Born to Die by Lana Del Rey | Album Review
Contemplating mortality might just lead to something greater.
Although not on the album, Lana Del Rey’s single “Young and Beautiful,” written for the Great Gatsby (2013) soundtrack, captures the essence of her debut Born to Die. Its sense of desire, that most stars would convey with doe-eyed admiration instead of cynicism on a debut album, comes coupled with a contemplation of mortality: “Will you still love me/when I’m no longer young and beautiful?” Del Rey doesn’t need catchy, syllable-matching rhymed phrases to place her doomed romances in the pop cannon. Instead, shes embodies a damned femme-fatale to attract and redirect public ire on her own terms.
Del Rey’s penchant for debauchery comes through on “Off to the Races,” where Del Rey juxtaposes her love for a man with the superficiality of their pursuits, saying, “facing time at Riker’s island/and I won’t get out.” But the knowledge of her fate doesn’t stop her from engaging in self-gratifying behavior: “cases of Bicardi chasers/chasing me all over town.” The one thing that Del Rey really chases is love, but because it comes in such an unscrupulous package, it always seems to elude her.
