"Dark Paradise" (also registered as but not to be confused with "Paradise"[1]) is a song from Lana Del Rey's debut major-label album, Born to Die. It was written by Lana and Rick Nowels, with production fronted by Emile Haynie and co-production by Nowels. It was released as the album's 6th single on March 1, exclusively in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Writing and inspiration
The song was presumably written about K and his death. The song contains references to Lana's love of someone who has passed away, and her desire to join him. She originally recorded a demo of the song containing differed lyrics and production in the early stages of recording Born to Die. Lyrically and sonically, the second demo is similar to the radio edit.
Composition
The song follows a similar sound to other songs on Born to Die, with orchestral production and a mid-tempo ballad structure. It contains the male backing vocals also found in most songs on the album. It has a tempo of 120 beats-per-minute, making it one of the fastest songs on the album. The key of the song is C♯ minor.
Cross-references
- The song continues the story of Lana's relationship with K.
- Thematic references to the ocean can also be found in "Kill Kill", "Methamphetamines" and "Heavy Hitter"
- The theme of 'paradise' also appears in "Paradise", "Velvet Crowbar", and "Every Man Gets His Wish".
Remixes
- Parov Stelar Remix 4:21
Commercial Release
Physical releases
Germany (LC-14513)
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Label: Vertigo Format: CD in slimcase Released: March 1, 2013 Barcode: 0602537325719 Photography: Nicole Nodland Design: Unknown  |
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| # | Name | Time | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dark Paradise" (Radio Mix) | 3:52 | |||||||
| 2. | "Dark Paradise" | 4:04 | |||||||
Music Video
Lana stated that she planned to record a video for the song in an interview on June 21, 2012, for release in September, but the video did not come to fruition.
Lyrics
Album version
All my friends tell me I should move on.
I’m lying in the ocean singing your song.
"Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh,"
That’s how you sang it.
Loving you forever can’t be wrong.
Even though you’re not here, won’t move on.
"Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh,"
That’s how we played it.
And there’s no remedy for memory, your face is like a melody,
It won’t leave my head.
Your soul is haunting me and telling me that everything is fine,
But I wish I was dead (dead like you).
Every time I close my eyes, it’s like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
I’m scared that you won’t be waiting on the other side.
Every time I close my eyes, it’s like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
I’m scared that you won’t be waiting on the other side.
All my friends ask me why I stay strong.
Tell ‘em when you find true love, it lives on.
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh,
That’s why I stay here.
And there’s no remedy for memory, your face is like a melody,
It won’t leave my head.
Your soul is haunting me and telling me that everything is fine,
But I wish I was dead (dead like you).
Every time I close my eyes, it’s like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
I’m scared that you won’t be waiting on the other side.
Every time I close my eyes, it’s like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
But there’s no you, except in my dreams tonight.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don’t want to wake up from this tonight.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don’t want to wake up from this tonight.
There’s no relief, I see you in my sleep.
And everybody’s rushing me, but I can feel you touching me.
There’s no release, I feel you in my dreams,
Telling me I’m fine.
Every time I close my eyes, it’s like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
I’m scared that you won’t be waiting on the other side.
Every time I close my eyes, it’s like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
But there’s no you, except in my dreams tonight.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don’t want to wake up from this tonight.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don’t want to wake up from this tonight.
Demo #1
I got the ice, you got the fire.
I got the stuff, to take you higher.
"Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh,"
That's how you played it.
I got the brains, you got the money.
This is a race, let's go fast honey.
"Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh,"
That's how you played it.
C'mon pretty baby, I'll be takin' you down.
They say you got crazy like all over town.
Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side.
Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
But there's no you, except in my dreams tonight.
I got the brains, you got the money.
This is a race, let's go fast honey.
"Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh,"
That's how you played it.
C'mon pretty baby, I'll be takin' you down.
They say you got crazy like all over town.
Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side.
Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
But there's no you, except in my dreams tonight.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don't wanna wake up from this tonight.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don't wanna wake up from this tonight.
Demo #2
All my friends tell me I should move on.
I’m lying in the ocean singing your song.
"Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh,"
That’s how you sang it.
Loving you forever can’t be wrong.
Even though you’re not here, won’t move on.
"Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh,"
That’s how you played it.
And there’s no remedy for memory, your face is like a melody,
It won’t leave my head.
Your soul is haunting me and telling me that everything is fine,
But I wish I was dead (dead like you).
Every time I close my eyes, it’s like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
I’m scared that you won’t be waiting on the other side.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don’t want to wake up from this tonight.
All my friends ask me why I stay strong.
Tell ‘em when you find true love, it lives on.
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh,
That’s why I stay here.
Cause there’s no remedy for memory, your face is like a melody,
It won’t leave my head.
Your soul is haunting me and telling me that everything is fine,
But I wish I was dead (dead like you).
Every time I close my eyes, it’s like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
I’m scared that you won’t be waiting on the other side.
Every time I close my eyes, it’s like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
But there’s no you, except in my dreams tonight.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don’t want to wake up from this tonight.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don’t want to wake up from this tonight.
There’s no relief, I see you in my sleep.
And everybody’s rushing me, but I can feel you touching me.
There’s no release, I feel you in my dreams,
Telling me I’m fine.
Every time I close my eyes, it’s like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
I’m scared that you won’t be waiting on the other side (so tell me).
Every time I close my eyes, it’s like a dark paradise.
No one compares to you,
But there’s no you, except in my dreams tonight.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don’t want to wake up from this tonight.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don’t want to wake up from this tonight.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don’t want to wake up from this tonight.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah.
I don’t want to wake up from this tonight.
Credits
Personnel
- Drums — Emile Haynie
- Keyboards — Emile Haynie
- Strings arrangment and conducting — Larry Gold
- Strings assistment — Steve Tirpak
- Additional vocals — Maria Vidal
- Chamberlain strings — Patrick Warren
- Guitar — Rick Nowels
- Additional synths — Devrim Karaoglu
- Orchestral drums — Devrim Karaoglu
- Pads — Dean Reid
- Mixing — Manny Marroquin
- Assistant mixing —Erik Madrid & Chris Galland
References
- ↑ APRA|AMCOS title search lists "Paradise" as an alias of "Dark Paradise" (APRA ID: GW42208736)