"Bartender" is a song by Lana Del Rey from her sixth studio album Norman Fucking Rockwell!.
Background
Del Rey first mentioned the song on January 28, 2018, while being interviewed by Pitchfork at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in New York City. When Pitchfork asked Del Rey "what's coming next?", she responded saying "I've got a couple of other tracks. I've got this weird track called 'Bartender' that doesn't belong to a record yet" and mentioned that she wishes to create a music video for the song.[1]
On July 31, 2019, Del Rey confirmed that the song would be released on her then-upcoming album, Norman Fucking Rockwell!, when she revealed the album artwork and tracklist.
Music video
The track will be part of a 3-part music video with "Norman Fucking Rockwell" and "Happiness Is a Butterfly", as revealed by Del Rey on September 3, 2019. It was shot and directed by Chuck Grant in 2018, and will be released in October 2019.
Live performances
"Bartender" is featured on the setlist of the Norman Fucking Rockwell Tour, played after "Norman Fucking Rockwell". Del Rey performed it live for the first time on September 21, 2019 at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York.
Cross-references
- Both the canyon and Del Rey's truck are mentioned in "Happiness Is a Butterfly".
- Long Beach, California is also referenced in "The Greatest" and "Doin' Time".
- Bacardi is also mentioned in "Off to the Races", "Girl That Got Away", and "Noir".
- Wine is also mentioned in "Cherry", "Tomorrow Never Came", "Drive By", "Every Man Gets His Wish", and "Dance for Money".
- Cherry-flavored Coca-Cola is also mentioned in "Serial Killer", "Florida Kilos", and "Last Girl on Earth".
- The keys are also mentioned in "Hope Is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman like Me to Have – but I Have It".
Lyrics
All the ladies of the canyon
Wearing black to their house parties
Crosby, Stills and Nash is playing
Wine is flowing with Bacardi
But sometimes girls just want to have fun
The poetry inside of me is warm like a gun
I bought me a truck in the middle of the night
It'll buy me a year if I play my cards right
Photo free exits from baby's bedside
'Cause they don't yet know what car I drive
I'm just try'na keep my love alive
With my bartender, hold me all night
Bartender, our love's alive
Baby, remember, I'm not drinking wine
But the cherry coke you serve is fine
And our love's sweet enough on the vine
Bartender, bar-t-t-tender
All the ladies of the canyon
Wearing white for their tea parties
Playing games of levitation
Meditating in the garden
And I love the little games that we play
From the valley to the beach
And when at last the day is done, I grab my keys
I bought me a truck in the middle of the night
It'll buy me a year if I play my cards right
Photo free exits from baby's bedside
'Cause they don't yet know what car I drive
I'm just try'na keep my love alive
With my bartender, hold me all night
Bartender, our love's alive
Baby, remember, I'm not drinking wine
But the cherry coke you serve is fine
And our love's sweet enough on the vine
Bar-t-t-tender, bar-t-t-tender
Bar-t-t-tender, ha-ha-ha-ha
I bought me a truck in the middle of the night
60mph, on PCH drive,
Head to Long Beach to Newport by your side
As they don't yet know where I reside
60 miles from the last place I hide
With my bar-t-t-tender, hold me all night,
Bar-t-t-tender, keep love alive
Bar-t-t-tender
Credits
- Personnel
- Lana Del Rey — songwriting, vocals, production
- Rick Nowels — songwriting, production, piano
- Kieron Menzies — engineering, mixing
- Dean Reid — mixing
- Chris Gehringer — mastering
- Technical
- Published by R-Rated Music (GMR) administered by Universal Music Works
- Mastered at Sterling Sound
