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"Damn You" (also known as "American Dream") is an unreleased song by Lana Del Rey. It was recorded in April 2011 and was produced by Chris Braide. A demo of the song leaked on September 11, 2012, alongside "Hollywood's Dead", with the final versions of both songs - produced in 2012 - leaking on November 14, 2023. It is speculated to be an outtake from the Born to Die sessions.

Background[]

A snippet of the song's final version surfaced during March 2012, prior to the demo of the song leaking. The final version, which had long been considered "lost", leaked on November 14, 2023. A minute-long demo with the title "American Dream" is rumored to exist.[S 1]

The song, along with "Roses" and "French Restaurant", was reworked by Braide sometime in 2021, without Del Rey's involvement.[S 2] This version was uploaded to Chris Braide's YouTube channel and was blocked by copyright just a few hours after fans discovered it.[S 3]

On February 10, 2020, Chris Braide performed the song live with Marc Almond, the lead singer of synthpop duo Soft Cell, at the Royal Festival Hall in London, England.[1][dead link] The performance was available on Braide's YouTube channel for an unknown amount of time, but has since been made private. According to Almond, he and Braide recorded a studio version of the song, though the release was denied by Del Rey's team. In an interview with theartsdesk, Almond spoke of Del Rey and the song:[2]

"Well I work with a song writer called Chris Braid [sic] who produces and has written with Lana, and in Chris’s archive he has a song that Lana has written with him which was never released which is on Youtube, called "Damn You". Chris and I recorded a version of it in the studio which was going to be for the Chaos and the Dancing Star album but we never got permission to release it because Lana’s manager said that maybe one day she would want to do this song and it can’t be released. But she had already leaked it on the internet. I’ve sung a couple of her songs live in concert, "Dark Paradise" and things. I go back and listen to her a lot."

Cross-references[]

Official versions[]

  • Final version — 3:53
  • Demo version — 4:01
  • 2021 rework — 4:04

Lyrics[]

Final version[]

Remember how we used to escape for the summer?
Fireworks and sparklers would light up the black skies
We'd hold on tight for our lives to each other
Hello, hello, where did you go?

We were two kids livin' life on the run
Like the American dream, baby
Nothin' to lose and we'd get messed up for fun
We went too fast, too young

But I won't cry myself to sleep like a sucker
I won't cry myself to sleep, if I do, I'll die
Now you fall asleep with another
Damn you, damn you

Flowers in my hair and your breath smelled like whiskey
Promise anywhere that I go, take you with me
Dancin' on your feet like a child to the radio
Hello, hello, where did you go?

We were two kids livin' life on the run
Of the American dream, baby
Nothin' to lose and we'd get messed up for fun
We went too fast, too young

But I won't cry myself to sleep like a sucker
I won't cry myself to sleep, if I do, I'll die
Now you fall asleep with another
Damn you, damn you
Damn you, damn you

Every once in a lifetime, dreams can come true
Now and then, when the stars shine, you meet somebody like you

And I won't cry myself to sleep like a sucker
I won't cry myself to sleep, if I do, I'll die
I pray your life is sweet, you fucker
Damn you, uh-oh
Damn you, damn you

Demo version[]

I won't cry myself to sleep like a sucker
I won't cry myself to sleep, if I do, I'll die
Now you fall asleep with another
Damn you

Remember how we used to escape for the summer?
Fireworks and sparklers would light up the black skies
We'd hold on tight for our lives to each other
Hello, hello, where did you go?

We were two kids livin' life on the run
Like the American dream, baby
Nothin' to lose and we'd get messed up for fun
We went too fast, too young

But I won't cry myself to sleep like a sucker
I won't cry myself to sleep, if I do, I'll die
Now you fall asleep with another
Damn you, damn you

Flowers in my hair and your breath smelled like whiskey
Promise anywhere that I go, take you with me
Dancin' on your feet like a child to the radio
Hello, hello, where did you go?

We were two kids livin' life on the run
Of the American dream, baby
Nothin' to lose and we'd get messed up for fun
We went too fast, too young

But I won't cry myself to sleep like a sucker
I won't cry myself to sleep, if I do, I'll die
Now you fall asleep with another
Damn you, damn you
Damn you, damn you

Every once in a lifetime, dreams can come true
Now and then, when the stars shine, you meet somebody like you

And I won't cry myself to sleep like a sucker
I won't cry myself to sleep, if I do, I'll die
I pray your life is sweet, you fucker
Damn you, uh-oh
Damn you, damn you

(Oh, my God)

2021 rework[]

I won't cry myself to sleep like a sucker
I won't cry myself to sleep, if I do, I'll die
Now you fall asleep with another
Damn you

Remember how we used to escape for the summer?
Fireworks and sparklers would light up the black skies
We'd hold on tight for our lives to each other
Hello, hello, where did you go?

We were two kids livin' life on the run
Like the American dream, baby
Nothin' to lose and we'd get messed up for fun
We went too fast, too young

But I won't cry myself to sleep like a sucker
I won't cry myself to sleep, if I do, I'll die
Now you fall asleep with another
Damn you, damn you

Flowers in my hair and your breath smelled like whiskey
Promise anywhere that I go, take you with me
Dancin' on your feet like a child to the radio
Hello, hello, where did you go?

We were two kids livin' life on the run
Of the American dream, baby
Nothin' to lose and we'd get messed up for fun
We went too fast, too young

But I won't cry myself to sleep like a sucker
I won't cry myself to sleep, if I do, I'll die
Now you fall asleep with another
Damn you, damn you
Damn you, damn you

Every once in a lifetime, dreams can come true
Now and then, when the stars shine, you meet somebody like you

And I won't cry myself to sleep like a sucker
I won't cry myself to sleep, if I do, I'll die
I pray your life is sweet, you fucker
Damn you, uh-oh
Damn you, damn you

Credits[]

Personnel

Technical

  • Recorded and mixed at Magical Thinking Studio, Los Angeles

References[]

  1. Braide, Chris. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N0fxnZNV-w. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  2. Thorfinn-George, Harry (May 12, 2022). "theartsdesk Q&A: Marc Almond of Soft Cell". theartsdesk. https://theartsdesk.com/new-music/theartsdesk-qa-marc-almond-soft-cell. Retrieved February 17, 2024.

Notes[]

  1. This is speculation and should not be relied upon. It has not been confirmed by any official source, but is considered widespread knowledge within the community.
  2. This is speculation and should not be relied upon. It has not been confirmed by any official sources, but has been reported by BlackoutZone, who is considered a reliable insider by the community.
  3. This is speculation and should not be relied upon. It has not been confirmed by any official sources, but has been reported by Eclipse, who is considered a reliable insider by the community.
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