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"Arcadia" is a song by Lana Del Rey, from her eighth studio album and seventh major-label studio album Blue Banisters. It features writing and production credits from Drew Erickson and was released as a single on September 8, 2021.

Background[]

Del Rey posted a snippet of the song to her social media accounts on July 3, 2021, with the caption, "Album out later later... Single out soonish."[1][dead link]

The title of the song was discovered through the copyright system on YouTube by fans uploading the snippet.

On September 3, 2021, Del Rey posted the single cover on her Instagram account and revealed that the song would be released the following Wednesday, September 8. One day later a short new video snippet followed.

The version officially released on streaming services has a noticeably different instrumental than the version heard in the accompanying music video.

In an Instagram live on October 22, Del Rey revealed that the song originated as a poem. She then said that she may still consider putting the poem in her upcoming poetry book, Behind the Iron Gates - Insights from an Institution. She also noted it was written in a motel after a breakup with a boyfriend, and it is her favorite track on Blue Banisters.

The existence of a demo of the song was revealed on September 1, 2022, when it was listed for sale alongside "Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd" and "Fingertips", however it was later discovered that the final version of the song was misidentified as a demo.

Music video[]

Music video Information
Lana_Del_Rey_-_Arcadia_(Official_Video) Released September 8, 2021
Length 5:45
Director None
Producer
Filmed 2021
Location
Vevo views 10 Million views
Music video Information
Lana_Del_Rey_-_Arcadia_(Alternate_Video) Released October 7, 2021
Length 4:24
Director
Producer
Filmed 2021
Location
Vevo views 3.3 Million views

Background[]

To tease the release of the song and music video, Del Rey shared three snippets on Twitter and Instagram: on July 3 and September 4 and 7, 2021 (the latter one being a silent clip). The official video was released on September 8, 2021, and features both "Arcadia" and "Interlude - The Trio". The same day, on Twitter, Del Rey stated that the video was "directed by nobody", and thanked "Charles Grant and Chris Ripley for their camera work".[2]

On October 7, 2021, an alternate one-shot music video was released without prior announcement.

Cross-references[]

Official versions[]

Lyrics[]

My body is a map of L.A.
I stand straight like an angel with a halo
Hangin' out the Hilton Hotel window
Screamin', "Hey, you, baby, let's go"

My chest, the Sierra Madre
My hips, every high and byway that you
Trace with your fingertips like a Toyota
Run your hands over me like a Land Rover

In Arcadia, Arcadia
All roads that lead to you as integral to me as arteries
That pump the blood that flows straight to the heart of me
America, America
I can't sleep at home tonight, send me a Hilton Hotel
Or a cross on the hill, I'm a lost little girl
Findin' my way to ya
Arcadia

My body is a map of L.A.
And my heart is like paper, I hate ya
I'm not from the land of the palms, so I know I can't stay here
I'm not native

My curves, San Gabriel all day
My lips, like the fire licks the bay
If you think that you know yourself, you can come over
And lay your hands on me like you're a Land Rover

In Arcadia, Arcadia
All roads that lead to you as integral to me as arteries
That get the blood flowing straight to the heart of me
America, I need a miracle
I can't sleep at home tonight, send me a Hilton Hotel
Or a cross on the hill, I'm a lost little girl
Findin' my way to ya
Arcadia

They built me up 300 feet tall just to tear me down
So I'm leavin' with nothing but laughter in this town
Arcadia
Findin' my way to ya
I'm leavin' them as I was, five foot eight
Western belt, plus the hate that they gave
By the way, thanks for that
On the way, I'll pray for ya
But you'll need a miracle
America

Credits[]

Personnel[3]
  • Lana Del Rey — vocals, songwriting, production, horn arrangement, string arrangement
  • Drew Erickson — songwriting, production, mixing, horn arrangement, string arrangement, organ, piano, synthesizer
  • Dean Reid — engineering, mixing
  • Michael Harris — engineering, mixing
  • Adam Ayan — mastering engineering
  • Ben Fletcher — assistant recording engineering
  • Jon Sher — assistant recording engineering
  • Jacob Braun — cello
  • Dan Fornero — trumpet
  • Dan Rosenboom — trumpet
  • Wayne Bergeron — trumpet
  • Blake Cooper — tuba
  • Zach Dellinger — viola
  • Andrew Bulbrook — violin
  • Wynton Grant — violin

Gallery[]

Recording session[]

On October 2, 2021, Rob Grant shared on his Instagram and Twitter accounts a picture of the recording session of the horns section for "Arcadia".[4][5]

Artwork[]

Charts[]

Chart (2021) Peak
position
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[6] 21
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[7] 40

References[]

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