"Because of You" is an unreleased song by Lana Del Rey, produced by Sacha Skarbek in 2011. It is generally considered to be an outtake from the Born to Die sessions. The song is registered to ISWC,[1] BMI,[2] ASCAP,[3] and HFA.[4]
Background[]
The song was uploaded to SoundCloud around nine months prior to it being publicly discovered on June 9, 2014. The original file leaked on May 15, 2016; the title of the file, "Because Of You 260911", suggests its recording date. An alternate version of the song has also been rumored to exist.[S 1]
Del Rey acknowledged the song during an Instagram livestream on October 20, 2017. Del Rey saw and read aloud a comment asking her to sing the track, to which she pointedly replied, "how do you even know that song?".[5]
Composition[]
The song is in 6/8, similar to "Million Dollar Man" and "Shades of Cool". It is composed in the key of C minor, at a tempo of approximately 72 beats per minute.
Cross-references[]
- Direct references to "Roses" and "Millionaire".
- L.A. is mentioned in "1949", "Birds of a Feather", "Never Let Me Go", and "Off to the Races", among others.
- Del Rey also sings about having roses in her hair in "Last Girl on Earth". She sings about having flowers in her hair in "Caught You Boy", "Damn You", and "Millionaire", and mentions a flower crown in "Dragonslayer".
- Del Rey calls herself a beauty queen in "You're Gonna Love Me", "Is It Wrong", "Queen of Disaster", "Pink Champagne", and "This Is What Makes Us Girls".
- True love is also mentioned in "Ultraviolence", "True Love on the Side", "Off to the Races", "Resistance", "I Talk to Jesus", and "Bad Boy".
- Summer is also mentioned in "Summer Bummer", "Summer of Sam", "Salvatore", "Shades of Cool", and "Summertime Sadness", among many other songs.
- The lyric "we dance like nobody is watching us" is similar to the title of "Dance Nobody's Watching".
- The lyric "you know what I'm talking about" also appears in "The Next Best American Record".
Lyrics[]
On the streets of L.A., where the future is now
We dance like nobody is watching us
And we live like we want to
But it can all get a little crazy
Unless there's something to hold onto
For me, that was true love
I was a young girl, selfish and wild
Like a fire in L.A.
Hot like the summer and mean like a child
Who keeps crying 'til she gets her way
(Like a true star)
There were roses in my hair
Rock 'n' roll on blare
And I was in trouble
No one could rock me like you could
I was a bad girl gone good
Look at me now, I have everything
You gave to me and my heart can sing
I was a kid who could only dream
Dance on tables, makin' deals with devils
Like a drunk beauty queen
Fighting the fantasy, hooked on the scene
And it brought me to my knees
And it's all because of you
(You know what I'm talkin' about)
It was a mad world, we lived for fun
And we got shit for free
Had a face like an angel, but inside my heart
Was as black as a broke movie screen
(It was pretty sad)
But then I saw you standin' there like a millionaire
Give me your number
Call me before I get stupid
Make me un-crazy, like you did
Look at me now, I have everything
You gave to me and my heart can sing
I was a kid who could only dream
Dance on tables, makin' deals with devils
Like a drunk beauty queen
Fighting the fantasy, hooked on the scene
But you brought me to my knees
And it's all because of you
It isn't hard to see you've got a hold on me
Give me your money, love me to death
Talk like a baby 'cause I'm so elated
You tell me that I ain't seen nothin' quite yet
I don't wanna lose it
I'm in love but I didn't choose it
Roses in my hair, dancin' in the air
Feels like I'm flyin'
Tell me you love me, boy, do it
It's just like I thought, I just knew it
Look at me now, I have everything
You gave to me and my heart can sing
I was a kid who could only dream
Dance on tables, makin' deals with devils
Like a drunk beauty queen
Fighting the fantasy, hooked on the scene
You bring me to my knees
And it's all because of you
Yeah, it's all because of you