Mermaid Muses: Mermaid Music with Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey the Queen

Have I ever mentioned how obsessed I am with Lana Del Rey? I am obsessed. In fact, my college decision may or may not have been just slightly influenced by her. She is one of my favorite artists, and her music has accompanied me during my best and my worst. I met her music when I was a junior in high school, and was intrigued by the hype about her on tumblr. This was around the time "Born to Die" music video was released featuring her in her iconic white gown and her rose crown. Initially, I wasn't sold. There was something dull about it, and the song seemed far too dark for my taste. However, Senior year, I listened to "Diet Mtn Dew" on my friend's playlist and I loved it. I couldn't believe this was the same artist who sang such slow, sultry songs. I looked up her songs and I recognized her amazing ability to change the pitch of her voice drastically, and just make melodies that humans have never heard before. It's hard to describe her. She's a mermaid. A siren. An angel. A goddess. She's an artist. She can create such diverse sounds with her voice, and her music is full of melancholy, sultriness, pleasure, and otherworldliness. And just to mention, she is beyond gorgeous. With wavy locks that even mermaids will be jealous of, broody bedroom eyes, kissable lips, and the body of a Greek goddess, she's one beauty queen. I honestly don't know what genre to peg her under. I feel like the music she makes can only be described as "mermaid". She infuses many different kinds of musical vibes including swing, jazz, pop, (dare I say even) rap, psychedelic rock, indie, baroque pop with a healthy dose of dreaminess into the songs she creates. Literally, I call this genre "mermaid" on my playlists. (The only artist who I have given that honor as well is Florence and the Machine.) With a penchant for mentioning daddy (and we're not talking about her biological dad), cola, lolita references, California (Yes! California represent!), and pop culture references from the 50s and 60s, listening to her music is a surreal and unique experience that leaves you feeling like a seductive siren or a magical manic pixie princess.
Not only is her music perfect to listen to while cruising down the PCH or just chilling in my best friend's room, honestly, her music is one of the greatest sources of comfort and company in my solitude or sadness. Just yesterday, I was feeling blue and listening to "Honeymoon", Lana Del Rey's latest release, kept me from losing my mind. Her voice is magnetic and soothing, and it's far more fun to fantasize what she means by this and that rather than focusing on what hurt me. More on "Honeymoon", I honestly didn't have high expectations for the song after reading the lyrics she posted on Instagram. It seemed pretentious in a way and very faux-artistic; the lines didn't add up to anything significant. (Why does she keep mentioning dark blue? What is honey dew?) It all seemed elusive, and the deeper meaning behind the lyrics (if there are any) were lost to me and seemingly only visible to her. Plus, a good portion of the song was just the words "honeymoon" repeated over and over again. I know that a lot of her songs are like this and I do enjoy them, but I never really realized how simple her lyrics could be until I actually took the time to read them over. My expectations didn't grow any higher when I listened to the teaser she posted on Instagram. But as usual, her songs usually hold a pleasant surprise where I fall under her spell. For "Honeymoon", that moment was right when she starts singing,
"There are violets in your eyes, there are guns that blaze around you. There are roses in between my thighs and fire that surrounds you. It's no wonder every man in town had neither fought nor found you."
Holy shit. That part is heavenly. Pure magic. This slow and sad song just completely metamorphosed into this wide ranging, gorgeous sounding work of art. I was stunned. I listened to that part on repeat. When listening to "Honeymoon", I highly recommend blasting it in your car or listening to it with your earphones, loud. That way, you can hear all the details far clearer and it truly matters. Without a doubt, Honeymoon will be listened on repeat for at least a week before I get tired of it.
After listening to "Honeymoon", I just had to re-listen to all her songs I can get my hands on and let me tell you, she has made lots and lots of songs beyond the ones that she released into albums. Even as a huge fan, there are still many songs of hers that I have yet heard. I have noticed that the songs that feature in her album are more of the "seductive siren" vibe that really highlights longing, desire, romance, and mystery. Her more popular songs such as "Born to Die", "Video Games", "Blue Jeans" all have her singing in a very deep, haunting voice. However, the unreleased ones tend to have a far more playful vibe that suits the "magical manic pixie princess" side of her. My favorites would have to include "Teenage Wasteland (Prom Song Gone Wrong)", "Queen of Disaster", and "TV in Black and White".
From the unreleased songs that I've been listening to, "Because of You" is currently my favorite song. There's a playful energy to the song, and something quite giddy and glamorous about it. This is one of those songs of her's where I feel like she's feeling nostalgic about her past love but in a happy way. As though she's looking back at these moments fondly and living in that moment. While her other songs that are nostalgic are brooding and sad, songs like "Because of You" and "Lucky Ones" really seem to reflect how much she enjoyed whatever she was in. I can totally picture her dancing at a club before noticing a man looking like a millionaire and approaching him all seductively and asking for his number "before she turns stupid" (she sounds so cute when she says this!). I can totally just see her rolling her body and staring at him playfully on top of a piano or like tossing her hair and grinning with this mischievous glint in her eye. Another song that I found relatively recently that I ADORE of her's is "Playing Dangerous". She is such a babe. Just listen to the lyrics. If I was the cop she was flirting with I'm sure I'd be wrapped around her fingers like a tangled yoyo. It's really seductive and she's more talking than singing... it's almost like a chant mixed with rap. Then of course when she sings, she sings like an angel. Just listen to it. In fact, I'll add the link right here. You know what, I'm going to add a nice little playlist for you as well.
Since I feel like a lot of you who know Lana Del Rey are aware of songs I dub "sultry siren" because they are mostly in her released albums, I'm just going to recommend songs that have been unreleased or not as popular that hold the magical manic pixie princess vibe of her's that I appreciate. If you're completely new to Lana Del Rey and am still intrigued, I would say check out the more well known "Born to Die", "National Anthem", and "Ride". Ooh, and of course "Young and Beautiful". Some of her sultry siren songs that I'm super fond of are, "Black Beauty", "American", "Brooklyn Baby" and "Bel Air".

Lana Del Rey as Magical Manic Pixie Princess:

1. Paris

2. Queen of Disaster

3. Teenage Wasteland

4. TV in Black and White

5. Lolita

6. Serial Killer

7. Diet Mountain Dew

Estelle's favorites (excluding songs mentioned in previous playlist):

1. Black Beauty

2. Bel Air

3. Brooklyn Baby