Brooklyn Baby (song)

Lana Del Rey
Writer(s)	Lana Del Rey Barrie James O'Neill
Producer(s)	Dan Auerbach
Length	5:51
From
Single(s)	"West Coast" "Ultraviolence" "Black Beauty"
Promotional single(s)	"Shades of Cool" "Ultraviolence" "Brooklyn Baby"
Ultraviolence track listing
"Shades of Cool"
"West Coast"

"Brooklyn Baby" is a song by Lana Del Rey. It was written by Del Rey and her boyfriend, Barrie James O'Neill, who is also featured in the final chorus. It is to be released on her second major-label studio album, Ultraviolence. The song was released as the third promotional single from the album on June 8, 2014, following "Shades of Cool" and "Ultraviolence".

Composition

"Brooklyn Baby" is a 5 minute 51 second long ballad playing at approximately 108 beats per minute in 4/4 and F minor. The song is influenced by rock and jazz - seen notably in the scatting that is present throughout the song. A plucky guitar riff is a prominent feature throughout the song and Del Rey's vocals are further backed by a bass line, drums and strings. Towards the end of the song, co-writer and boyfriend Barrie James O'Neill provides backing vocals although he is not a featured artist.

Background

On May 27, 2014, a snippet of the song was debuted alongside snippets of "Shades of Cool" and "Ultraviolence" in an iTunes exclusive promotional video. The video featured unused clips from the "West Coast" music video. Del Rey announced via Instagram that the track would serve as the third promotional single from Ultraviolence, coming out June 8.

Cross references

• The phrase "brooklyn baby" is featured in the song "True Love on the Side".
• Amphetamines are mentioned in the title of the song "Methamphetamines.
• Del Rey implies she is a jazz singer as she does in "Ultraviolence" and "Dum Dum".
• Del Rey's boyfriend being in a band is prevalent in her lyrics, such as in "Is It Wrong", "Match Made In Heaven" and "Big Bad Wolf" among others.

Lyrics

They say I'm too young to love you
I don't know what I need
They think I don't understand
The Freedomland of the 70s
 
I think I'm too cool to know ya
You say I'm like the ice I freeze
I'm churning out novels like
Beat poetry on amphetamines
 
I said, I said

Well, my boyfriend's in a band
He plays guitar while I sing Lou Reed
I've got feathers in my hair
I get down to Beat poetry
 
And my jazz collection's rare
I can play most anything
I'm a Brooklyn baby
I'm a Brooklyn baby

They say I'm too young to love you
They say I'm too dumb to sing
They judge me like a picture book
By the colors like they forgot to read
 
I think we're like fire and water
I think we're like the wind and sea
You're burning up, I'm cooling down
You're up, I'm down, you're blind, I see
 
But I'm free, I'm free

Well, my boyfriend's in a band
He plays guitar while I sing Lou Reed
I've got feathers in my hair
I get down to Beat poetry

And my jazz collection's rare
I can play most anything
I'm a Brooklyn baby
I'm a Brooklyn baby
 
I'm talking 'bout my generation
Talking 'bout that newer nation
And if you don't like it
You can beat it, beat it, baby
 
You never liked the way I said it
If you don't get it, then forget it
'Cause I don't have to fucking explain it
 
And my boyfriend's in a band
He plays guitar while I sing Lou Reed
I've got feathers in my hair
I get high on hydroponic weed

And my jazz collection's rare
I get down to Beat poetry
I'm a Brooklyn baby
I'm a Brooklyn baby

Yeah, my boyfriend's pretty cool
But he's not as cool as me
'Cause I'm a Brooklyn Baby
I'm a Brooklyn Baby