Bel Air (song)

Lana Del Rey Writer(s) Lana Del Rey Dan Heath Producer(s) Dan Heath Recorded 2012 Length 3:57 From Single(s) "Ride" Promotional single(s) "Blue Velvet" "Burning Desire" Paradise track listing "Yayo" "Burning Desire"

"Bel Air" is a song written by Lana Del Rey and co-written and produced by Dan Heath. It is the closing track of her third EP, and second major-label release, Paradise.

Writing and inspiration

"Bel Air" was recorded during the sessions for Paradise. Lyrically, it references many topics that previously appeared in Del Rey's music, such as roses, palm trees, and heaven. It also references the Los Angeles neighbourhood Bel-Air.

Composition and recording

The song is an airy ballad, the prototypical sound used throughout Del Rey's career. It begins with sounds of children playing overlapped with a light piano accompaniment. Del Rey's vocals begin softly, and melodically build throughout the composition of the song. Light percussion is heard during the choruses, featuring multiple layers of Del Rey's vocals, performed in a higher pitch than previously heard on her work on Born to Die. The song ends with a fade out of the sound of the children. The song was recorded at Electric Lemon Studios and Westlake Studios in Los Angeles, California, and it was mixed at House of Blues Studios in Los Angeles, California.

Critical reception

Canada.com reviewer Leah Collins called "Bel Air" an Enya-channeled, eerie waltz. Conversely, The Huffington Post dismissed both "Bel Air" and "Yayo" as Paradise's "filler tracks". Dissatisfied with other songs on Paradise, Digital Spy said, on "Bel Air", Del Rey finally gets it right, calling the song "a snowy, Tim Burton-inspired ballad".

Official versions

• Album version — 3:57
  • Instrumental version — 3:51

Music video

Original music video

Music video	Information
	Released	November 8, 2012
	Length	4:07
	Director	Kyle Newman Spencer Susser
	Producer	Tova Dann
	Filmed	April/May 2012
	Location	Los Angeles, CA
	Vevo views	N/A

Background

During the filming for "Summertime Sadness", Del Rey recorded extra footage that would later be used for the Paradise trailer. The excess footage was also used to construct the video for "Bel Air". The video was privatized in February, 2013, for unexplained reasons although unofficial uploads still exist around the web.

Description

The video shows Del Rey, enrobed in a white gown, spinning and twirling slowly in a blanket of fog. The desaturated shots are colored purple, blue, green, red, sepia, and classic black and white throughout the video. The video was released as a promotional supplement on November 8, 2012, a day before the release of Paradise. The description section of the video states - "i lost my reputation, i forgot my truth. But i have my beauty and i have my youth. Tropico the film, coming next year".

Tropico music video

Main article: Tropico (film)

Del Rey's short film, Tropico (released December 6, 2013), contains a second music video for "Bel Air", as part of the third and final chapter of Tropico titled Bel Air. It shows Del Rey and actor Shaun Ross dancing in a field as the sun sets.

Cross-references

• Lyrical mention of "Roses", an unreleased song and common theme in Del Rey's work.
• The phrase "palm trees in the light" is reminiscent of themes in "Jump". Palm trees are also mentioned in the concept demo for "Heavy Hitter".
• "Gargoyles, standing, at the front of your gate; trying to tell me to wait" is a similar lyric to "I'm hoping at the gates they'll tell me that you're mine" from "Born to Die"
• Doing something like a child/baby is also mentioned in "Young & Beautiful", "Let Me Love You like a Woman" and "American".
• Heaven is also mentioned in "Yes to Heaven", "Television Heaven", "You & Me", "Match Made in Heaven", among many other song and poems.

Official versions

• Album version — 3:57
• Instrumental version — 3:51

Lyrics

Gargoyles standing at the front of your gate
Trying to tell me to wait but I can’t wait to see you
So I run like a child to heaven’s door
I don’t wanna be bad, I won’t cheat you no more

Roses, Bel Air, take me there
I’ve been waiting to meet you
Palm trees in the light, I can see late at night
Darling, I’m waiting to greet you
Come to me, baby

Spotlight, bad baby, you’ve got a flair
For the violentest kind of love anywhere out there
Mon amour, sweet child of mine, you’re divine
Didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s okay to shine?

Roses, Bel Air, take me there
I’ve been waiting to meet you
Palm trees in the light, I can see late at night
Darling, I’m waiting to greet you
Come to me, baby

Don’t be afraid of me, don’t be ashamed
Walk in the way of my soft resurrection
Idol of roses, iconic soul, I know your name
Lead me to war with your brilliant direction

Roses, Bel Air, take me there
I’ve been waiting to meet you
Palm trees in the light, I can see late at night
Darling, I’m waiting to greet you
Come to me, baby

Roses, Bel Air, take me there
I’ve been waiting to meet you
Grenadine, sunshine, anything, son of mine
Darling, I’m waiting to greet you
Come to me, baby

Credits

Personnel

• Lana Del Rey — vocals, backing vocals, songwriting
• Dan Heath — songwriting, production, engineering, strings, piano
• Kathleen Sloan & Songa Lee — violins
• Tucker Robinson & Nikki Calvert — engineering
• Jeff Rothschild — mixing
• Peter Stanislaus — mix engineer
• John Davis — mastering

Charts

Chart (2012)	Peak position
France (SNEP)	109
UK (Official Charts Company)	184
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)	50