Out of the black into the blue

Just like Lana Del Rey’s previous albums, “Lust for Life” is, on the surface, about the ups and downs of being in love, however, she offers listeners a glance into what seems to be a more hopeful and independent side of herself that was absent in “Born to Die,” “Paradise,” “Ultraviolence,” and “Honeymoon.”

Del Rey does supply some of her signature haunting vocals in ballads like “13 Beaches” and “White Mustang,” but throughout the album, Del Rey’s lyrics prove she has decided to try to take control of her own life, despite the obstacles that continue to get in her way.

What separates “Lust for Life” right from the get-go from her other albums is the album cover, which shows Del Rey shining a smile while wearing a white dress with white flowers throughout her hair. On the other covers, she glares into the camera, or looks away, which then sets the tone for how the music on the albums is going to be, which can be categorized as dark or moody. However, since Del Rey flashes a smile on “Lust for Life,” the audience can already see before listening to the album that it may offer a more positive view on life.

This positive perspective is heard in the first two tracks “Love” and “Lust for Life.” Although “Love” is a bit a simpler than the title track, it offers more strength in its meaning and message of hope for love. The slow tempo is reminiscent of “Born to Die” and “Honeymoon,” but the various layers of sound give the song a more nostalgic feel while still managing to make not only the song, but the listeners as well, feel invincible because as long as they are in love or have love in their lives, everything else will turn out just fine.

Likewise, in “Lust for Life,” Del Rey uses a slow tempo, but puts an optimistic spin on the track with lyrics that contrast with her song “Born to Die,” showing that Del Rey has not only evolved as an artist, but as person as well. Whereas the lyrics from “Born to Die” are “we were born to die,” the lyrics in her latest track are “a lust for life keeps us alive,” which depicts that she has realized there is much more to life than mourning the past.

In a recent interview with “Complex”, Del Rey said this album came from a time of self-examination where she became more aware of the world around her and what it has to offer. This reflection also shows in her most political tracks off the album, “Coachella – Woodstock In My Mind,” which Del Rey admitted is about the rising tensions with North Korea at that time, as well as “When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing.” Although Del Rey is no stranger to controversy, politics are relatively new topics in her music, but they seem to work well, especially since the country is going through a trying time.

Another recent change Del Rey made in her album is the decision to feature other artists such as A$AP ROCKY, Stevie Nicks, Sean Ono Lennon, Playboy Carti and The Weeknd. A$AP ROCKY and Del Rey may seem like an unconventional team, but somehow, they succeed to make their voices flow together with modern sounds to create the tracks “Summer Bummer” and “Groupie Love.” Although the features were out of the ordinary for Del Rey, they worked well for an album that feels more open and inviting than the others.

Overall, the album is a journey of self-realization of one’s worth as well as a journey to freedom. Each song is a story of the struggle to recover from heartache, whether it be from a lover or from the world, and still trying to hold on to hope that life will get better. Ending the album with the track “Get Free,” in which Del Rey sings about wanting to leave behind a dark past and move on to a brighter future, only shows that after experiencing pain, loneliness and heartbreak, she has finally found the path to freedom.

The Web's Largest Resource for

Music, Songs & Lyrics

A Member Of The STANDS4 Network

Our awesome collection of

Promoted Songs

Get promoted 

Quiz

Are you a music master?

Complete the lyrics: "The sun goes down, the... ".

a side is also good, but it's really a bunch of window dressings that are not needed and distract and detract from the immediacy of the soulful message, conviction of the lyrics, and power of the melody (3.5)

As evident in 2014’s Ultraviolence and 2017’s Lust for Life, Lana Del Rey has come a long way in both her artistic style and thematic content.

Written by Ariana Pleasure

Illustrated by Caitlin Rounds

Since her debut album Born to Die (2012), Lana’s fan base has grown immensely, comprised largely of young women who sit on the edge of their seats in anticipation, wondering what music she will put out next. Her music and its content have caught headlines, criticism, and praise, but to Lana, it isn’t just about pleasing her audience. Her music is something she uses to honestly communicate her feelings about love and life, and just as her feelings have changed, so has her music changed throughout the various stages in her career.

Notable changes are seen in Lana’s artistry by looking specifically at her albums Ultraviolence (2014) and Lust for Life (2017). You might find yourself crying on your bedroom floor to both albums, but for entirely different reasons.

Photo courtesy of Interscope Records

“Ultraviolence,” the song for which her sophomore album is named, is a clear indicator of Lana’s mindset at the time of writing the record. In the song, she sings “he hit me and it felt like a kiss.” To put it simply, this lyric caught a lot of attention, as the poetic comparison of being hit and being kissed does not go unnoticed. Many felt that it was an attempt to romanticize a physically abusive relationship. Lana recently reflected in a 2018 interview with NPR how the song and its worrisome content came from her lack of reference for what a healthy relationship looks like, but she’s recognizes her growth by noting the lyric is no longer comfortable for her to sing.

Lana giving a lot more to the relationship than her significant other seems to be a major theme in Ultraviolence. The unbalanced power structure that is present in her relationship haunts her and created the album. She may constantly be singing “love” throughout the album but ties her indifference to the lyrics to tell the audience that it could all be so much better. Songs such as “West Coast” and “Shades of Cool” describe Lana’s infatuation with her man while also hinting at her insecurities within the relationship. “Sad Girl” and “Cruel World,” on the other hand, more explicitly tell her audienced how love has caused her harm instead of good.

Lana sings her worries and sorrows about her relationships, describing how she seems stuck and unsure how to move on. In some ways, with how deeply she describes her unhealthy relationships, “Ultraviolence” seems like a cry for help and a wish for something better. This desire for more out of her life is what led to her latest album.

Just take a look at the cover art for Lust for Life and you will undoubtedly notice the difference between her past albums and this one. We are used to seeing a pouty-faced, moody Lana (which we still love) on the front cover. Here, Lana instead graced her fans with a smiling face and flowers in her hair on an album that showcases her personal growth.

Photo courtesy of Interscope Records

“Love,” the first track off Lust for Life, sets the tone for the record with glimpses and messages of a hopeful and more positive relationship than what the listener observed in Ultraviolence. The lyric “to be young and in love” showcases the beauty and significance of being enthralled with someone. Her voice is the same as it has been in previous albums, but this time, there’s a certain lightness in her singing. Combined with the sweet-sounding instrumentals, the song calls to mind a sense of all the good times that a healthy relationship can bring.

Despite beginning on a light-hearted note, the album still has a sense of heartbreak woven throughout. However, the memories of hard times are overshadowed by the overwhelming message of focusing on yourself and moving forward. Even when Lana expresses her deep feelings of solitude and heartache, her lyrics share her desire for something better and healthier. She may not have had the best or easiest of relationships in the past, but she clearly wants more and better for herself. These feelings created Lust for Life and the positive, loving album it is.

In “Get Free,” she discusses the newest chapter of her life and moving on from the “black” or darkness she knows all too well and into the “blue,” which holds so much more than she ever imagined. “Get Free” is the last song on the record which seems to be appropriately placed, as Lana clearly tells her audience where she is in her life’s journey.

Lana’s personal growth since stepping onto the music scene in 2012 is, and will continue to be, stunning to witness. She sets an example of what it means to be a new woman. This doesn’t mean that her darker and more mysterious self was invalid in any way –– it just means that there are always brighter days to come.

So what should we expect from Lana next? It wouldn't be a Lana album without some heart-tugging lyrics that take on the more melancholy of life’s circumstances, but moving forward, we can expect more light-heartedness as she continues to move into the blue.

What does out of the black into the blue mean?

How old is Lana Del Rey?

Who Are Amy and Whitney?