Released: 2012
Born To Die by Lana Del Rey is a deep dive into love’s complexity, the inevitability of death, and the rollercoaster of emotions in between. It’s a hauntingly beautiful song that mixes the thrill of love with the reality that all things end.
The opening lines set a tone of determination mixed with a sense of doom. When Lana says, “Feet don’t fail me now,” she’s pumping herself up, ready to face whatever comes her way. The line “But I’m hoping at the gates, they’ll tell me that you’re mine,” suggests she’s looking forward to an afterlife where she hopes to be reunited with her lover, indicating a deep connection that she believes transcends life itself.
The chorus “Don’t make me sad, don’t make me cry” touches on the emotional highs and lows of love. Lana understands that love isn’t always enough to smooth over the rough patches (“Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough, I don’t know why“). Yet, she asks for laughter and lightness to make the journey bearable. The invitation to “come and take a walk on the wild side” and the imagery of a hard kiss in the pouring rain evoke a sense of living life to the fullest, despite the challenges.
Lana often contrasts her feelings of uncertainty and fear with moments of clarity and acceptance. “Lost, but now I am found,” she reflects on her growth from confusion to self-awareness. However, the repeated line “‘Cause you and I, we were born to die” serves as a stark reminder that life’s impermanence is the only certainty we have, emphasizing the song’s theme of mortality.
Throughout Born To Die, Lana Del Rey invites listeners into a world where love is intoxicating and overwhelming, yet inevitably intertwined with the knowledge that everything ends. Her message is clear: the beauty of life and love is made all the more precious by their fleeting nature. It’s a bitter-sweet symphony of embracing the moment, knowing well it won’t last forever.
