"1949" is an unreleased song by Lana Del Rey. The song is speculated to have been written and recorded by Del Rey in 2008. The song leaked on July 1, 2012. It is partly a demo for "Every Man Gets His Wish". A studio version was leaked on May 11, 2016. This version abruptly cuts off at the end of the track and while it may be an extended snippet, it is also possible that the recording was never finished.
Cross-references
- The chorus of the song is reused in full in "Every Man Gets His Wish".
- A reference to going to K-Mart to buy lip gloss is found in "On Our Way".
- References to Pontiacs are found in "Axl Rose Husband" and "Diet Mountain Dew".
- References to motels are found in the titles "Motel 6" and "Mermaid Motel", as well as in the lyrics of "Trash Magic", "Kinda Outta Luck", "Gods & Monsters", and the second version of "Come When You Call Me America".
- Cadillacs are also referenced in "Jump" and "Back to tha Basics".
- Alabama is referenced in the demo of "Trash Magic".
- The reference to a "icy stare" is similar to the "prostitute state" in "Disco".
- The song itself is heavily referential of the plot of the novel Lolita.
- The line "flower motel nation/motel flower nation" is similar to "pretty party nation" from "Gramma (Blue Ribbon Sparkler Trailer Heaven)".
Lyrics
Studio version
Carry me up them stairs with my white socks on
And my pretty song
You like my blue nail polish
"What is all this?" you said of the mess upstairs
"Don't be scared."
Daddy dearest, you know how I like to take trips
Pops first stops at the K-Mart, buy me my peach lip gloss
Cigarettes and lollipops for our trip across the USA
We're gonna party like it's 1949
We're in the Pontiac from July to July
Gonna see it all before he says goodbye
Gonna party like it's 1949
Carry me up the stairs with my white socks on
And my blonde hair long
You like my pin-up bodice and the solace
That comes with the midnight air
And my icy stare
It's the clearest when it's me and him alone
He stops, he talks about all the ways he used to (indistinguishable)
Dinerettes and soda pops for our trip across the USA
We're gonna party like it's 1949
We're in the Pontiac from July to July
Gonna see it all before he says goodbye
Gonna party like it's 1949
Daddy likes Blackpool Pleasure Beach and road stops
Me, I like the Swiss Alps, souvenir gift shops
Late night midnight radio show talks
Him and me, a big jailbreak
Ponytail and lollipops, dinerettes and soda pops
New blue bathing suit, ruched tops and Cadillacs
Blue lake, Carter Docks, hopscotch, hot talk
Alabama hard knocks, motel brass locks
Acoustic demo
Carry me up them stairs with my white socks on
And my pretty song
You like my blue nail polish
"What is all this?" you said
"The mess upstairs, don't be scared."
Daddy dearest, you know how I like to take trips
Pops, first stop at the K-Mart, buy me my peach lip gloss
Cigarettes and lollipops, Mad Magazines, and white socks
All in your car for our trip across the USA
We gonna party like it's 1949
We in the Pontiac from July to July
It's a flower motel nation
Day and night on our last vacation
We gonna see it all before we say goodbye
Daddy likes Blackpool Pleasure Beach and road stops
Baby likes the Swiss Alps, souvenir gift shops
Late night midnight radio show talks
Daddy, baby, big jailbreak
Ponytail and lollipops, dinerettes and soda pops
New blue bathing suit, ruched tops and Cadillacs
Blue LA Carter Docks, hopscotch, shit talk
Alabama hard knocks, motel brass locks
We gonna party like it's 1949
We in the Pontiac from July to July
It's a motel flower nation
Day and night on our last vacation
We gonna see it all before he says goodbye