Born To Die by Lana Del Rey

by Lana Fleischli

Lana Del Rey’s breakout album came out 11 years ago on January 30th, 2011. It’s not an “oldie” by any means, but I had just turned six when this album came out, so for me, there is some nostalgia. Over the years, Born To Die has been an album that I would just put on every once in a while. Recently, my friend and I spent a full morning and car ride playing Born To Die. We spent time talking about how Lana Del Rey gets criticism for glamorizing abuse, or how she really does write about “first world problems,” or at least only issues that highly privileged have to deal with to an extent; however, we both landed on the conclusion that regardless of what she writes about, she pulls the listener in, at least from my experience, makes one feel the pain that she is in. We also both agreed that her music is great. 

Then the question dawned on me, “Why have I never written about Born To Die?” So here I am writing about it. 

In Born To Die, Lana Del Rey explores the very Gossip Girl-esque world of the wealthy and the privileged. The album paints the world of a young woman rebel as she takes the listener through different phases of her youth. She talks about a toxic relationship that tends to streamline throughout the album. She sings about the crowd she hung out with and the teenage rebellious antics that she was a part of until she got sent away. Overall, a major theme throughout the album is her struggle with mental health and acceptance. To me, this factor is likely why so many people of different backgrounds still resonate with the album. It is the uniting factor.

One of my favorites on the album is the song “This Is What Makes Us Girls.” She paints a world in this song of the people that she was around. It is the story of young women getting pulled into tricky situations until they can’t get out. It’s a reflection of those rebellious years of being young, but also a reflection of what happens when it goes too far. By the end of the song, she sings about getting sent away. As a listener we can assume it is because of her antics; however, I wonder if she gets sent away to rehab or something like that for an addiction? The ending of the songs provokes a sense of extreme loneliness and lack of comfort. I think it is because she isn’t just moving away, but really was struggling with something and had to leave. 

“Off To The Races” is where this toxic relationship starts. You can hear her obsessiveness over her “old man” and she talks about how he isn’t really a good person. The songs raises a few questions about the stability of her life in this relationship. 

“Diet Mountain Dew” also exposes her obsession with this guy. She asks if they will “be in love forever?” It is a sign at least to me that she doesn’t feel fully wanted. In the same way “National Anthem” provokes a similar reaction. She begs this guy to worship her in the same way that she worships him, but he doesn’t see her the way she wants him to.

I would be remiss if I didn’t write about “Summertime Sadness.” All of the songs show a negative and lonely world that Lana sings about living in, but “Summertime Sadness” says it in the title. “Born To Die” also has a very dark title, and in the song, she sings about her view of the world and it sets the tone for the album by outlining her dark outlook on the world. Lastly, Lana Del Rey’s album Born To Die is very well done from a musical standpoint. I love hearing her make callbacks to the “red dress” in her lyrics, or hearing the same sample in one song and in another. It is very smart and I love it. 

Lana Del Rey’s Born To Die offers a look into a glamorous world while also exposing some not-so-glamorous things. She talks about love and loss and all of the pain. As a listener, we can hear that.