"Coachella - Woodstock in My Mind" is a song by Lana Del Rey. It was co-written with Rick Nowels and co-produced with Nowels, Dean Reid and Kieron Menzies. The song was officially released worldwide as the first promotional single from Del Rey's fifth studio album and fourth major-label studio album, Lust for Life, on May 15, 2017.
Background and writing[]
The song was first announced on the Arabic streaming service, Anghami, on May 13, 2017, and it was officially released on May 15.[1] Prior to the release, an edited version of the song was leaked online.
Del Rey wrote the song and posted a video of herself on Instagram singing a snippet of it on April 17, 2017. She recorded the video as she was leaving the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California, and she captioned the video saying:
"I'm not gonna lie- I had complex feelings about spending the weekend dancing whilst watching tensions w North Korea mount. I find It's a tightrope between being vigilantly observant of everything going on in the world and also having enough space and time to appreciate God's good earth the way it was intended to be appreciated. On my way home I found myself compelled to visit an old favorite place of mine at the rim of the world highway where I took a moment to sit down by the sequoia grove and write a little song. I just wanted to share this in hopes that one individual's hope and prayer for peace might contribute to the possibility of it in the long run. Hope everyone has a nice day, with love from California".[2]
After the song was officially released worldwide, Del Rey posted a note on social media about the song that said: "What a blessing it is to make music in general. And to have the freedom to put songs out about things that move me in real time. I wrote one this last month on my way back from Coachella. Thank you to my producer and engineers for fixing it up so quickly. Hope you like it".[3]
Composition and critical reception[]
"Coachella - Woodstock in My Mind" is composed in the key of G major and has been described by The Guardian as a "sedated trap track" that is sweetly innocent.[4] Alex Hudson of Exclaim! described the track as "a sultry ballad that puts an electronic spin on Lana's classic torch-song style". The song's chorus is a "lyrical hat-tip" to "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin.[5]
Cross-references[]
- Woodstock is mentioned in "Ultraviolence".
- Del Rey's long hair is also mentioned in "Ridin'", "Dangerous Girl", "Put the Radio On", "Lolita" and "Let My Hair Down".
- Heaven is mentioned in "Television Heaven", "Match Made in Heaven" and "Say Yes to Heaven", among others.
- The phrase "Stairway to Heaven" is a reference to a song by Led Zeppelin of the same name.
- The state of American politics is also referenced in "Looking for America" and "When The World Was At War We Kept Dancing"
- A prayer is also mentioned in "Blizzard".
Official versions[]
- Album version — 4:18
- Instrumental version — 4:20
Lyrics[]
I was at Coachella, leanin' on your shoulder
Watchin' your husband swing in time
I guess I was in it
'Cause baby, for a minute
It was Woodstock in my mind
Then the next morning, they put out the warning
Tensions were rising over country lines
I turned off the music, tried to sit and use it
All of the love that I saw that night
'Cause what about all these children?
And what about all their parents?
And what about all their crowns they wear?
In hair so long like mine
And what about all their wishes?
Wrapped up like garland roses
Around their little heads
I said a prayer for a third time
I'd trade it all for a stairway to Heaven
(A stairway, stairway to Heaven)
I'd take my time before the climb up to the top of it (A stairway)
I'd trade the fame and the fortune and the legend (A stairway)
I'd give it all away if you'd give me just one day to ask him one question
I'd give it all away if you'd give me just one day to ask him one question
I was at Coachella, leanin' on your shoulder
Watchin' your husband swing and shine
I'd say he was Hella cool to win them over
Critics can be so mean sometimes
He was on his knees and
I thought he was breaking 'em down
With his words and his voice divine
Doesn't take a genius to know what you've got goin'
And to not want to lose it, 'cause they lost their minds
What about all these children?
And all their children's children?
And why am I even wondering that today?
Maybe my contribution
Could be as small as hoping
That words could turn to birds
And birds would send my thoughts your way
I'd trade it all for a stairway to Heaven
(A stairway, stairway to Heaven)
I'd take my time before the climb up to the top of it (A stairway)
I'd trade the fame and the fortune and the legend (A stairway)
I'd give it all away if you'd give me just one day to ask him one question
I'd give it all away if you'd give me just one day to ask him one question
(Na, na, na)
A stairway, stairway to Heaven
(Na, na-na, na-na)
A stairway
(Na, na, na)
Got a million things I wanna say
Like, what is it all for?
Will it be okay
(Na, na-na, na-na)
Million things I wanna say
Like, what is it all for?
(Na, na, na)
A stairway, stairway to Heaven
(Na, na-na, na-na)
A stairway
(Na, na, na)
A stairway, stairway to Heaven
(Na, na-na, na-na)
A stairway
Credits[]
- Personnel
- Lana Del Rey — vocals, songwriting, production
- Rick Nowels — songwriting, production, celesta, mellotron, synthesizer programmer
- Dean Reid — engineering, mixing, drums, bass guitar, flute, synthesizer programmer
- Kieron Menzies — engineering, mixing, production, drums, keyboard, magnetic tape realization, percussion
- Chris Garcia — engineering
- Trevor Yasuda — engineering, keyboard
- Adam Ayan — mastering engineer
Charts[]
| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| France (SNEP)[6] | 82 |
| Scotland (Official Charts Company)[7] | 84 |
| Russian Top Radio Hits (Tophit)[8] | 280 |
| US Rock Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[9] | 14 |
External links[]
- Buy/stream "Coachella - Woodstock in My Mind"
References[]
- ↑ Ackroyd, Stephen (May 14, 2017). "We might be getting another new Lana Del Rey track, 'Coachella - Woodstock In My Mind', tomorrow". Dork.
- ↑ "Instagram post by Lana Del Rey • Apr 17, 2017 at 11:35pm UTC". Instagram.
- ↑ "Lana Del Rey on Twitter: "New song: Coachella- Woodstock in my mind"" (May 14, 2017). Twitter.
- ↑ Gibsone, Harriet (July 21, 2017). "Lana Del Rey: Lust for Life review – in a luxurious league of her own". The Guardian.
- ↑ Hudson, Alex (May 15, 2017). "Listen to Lana Del Rey's New Song "Coachella - Woodstock in My Mind"". Exclaim!.
- ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 20, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100" (Archive Chart: 2017-05-19). Official Charts Company.
- ↑ https://www.tophit.ru/en/tracks/81617/view
- ↑ "Lana Del Rey – Chart history" Billboard Rock Digital Song Sales for Lana Del Rey.
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