. When Lana speaks, at the end, the words were written by Jackie herself when John died. In Summertime Sadness, the girl in the video is not a footage of her "dead friend", this is also a theory that has never been confirmed, but the girl in the video is a friend of hers at the time, the model and actress Jaime King, she just lent herself as an actress in the video.
The born to die mv is told from the perspective of the character in the afterlife (the cathedral and palace) reflecting upon her romantic life after the crash. I think that's the most accepted interpratation by fans lol😊
lolita is from the guy's perspective, thats how the guy sees the girl. the production sounds darker to contrast the lyrics, the relationship is dark but he sees it as something sweet.
You have the best album reactions on RUclips. Most people just go through the song and make a few comments before going to the next one, but I love that you actually have the lyrics with you and try to decipher what they mean, learn more about the context of the song, and then point out the exact parts you liked and disliked. It's so much more interesting to hear someone's interpretation of the song rather than their opinion of it, keep doing this! (Also, it'd be amazing if you keep doing Lana, but if you want other artists, then I'm sure you'd like Fiona Apple, Mitski and Phoebe Bridgers.)
you brought up the vocal production so let me just tell you Ultraviolence was recorded live in studio with a band in what was roughly one take. Pretty When You Cry from that album is completely freestyled too.
the guy who portrays president in national anthem mv is actually a$ap rocky & they have two songs together on the lust for life album ‘summer bummer’ & ‘groupie love’
Born to die has so many Americana themes…nation anthem…American flag…her born to die music video outfits are red, white, and blue/the album cover is red, white, and blue… her lyrics in blue jeans- white bikini off with my red nail polish, bright blue ripples… a lot of small details to pay attention to throughout the record.
Okay I have finished the video!! Now I’ll give some comments :) - You had a great interpretation of Lolita overall. She is describing a sort of predatory relationship where an older man seduces a younger girl. Lana has had many relationships, especially in her teens/early 20s prior to fame, with men that are much older than her. I think this is why she connects with Lolita so well and took on that character. You will see more references to her being with older men in later songs and music videos :) - The “trust no one” tattoo is Lana’s real tattoo - she also has one on the side of her other hand that says “Paradise” - Another important piece of Lana’s back story that could help with context of things (specifically like what you said about Carmen maybe being a character for drugs), Lana not only had issues with alcoholism by the time she turned 13 years old, but she also had relationships with drug dealers in her formative years. She lived in a trailer, worked as a waitress, really had a tough life growing up overall. So she references drugs often because she was around them so much, I believe she even lived in Miami for a time or traveled to Miami a lot because of her relationship with drug dealers and them selling drugs down in Miami - Others have mentioned this as well, but when you get to Paradise EP, it is CRUCIAL that you watch the Tropico short film. It is nearly 30 minutes long but includes 3 of the tracks from that EP and some beautiful poetry and symbolism in between. I’m also not a music video girl like you said, but Tropico hits like it’s an actual film, not just a music video. Love your reactions so much, keep them coming ❤
A few predictions after watching your first reactions are: Paradise will solidify you as a stan Ultraviolence lyrics will hurt you Honeymoon will transport you - both lyrically and sonically - to another dimension Lust for life will give you a really fun time Nfr will give you a mental breakdown Chemtrails will probably become your favorite project Blue Banisters: a rollercoaster of emotions Ocean Blvd will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about this woman
The guy from Born to Die and Blue Jeans videos are the same! He also shows up in a future video from another album. I love the use of the crocodile metaphor in the Blue Jeans video! Basically he is the crocodille, that's why we see her riding it juxtaposed to her kissing him in the pool. She's comfortable with swimming in dangerous waters, and I believe the water is the relationship - hence the submerging/drawning motif in the music video. One of the crocodilles main killing methods is sneaking up on their pray, surprising them with a powerful bite, locking the animal like a beartrap and spinning their own body to remove body parts/pull the animal into water in order to drown them, I love the last part of the video cause that's what he's doing to her, spinning her to bring her down with him.
The USA flags are there just because she is a big "american dream" girly and she incorporates a lot of old americana/hollywood in her art, also poetry, literature, etc.
I enjoyed the last video so much and I'm glad to see this one as well! I look forward to future Lana albums as well~ Btw, I feel like you're so sweet and warm, and I love the channel's atmosphere. Glad to have found it! :)))
18:13 So one of the reasons why Lolita is so controversial (besides its disturbing/dark premise) is that the protagonist, Humbert, is a highly unreliable narrator. Since the book is written in first person, we only get his POV, and he believes Lolita is this promiscuous girl trying to seduce him and that she is complicit in their "romance", which is probably not true since she's only 12. This is why Lana takes on that role/persona in the song as Lolita.
I loved your last video SOOOOO MUCH man wow It tickled my adhd and to tell you a FLEEEWWW to RUclips when I finally saw your new video pop up in my notifs.
She wasnt a star when she made the video games video. It went viral and thats how it all began, then she started working on BTD. The song is also written about how she was at home while her boyfriend played world of warcraft and she was happy enjoying the simple moments being with him, while he played video games. Just enjoying the sweet moment.
The Americana theme is really big in Lana's earlier work, therefor the American flags and the National Anthem music video. Also, I believe the National Anthem music video is just a bit of fun. There's no underlying story, its just a fun cosplay as Mina Le once described it
The fact that you read, and took in so many comments from that video is earning my sub, plus ur just a fun reactor, glad u suddenly got recommended to me by RUclips lol
i cant wait for all of this! youll be so glad you listened to her discography when youre done, but it will be sad too since there will never be a next first time listening.
I'm loving you reactions!! Some help with the videos: Born to die: they planned to end themselfes together, but she ended up dead, and he didn't. That's why she's looking away on the bed, aways with the white nightgown, she's a ghost. Blue jean: obviously he's dangerous, and that's why he's sometimes a man and sometimes a alligator. There's a (very controversial) theory that he's with her corpse, she's already dead. You'll see how the story continues with the mv Shades of cool (he's old now and remember their time together) and West Coast (how their life were and how it'd be if they both still alive). Both of them from Ultraviolence album. National anthem: keeping in mind that in Dark Paradise she explains her boyfriend passed away, it's a different way to see it, and she end the video saying "I loved him, and I still love him". You'll also love her videos Ride and Tropico, both from Paradise album. ❤️❤️ Her tattoos are real, she has "trust no one" in one hand and "paradise" at the other. Carmen: totally yes!! It's about drugs, and about her doing them and how her life was when she did it. It's so heartbreaking. Summertime sadness: the story about her friend who ended herself is just a theory never confirmed by Lana. Actually, now her last album came out (Ocean Blv), we can see it's about her boyfriend who passed away due to a car accident. She just changed it in the video for a girl friend. The girl in the video is her best friend and she's alive!!
She's swimming in crocodile infested water, maybe to represent that this "person" or this "relationship" is dangerous but she knows that and she's taking the risk even though it could kill her (literally or figuretively). Also he's drowning her at the end, maybe to literally represent that that relationship and that person drags her down.
I loved all songs from BTD, deluxe included, but "Without you" i started listening after my SO told me something he felt what strangely coincided with the lyrics of this song and a few days later i felt drawn to listen to it and that relationship has so much more sense to me now😮❤
In the Born To Die music video, the way I see it is that Lana is the ruination of the relationship itself. Lana's actions and expressions was what was happening to the relationship when the magic of it is gone. Lana's nervous expression (prolly the feeling of being lost now that being high on love is over and what will happen after), Lana's seemingly unbothered expression after (tired of it all), then there were those forced toxic moments, Lana's seemingly angry expression after that ( fed up and regrets perhaps?) and Lana just going with the flow waiting for the end, then Lana dying ( relationship being ded ded as my brain cells).
She changes lyrics to her songs during live performances often! PLEASE if you ever have the chance to see her live, GO!! You won’t regret it. It’s so special.
I’m just starting the video, so I might have more to say later. But I want to start by saying you have an absolutely amazing voice for this kind of work. You entrance me when you talk about Lana and your interpretations of the songs. You are perfect for this!
Paz de la Huerta was the woman in Video Games she was a very overnight celeb who kinda crashed and burned hard. LDR is very enthralled with the fleeting nature of fame and success and the public’s fascination with a famous person’s downfall
34:16 Under the surface, he is the alligator, he is dangerous.🐊 48:20 I saw people telling you that Summertime Sadness is about her friend who died, but I am pretty sure that that is just a widespread fan theory. (I would love to see Lana confirming the theory if it is true though.) This is what Lana said about the song Summertime Sadness: "I love it because I didn't compromise when I wrote it at all - I wrote exactly what I felt, and put a melody to it that was perfect for the words. I was staying in Santa Monica, California with my composer and best friend, Dan Heath. I would sit under the telephone wires and listen to them sizzle in the warm air while he went to work. I wanted to take the electricity and absorb it so it would make me feel alive and electric again. I felt happy in the warm weather and started writing about how sad and gorgeous the summertime felt to me." She doesn't mention any dead friend as an inspiration and in one of her future songs she confirms that summertime is a gorgeous and sad time for her: "summer's meant for loving and leaving", so that might be all that is to it, just a melancholy from summer break ups. And this is what Jaime King, the girl in the video and Lana's real-life friend, said about the music video: "It's about not being able to live without the one you love, friend or lover it doesn't matter, that's whatever you want it to be." I'm enjoying your Lana reactions, can't wait for the next one!☺
I thought it'd be interesting to point out that the music videos for Video Games and Carmen were the ones she filmed herself in 2011 before she was given a budget (though Carmen's wasn't released until April 2012). The Video Games MV is what initially got her attention and Video Games became BTD's lead single. Born to Die was the other pre-album single (Off to the Races and Carmen were promotional singles, though) and her first high-budget MV. The low-budget aesthetic videos don't really go away, though (they're iconic in their own right). As someone who has recently become obsessed with Lana and made their way through (almost) her entire discography, I've really been enjoying these videos. You have some great takes on her songs that I hadn't thought about before. Can't wait to see the rest of the albums. It is a TRIP
My take on Carmen is that its about a young woman whos wild and troubled, going down a bad path as well at the same time used to represent meth. Both theories are kind of related so thats my best guess but I think you're spot on about carmen representing drugs/meth. I know the song and a lot of songs are stories being told and not necessarily auto biographical but I wonder how much of it is from a place of personal experience. Lana has been elusive with that but also expressed that she writes everything from her own experiences. Lots of unreleased tracks reference drugs and addiction.
Cant wait for the paradise ep! A reminder for the ride mv is that when you see “the scene” please do research after and see how lana handled it! Most people get distaste for her but please check out what she does and how sorry she is and how she tries to repair the damages!
Wondering what you mean by “the scene”…. Are you referring to the thing she wears during the biker party? LOL that’s my best guess since it was so controversial
I think in summer time sadnesses when it says kiss me hard before u go and baby ur the best it’s from the friends point of view bc she’s saying goodbye before she’s gonna die
Bonus Tracks
1. Without You 6:39
2. Lolita 15:09
3. Lucky Ones 22:37
Music Videos
1. Born To Die 27:30
2. Video Games 35:00
3. National Anthem 38:40
4. Carmen 44:25
5. Summertime Sadness 47:34
Million Dollar Man Live Performance 50:57
u forgot the blue jeans mv
Blue Jeans Music Video 31:58
Someone that appreciates Lolita? I knew I liked you. It’s such an underrated gem of Lana’s discography-the strings and teasing lyrics are indeed just so alluring every single listen.
The funniest part about watching people react to the Paradise EP is them reacting to the opening line of Cola lmao. So can't wait for that reaction.
Based on the thumbnail for that video, I’m guessing it’s her reaction to that exact line 🤣
Never apologize for the pausing!! I love that you thoroughly listen to a portion of the song and THEN pause to analyze!
It’s hard to understate how influential Lana has been on the music industry.
Billie Eilish said when she interviewed Lana earlier in the year that Lana was her first Lock Screen and that “You changed the way the music industry hears and sees music, and you changed the way people sing.”
Taylor Swift is a Lana fan to the point where it is almost embarrassing "Lana Del Rey in my opinion is one of the best musical artists ever. The fact that I get to exist at the same as her is an honor and a privilege.”
Adele said that “I’m obsessed with her,”
It’s not embarrassing
Rosalía also talked about Lana and said that the way she's been able to create a universe through her writing is incredible, that she loves her lyrics and melodies. She also said she's been listening to Say Yes to Heaven and thinks it's a really pretty song. ❤
Look up Mazzy Star that's the real inspiration
@@supreme1572As much as I have loved Mazzy Star (and the warm intentions album) since the first time I heard Fade in to You in the 90’s, it’s hard to really track their influence over the next 10-15 years. With Lana, it is very easy to identify a large number of successful artists who have noted her as a clear influence.
@@jspettifer I was saying Lana was clearly influenced by them as well as Kate Bush.
Everytime Lana uses the baby voice as in Lolita and Off to the Races I interpret it as her portraying this sugar baby character. I think Lolita is just a full on character presentation of this persona and Off to the Races is a more nuanced look into this character's life, since she starts low, serious and cynical and turns on the Lolita voice only in the chorus.
Explains why she hasn't really been using it lately
idk if youve heard boarding school but i think of it in a similar way, like a satirical way she talks about her past
Actually, Video Games was the first single, she recorded the video with her webcam and edited it herself (just with random footage of internet, films, etc [the drunk lady is Paz de la Huerta]) and then she just uploaded to youtube and it went virale.
About National anthem, the 'trust no one' tattoo is real, it's not for the video, and the double ring is just aesthetic. The scene where she is playing Marilyn is just the first one where she is singing happy birthday.
Yes the algorithm brought me back
Same!😭💗
It brought me too
exactly what i was thinking haha
It's called a subscribe button buddy
Jim would have, too
She hugs the alligator because she plays with fire. She means that her boyfriend is dangerous like an alligator
no actually its because she was in love with a florida man (jk
@@sidekicks1403florida/alligators that’s makes more sense. since 2012 i thought it was because he was dangerous. thank you soooo much. i love it
this comment is so funny given her circumstance rn
@@zetsubo_ioc1983 lol true
I feel like you’d appreciate this personal story- the way I was introduced to Lana was through a friend in 8th grade. He told me he found this artist he thought I’d love and he sent me a couple of her lizzy grant era songs. A few weeks later I pulled an all nighter and at like 5am as I was all delirious and the sun was rising outside the Video Games music video started playing on mtv jams on my tv. I didn’t put it together at first that it was the same girl my friend had showed me.
My jaw literally dropped at the song & the video. I remember saying out loud in my room all alone “WHO is that and WHAT is this”
It was unlike anything I’d ever heard or seen before. I’ve been obsessed with her and her art ever since.
You are literally going to love ''Did you know there's a tunnel ...'' bcs it's heavy on the lyrics. Can't wait for you to react to that.
about the little bumo hair, she used to do a lot during that era, but sometimes she uses it, recently she used in "candy necklace" music video and even more recently on her live perfomance on "mita- são paulo"
if you don't recognize him, the man playing JFK in "National Anthem" is Rihanna's baby daddy A$AP Rocky. they have a collaboration a few albums down the road called "Groupie Love".
also, a lot of the visuals and beautiful moments are just aesthetic. the deep meanings aren't everywhere. 🥰
the Paradise EP is criminally underrated. It's so dark and beautiful.
Fun fact-she actually has never in her career performed Lucky Ones! It’s the only song from BTD to have that accolade lol
this is what makes us girls too
@@becafvckshe sang a really short acapella for a radio interview I think
This Is What Makes Us Girls is criminally underrated, it’s one of my all time favorites! The demo versions are also SO superior!
“i got sent away i was waving on the train platform crying cuz i know im never coming back” that part got me everytime like every time
The thing I always loved about Lolita is that the song is another interpretation of the book. Because the book can be read both ways, but initially, it’s supposed to make you think it’s a girl seducing an older man, even though we all know it’s the other way around. It’s supposed to make you think she’s the predator and he’s the prey. I love this song because to me, it’s almost like Lolita is taking her power back, but if you listen to the music, it’s almost thrillerish, and scary. Love it.
I hope you do more Lana reactions soon! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on Honeymoon, Norman F Rockwell and Ocean Blvd! 🤩
Love your wanderlust album!
her vocals get better and better which each album and the way it evolves with her music is beautiful
Lana actually used to make her own music videos! This song was put on MySpace and she had put together a bunch of clips. Abel (the weekend) saw this and fell in love and they ended up being bestfriends after he posted this song.
Also the summertime sadness official video was cut, it had an intro with clouds in the sky and a woman's voice saying "remember I'll always love you, bye". I can't remember if it was Lana's voice
it was the actual voicemail from her friend who committed suicide
@@lqnxe omg that's even sadder😔
Oh my god, you are diving in so deep!!! It's so appreciated and sweet that you really want to take suggestions, and go all in! But remember that if you feel too overwhelmed with people wanting you to react/analyze stuff, don't be afraid to take a step back from that :)
Also! Thoughts on Lolita - you said it makes it seem like she's closing in on her prey. In my opinion, she's being closed in on by a predator. The fun, childish, dreamy lyrics contrast GREATLY against the horrific instrumentals. Like the narrator doesn't realize she's in trouble, very similar to the situation in Lolita.
loveeee this interpretation
@@officialcassreacts I didn’t actually think you’d see my comment !!! Thanks! ❤️❤️
@@officialcassreacts The (Kubrick) movie and the book are very different and lines up closer to your interpretation. I'm pretty certain Lana is more inspired by the movie, I think she's said that she really likes it. That changes things, the book is a lot more horrific than the movie.
I would like you to know that I will be here every step of the way haha, I love your lana reactions!
I think you will absolutely love her latest few albums, particularly the newest one, Did you know that there's a tunnel under ocean blvd, her lyricism gets even better with the years and her voice evolves beautifully. not to mention her personal story arc that she highlights with even more brevity later on. she's unpredictable yet consistent, she's in her own world yet touches on such collective emotions! excited for your next one!
i like to think the blue jeans video having alligators in the water is a literal way of saying she’s treading dangerous water in this relationship and i think he IS the alligator when they’re kissing rather than her riding one
yes exactly
I'm so happy you are continuing with this deep dive in Lana's albums, cannot wait for Paradise now. Also, VERY IMPORTANT to listen to Young and Beautiful, the song it's a fan favorite but its not in any of her albums since it was made for The Great Gatsby soundtrack. It was released around the Paradise EP era, so i think tou can include in the same video. Thank u for the videos!!
U should know that Lana has countless unreleased songs that are more upbeat and pop
It blows my mind how she starts the album with “you and I.. we are born to die” and finishes with “you and me are the lucky ones this time”
About The music video: The aligator represents the guy. She does not understand he is dangerous for her and in the end he ends up drowning her. He has lana in his chokehold it shows how much control he had over her and she couldn’t escape it.
In born to die, lana in the church is dead. That’s why she knows she died because of the guy.she knows the guy was not good for her. That is why she is pissed in many shots. The other version of lana in the MV is innocent, lost and so much in love that she can understand he is no good for her.
Elizabeth Woolridge Grant aka Lana Del Rey was sent to Kent School at 14 to get sober.
She was preoccupied with death as a child.
"When I was very young I was sort of floored by the fact that my mother and my father and everyone I knew was going to die one day, and myself too. I had a sort of a philosophical crisis. I couldn't believe that we were mortal. For some reason that knowledge sort of overshadowed my experience. I was unhappy for some time. I got into a lot of trouble. I used to drink a lot. That was a hard time in my life."
The girl in the summertime sadness video is Jamie King! She was a famous model in the 90s (or that’s what I know her as at least)
Her and Lana were good friends. But she is totally separate from the friend who passed away. I say “were” because we never see them together anymore, but who knows!
People think some of the lyrics in the unreleased Lana song “fine china” reference her friendship with Jamie.
If you do Paradise EP next, you should do music videos and Tropico movie all in one, cause there are not many songs as it's an EP. It has also a Bonus Track called Burning Desire with music video too 😛
She used to do a lot of bonus content in the first few projects but not in the last albums
I'm loving your reactions and can't wait to get to the last album that she released this year, I wish I could hear all of them again for the first time, what a journey😂
Lolita is an underrated song and I will die on that hill. It's so hated by fandom but I think it's so much fun and I agree that it almost gives the vibe she's hunting prey. Also your read on the book Lolita is pretty on the money. The book is written from the older man's PoV and he's an unreliable narrator, but the way he tells it she is a seductress. Of course we don't really know if that's actually the case. Later in the book once she is older she says he ruined her life, but I think it's possible that like a lot of young girls, she genuinely believed she was in love with this older man at the time and he took advantage of that. IMO this is Lana basically writing a song from Lolita's perspective at that time with the idea that Humbert's narration is actually true and accurate. I think it's very creative.
You make me so calm So happy I found your channel
The book Lolita is narrated from the point of view of a predator, the way the protagonist describes Lolita as a femme fatale are just part of his sick mind, I wouldn't be surprised by making the music sound sexy but kind of scary Lana show that point of view
some clarifications about themusic videos. in Blue Jeans the alligator/crocodile represents the danger, which is him (the guy is the same from Born To Die btw). in Video games, the drunk girl who falls is Paz de La Huerta, a model and actress. a little anecdote about it. During a performance Lana sees a girl with her breasts out, and only later learns it was Paz, she said then. "My vision is complete. My life is fucking made!" . Then in National Anthem, she only plays Marilyn in the Happy Birthday part, and that's what Marilyn actually sang. When Lana speaks, at the end, the words were written by Jackie herself when John died. In Summertime Sadness, the girl in the video is not a footage of her "dead friend", this is also a theory that has never been confirmed, but the girl in the video is a friend of hers at the time, the model and actress Jaime King, she just lent herself as an actress in the video.
her live singing has improved so much
The born to die mv is told from the perspective of the character in the afterlife (the cathedral and palace) reflecting upon her romantic life after the crash. I think that's the most accepted interpratation by fans lol😊
Also the fact that her Boyfriend Aaron Greene died in a car crash makes it hit harder, especially after ocean blvd
i think she was just in the rosebushes because jackie had her rose garden or whatever, so it's just her building up her jackie aesthetic
lolita is from the guy's perspective, thats how the guy sees the girl. the production sounds darker to contrast the lyrics, the relationship is dark but he sees it as something sweet.
This isn't just a reaction.. it's an essay! Loving your journey
They way I cackled at “She loves a hand on her neck doesn’t she?” 33:14
It’s the whole aesthetic 😂
She opened the Fenway Park show singing WITHOUT YOU and the crowd went nuts!
You have the best album reactions on RUclips. Most people just go through the song and make a few comments before going to the next one, but I love that you actually have the lyrics with you and try to decipher what they mean, learn more about the context of the song, and then point out the exact parts you liked and disliked. It's so much more interesting to hear someone's interpretation of the song rather than their opinion of it, keep doing this!
(Also, it'd be amazing if you keep doing Lana, but if you want other artists, then I'm sure you'd like Fiona Apple, Mitski and Phoebe Bridgers.)
i was literally doing karaoke to this album and i got this notif 😭😭
you brought up the vocal production so let me just tell you Ultraviolence was recorded live in studio with a band in what was roughly one take. Pretty When You Cry from that album is completely freestyled too.
Love this! Can't wait for Norman F*ing Rockwell reaction :)
your reactions are top tear! I love how you analyze the details.
The way I was sad you wouldn't hear, Without You, last time, and now you are!!!
the guy who portrays president in national anthem mv is actually a$ap rocky & they have two songs together on the lust for life album ‘summer bummer’ & ‘groupie love’
Born to die has so many Americana themes…nation anthem…American flag…her born to die music video outfits are red, white, and blue/the album cover is red, white, and blue… her lyrics in blue jeans- white bikini off with my red nail polish, bright blue ripples… a lot of small details to pay attention to throughout the record.
In dark paradise she mentions that she only sees him in her dreams hence why she’s sad in bed with him because he is only there metaphorically
also oops* off to the races she says the white bikini off with my red nail polish lyric
Okay I have finished the video!! Now I’ll give some comments :)
- You had a great interpretation of Lolita overall. She is describing a sort of predatory relationship where an older man seduces a younger girl. Lana has had many relationships, especially in her teens/early 20s prior to fame, with men that are much older than her. I think this is why she connects with Lolita so well and took on that character. You will see more references to her being with older men in later songs and music videos :)
- The “trust no one” tattoo is Lana’s real tattoo - she also has one on the side of her other hand that says “Paradise”
- Another important piece of Lana’s back story that could help with context of things (specifically like what you said about Carmen maybe being a character for drugs), Lana not only had issues with alcoholism by the time she turned 13 years old, but she also had relationships with drug dealers in her formative years. She lived in a trailer, worked as a waitress, really had a tough life growing up overall. So she references drugs often because she was around them so much, I believe she even lived in Miami for a time or traveled to Miami a lot because of her relationship with drug dealers and them selling drugs down in Miami
- Others have mentioned this as well, but when you get to Paradise EP, it is CRUCIAL that you watch the Tropico short film. It is nearly 30 minutes long but includes 3 of the tracks from that EP and some beautiful poetry and symbolism in between. I’m also not a music video girl like you said, but Tropico hits like it’s an actual film, not just a music video.
Love your reactions so much, keep them coming ❤
I cant wait for Paradise, the music video for Ride is awesome
Congratulations on 10k Cassie!
Much deserved! ❤❤❤❤❤
A few predictions after watching your first reactions are:
Paradise will solidify you as a stan
Ultraviolence lyrics will hurt you
Honeymoon will transport you - both lyrically and sonically - to another dimension
Lust for life will give you a really fun time
Nfr will give you a mental breakdown
Chemtrails will probably become your favorite project
Blue Banisters: a rollercoaster of emotions
Ocean Blvd will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about this woman
The guy from Born to Die and Blue Jeans videos are the same! He also shows up in a future video from another album.
I love the use of the crocodile metaphor in the Blue Jeans video! Basically he is the crocodille, that's why we see her riding it juxtaposed to her kissing him in the pool. She's comfortable with swimming in dangerous waters, and I believe the water is the relationship - hence the submerging/drawning motif in the music video. One of the crocodilles main killing methods is sneaking up on their pray, surprising them with a powerful bite, locking the animal like a beartrap and spinning their own body to remove body parts/pull the animal into water in order to drown them, I love the last part of the video cause that's what he's doing to her, spinning her to bring her down with him.
The USA flags are there just because she is a big "american dream" girly and she incorporates a lot of old americana/hollywood in her art, also poetry, literature, etc.
I enjoyed the last video so much and I'm glad to see this one as well! I look forward to future Lana albums as well~ Btw, I feel like you're so sweet and warm, and I love the channel's atmosphere. Glad to have found it! :)))
18:13
So one of the reasons why Lolita is so controversial (besides its disturbing/dark premise) is that the protagonist, Humbert, is a highly unreliable narrator. Since the book is written in first person, we only get his POV, and he believes Lolita is this promiscuous girl trying to seduce him and that she is complicit in their "romance", which is probably not true since she's only 12. This is why Lana takes on that role/persona in the song as Lolita.
The million dollar man performance with the Budweiser shirt is incredible
Ur perfect keep up this amazing work!!
I loved your last video SOOOOO MUCH man wow It tickled my adhd and to tell you a FLEEEWWW to RUclips when I finally saw your new video pop up in my notifs.
Ride.
one of the greatest music videos ever.
She wasnt a star when she made the video games video. It went viral and thats how it all began, then she started working on BTD. The song is also written about how she was at home while her boyfriend played world of warcraft and she was happy enjoying the simple moments being with him, while he played video games.
Just enjoying the sweet moment.
7:52 the single that launched her career was video games not summertime sadness, that one got popular after the release of the album
I’m glad you listened and loved Lolita!, that was my first Lana del Rey song I heard, even named my tumblr back then “hey Lolita hey! Lol!😍
I think she's saying that the alligator is a metaphor for the man. her going from between hugging him to the alligator shows that.
the intro of summertime sadness was lana saying "remember i'll always love you, bye"
The Americana theme is really big in Lana's earlier work, therefor the American flags and the National Anthem music video.
Also, I believe the National Anthem music video is just a bit of fun. There's no underlying story, its just a fun cosplay as Mina Le once described it
The fact that you read, and took in so many comments from that video is earning my sub, plus ur just a fun reactor, glad u suddenly got recommended to me by RUclips lol
You’ll absolutely love all of her other albums!!!! You’ve reached the Lana Stans. Can’t wait to see more of you!
fun fact: the monologue at the end of national anthem is actually a letter jackie wrote right after the jfk assassination.
i cant wait for all of this! youll be so glad you listened to her discography when youre done, but it will be sad too since there will never be a next first time listening.
The intro for summertime sadness was “Remember that I always love you, bye “🥺
I'm loving you reactions!! Some help with the videos:
Born to die: they planned to end themselfes together, but she ended up dead, and he didn't. That's why she's looking away on the bed, aways with the white nightgown, she's a ghost.
Blue jean: obviously he's dangerous, and that's why he's sometimes a man and sometimes a alligator. There's a (very controversial) theory that he's with her corpse, she's already dead.
You'll see how the story continues with the mv Shades of cool (he's old now and remember their time together) and West Coast (how their life were and how it'd be if they both still alive). Both of them from Ultraviolence album.
National anthem: keeping in mind that in Dark Paradise she explains her boyfriend passed away, it's a different way to see it, and she end the video saying "I loved him, and I still love him".
You'll also love her videos Ride and Tropico, both from Paradise album. ❤️❤️
Her tattoos are real, she has "trust no one" in one hand and "paradise" at the other.
Carmen: totally yes!! It's about drugs, and about her doing them and how her life was when she did it. It's so heartbreaking.
Summertime sadness: the story about her friend who ended herself is just a theory never confirmed by Lana. Actually, now her last album came out (Ocean Blv), we can see it's about her boyfriend who passed away due to a car accident. She just changed it in the video for a girl friend. The girl in the video is her best friend and she's alive!!
She's swimming in crocodile infested water, maybe to represent that this "person" or this "relationship" is dangerous but she knows that and she's taking the risk even though it could kill her (literally or figuretively). Also he's drowning her at the end, maybe to literally represent that that relationship and that person drags her down.
I'm SO invested, such a great reaction. I need moreee
YOU WILL LOVE ULTRAVIOLENCE
there’s 2 short films with the paradise EP. However i know that’s a lot so only the Ride mv/short film is very important!!
this is a really nice surprise! can't wait to be with you throughout this journey ❤
I loved all songs from BTD, deluxe included, but "Without you" i started listening after my SO told me something he felt what strangely coincided with the lyrics of this song and a few days later i felt drawn to listen to it and that relationship has so much more sense to me now😮❤
You would LOVE Ethel Cain's Preacher's Daughter
In the Born To Die music video, the way I see it is that Lana is the ruination of the relationship itself. Lana's actions and expressions was what was happening to the relationship when the magic of it is gone. Lana's nervous expression (prolly the feeling of being lost now that being high on love is over and what will happen after), Lana's seemingly unbothered expression after (tired of it all), then there were those forced toxic moments, Lana's seemingly angry expression after that ( fed up and regrets perhaps?) and Lana just going with the flow waiting for the end, then Lana dying ( relationship being ded ded as my brain cells).
Someone must've said this but video games was her first video and I find it awesome that it's just random clips and her singing into a webcam.
She changes lyrics to her songs during live performances often!
PLEASE if you ever have the chance to see her live, GO!! You won’t regret it. It’s so special.
Happy 10K 2U
I’m just starting the video, so I might have more to say later. But I want to start by saying you have an absolutely amazing voice for this kind of work. You entrance me when you talk about Lana and your interpretations of the songs. You are perfect for this!
The intro of summertime sadness was like a voice message on a phone and Lana said : remember I will always love you , bye xx
An interesting fact. Video games was made by herlef adding some random vintage videos.
Paz de la Huerta was the woman in Video Games she was a very overnight celeb who kinda crashed and burned hard. LDR is very enthralled with the fleeting nature of fame and success and the public’s fascination with a famous person’s downfall
34:16 Under the surface, he is the alligator, he is dangerous.🐊
48:20 I saw people telling you that Summertime Sadness is about her friend who died, but I am pretty sure that that is just a widespread fan theory. (I would love to see Lana confirming the theory if it is true though.) This is what Lana said about the song Summertime Sadness: "I love it because I didn't compromise when I wrote it at all - I wrote exactly what I felt, and put a melody to it that was perfect for the words. I was staying in Santa Monica, California with my composer and best friend, Dan Heath. I would sit under the telephone wires and listen to them sizzle in the warm air while he went to work. I wanted to take the electricity and absorb it so it would make me feel alive and electric again. I felt happy in the warm weather and started writing about how sad and gorgeous the summertime felt to me."
She doesn't mention any dead friend as an inspiration and in one of her future songs she confirms that summertime is a gorgeous and sad time for her: "summer's meant for loving and leaving", so that might be all that is to it, just a melancholy from summer break ups.
And this is what Jaime King, the girl in the video and Lana's real-life friend, said about the music video: "It's about not being able to live without the one you love, friend or lover it doesn't matter, that's whatever you want it to be."
I'm enjoying your Lana reactions, can't wait for the next one!☺
The drunk Girl in Video Games is Paz de la Huerta
I thought it'd be interesting to point out that the music videos for Video Games and Carmen were the ones she filmed herself in 2011 before she was given a budget (though Carmen's wasn't released until April 2012). The Video Games MV is what initially got her attention and Video Games became BTD's lead single. Born to Die was the other pre-album single (Off to the Races and Carmen were promotional singles, though) and her first high-budget MV. The low-budget aesthetic videos don't really go away, though (they're iconic in their own right).
As someone who has recently become obsessed with Lana and made their way through (almost) her entire discography, I've really been enjoying these videos. You have some great takes on her songs that I hadn't thought about before. Can't wait to see the rest of the albums. It is a TRIP
The alegatos in Blue jeans are symbolic of how this boy is dangerous
Love your reactions💗 You really try your best to do everything to reach out every in the comments! thanks for ur dedication 🫶🏻
I believe that she shared the video games music video on MySpace and The Weeknd shared it multiple times which gave her some popularity at the time
another hand touches the beacon
They should call you the most popular home intruder because you are santa giving us all these gifts in a single video! Love your long videoss❤
My take on Carmen is that its about a young woman whos wild and troubled, going down a bad path as well at the same time used to represent meth. Both theories are kind of related so thats my best guess but I think you're spot on about carmen representing drugs/meth. I know the song and a lot of songs are stories being told and not necessarily auto biographical but I wonder how much of it is from a place of personal experience. Lana has been elusive with that but also expressed that she writes everything from her own experiences. Lots of unreleased tracks reference drugs and addiction.
Cant wait for the paradise ep! A reminder for the ride mv is that when you see “the scene” please do research after and see how lana handled it! Most people get distaste for her but please check out what she does and how sorry she is and how she tries to repair the damages!
Wondering what you mean by “the scene”…. Are you referring to the thing she wears during the biker party? LOL that’s my best guess since it was so controversial
@@Nutmeggiee yeah pretty much!
I think in summer time sadnesses when it says kiss me hard before u go and baby ur the best it’s from the friends point of view bc she’s saying goodbye before she’s gonna die
i think the "boy youre so dope, your love is deadly" is a nod to overdosing on dope