"Alma Mater" (referred to as "Alma" and also released as "Alma Mater (from the day it was written") is a song by American band Bleachers featuring Lana Del Rey. The song was released on November 15, 2023, as the second single from the band's self-titled fourth album, released on March 8, 2024.
Background[]
Antonoff revealed the collaboration in an interview with The Face. He described it as "[slipping] between free-associative pop culture references and a joyride around a dreamworld version of New Jersey".[1]
A demo of the song known as "Alma Mater (from the day it was written)" was first released exclusively on the band's webstore exclusive vinyl, but was later released to streaming services on the deluxe version of the album. The song is referred to as "Alma Mater Demo" in the vinyl record's liner notes, and was written and produced without Patrik Berger.
Music video[]
| Music video | Information | |
|---|---|---|
|
Released | December 7, 2023 |
| Length | 3:51 | |
| Director | Alex Lockett | |
| Producer | ||
| Filmed | ||
| Location | New Jersey, U.S. | |
| Vevo views | 1+ million views | |
Official versions[]
- Single version — 3:30
- Alma Mater (from the day it was written) demo — 2:34
Lyrics[]
Single version[]
[Lana Del Rey]:
Baby, I want you
Test, test, test, test
Maybe like some of Jack's newer stuff?
One, two, one, two, one, two, one, two
[Jack Antonoff]:
She's my alma mater
Chasing lines all night, smoking me outta sight
Well, summer's getting hotter
Threw her t-shirt down the pike
Screaming, "Fuck Balenciaga" right past the Wawa
Threw on Heartattack and Vine
As she alligator cries
[Lana Del Rey]:
I'll make it darker
[Jack Antonoff]:
2003 sad all the time
Point the headlights flicker, dear
Drive by the old house, go for a beer
We're on the green or the movie theater
You're a movie to me, the way you move around me
She's my alma mater
Well, summer's getting hotter
Threw her t-shirt down the pike
Some dreams I wake up thinkin' 'bout
Some dreams are meant to die
Kill your idols in the street outside in daylight
'Cause if we walk, we'll get high tonight
Shoulder to the wheel tonight
Joke about blowing town tonight
Until we drive past my alma mater
She's my alma mater
Chasing lines all night, smoking me outta sight
Well, summer's getting hotter
Threw her t-shirt down the pike
Screaming, "Fuck Balenciaga" right past the Wawa
Threw on Heartattack and Vine
As she alligator cries
[Lana Del Rey]:
I'll make it darker
Alma Mater (from the day it was written) demo[]
[Lana Del Rey]:
One, two, one, two, one, two
[Jack Antonoff & Lana Del Rey]:
Alma mater all the time
Some like it hotter and hotter
But Jenny and I just like it darker and darker (Darker and darker)
(Fuck, oh, I have autotune, too)
Mm, alma mater, ooh (No, one)
Don't wanna wake up
We get high when we walk outside (My alma mater)
We get slow when we take a ride
We got dreams we don't care about, man
But, oh, babe
Some dreams I wake up thinkin' 'bout
Some dreams are meant to die
Kill your light from there and myself in the cold inside (Myself in the dead of night)
Yeah, we walk, we get high tonight (Some dreams are meant to die)
When we walk, we get high tonight
Talkin' 'bout blowin' town tonight (But who am I? Who am I?)
[?] alma mater
Take me higher, take me softer (Higher, take me higher)
All our friends, they drive, they like it hotter
But, me and Jenny, we just want it darker and darker (And Jenny, we just want it darker and darker)
[Lana Del Rey]:
My alma mater, our friends want it hotter
Me and Jenny, we just want it darker and darker
I'm [?]
Whatever, whatever
[Jack Antonoff & Lana Del Rey]:
Alma mater, ooh
Don't wanna wake up
We get high when we walk outside (Mm)
We get slow when we take a ride
We got dreams we don't care about, man (Ooh)
But, oh, babe (Ooh)
Some dreams I wake up thinkin' 'bout
Some dreams are meant to die (Some dreams are meant to die)
Kill your light from there and myself in the cold inside (That's my alibi)
Yeah, we walk, we get high tonight (Oh)
When we walk, we get high tonight
Talkin' 'bout blowin' town tonight (Who am I? Who am I?)
[?] alma mater
Take me higher, take me softer (My alma mater)
All our friends, they drive, they like it hotter
But, me and Jenny, we just want it darker and darker (Me and Jenny, we just want it darker and darker)
[Lana Del Rey]:
Baby, I want you, so make it hotter
Credits[]
Personnel[a]
- Jack Antonoff — songwriting, production, mixing, programming, vocals, drums, Juno, Moog, Mellotron, acoustic guitar, electric guitars, Polysix, bells, piano, M1, vocoders, percussion, upright bass, CP-80, whistle, glockenspiel, bass, cello
- Lana Del Rey — songwriting, vocals
- Patrik Berger — production, programming, backing vocals, CP-1, drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar, upright bass, Juno, Moog, Mellotron, accordion, bottle
- Evan Smith — programming, engineering assistance, backing vocals, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, Juno, synthesizers
- Mikey Freedom Hart — engineering assistance, backing vocals, Juno, B3 organ, piano, synthesizers, vibraphone, guitars, marimba, french horn, Fender Rhodes
- Sean "Hutch" Hutchinson — engineering assistance, backing vocals, drums, percussion, drum programming
- Michael "Riddles" Riddleberger — engineering assistance, backing vocals, drums, percussion
- Zem Audu — engineering assistance, backing vocals, saxophone, synthesizers
- Clairo — vocals
- Bartees Strange — backing vocals, electric guitars, electric guitar, drums, Moog, Polysix, M1
- Laura Sisk — mixing, engineering
- Oli Jacobs — engineering
- Jack Manning — engineering assistance
- Lauren Marquez — engineering assistance
- Jon Sher — engineering assistance
- Jesse Solon Snider — engineering assistance
- Rémy Dumelz — engineering assistance
- Joey Miller — engineering assistance
- Jozef Caldwell — engineering assistance
- Carl Bespolka — engineering assistance
- David Hart — engineering assistance
- Ruairí O'Flaherty — mastering
Technical
- Mastered at Nomograph Mastering, Los Angeles, U.S.
References[]
- ↑ D'Souza, Shaad (September 29, 2023). "Jack Antonoff: "I’ve never made anything hoping everyone would like it"". The Face. https://theface.com/music/jack-antonoff-interview-taylor-swift-bleachers-lana-del-rey-dirty-hit. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
Notes[]
- ↑ Adapted from the album's liner notes.