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"Doin' Time" (stylized in sentence case and registered as "Doin' Time Summertime") is a song by Sublime covered by Lana Del Rey from her sixth studio album, Norman Fucking Rockwell!. It was also recorded for the documentary about the band Sublime. The cover was produced by Andrew Watt and Happy Perez. It was released as a single on May 17, 2019.

Background[]

According to an article by Vulture, the documentary premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2019 on April 28, 2019. Among the artists that sang Sublime covers during the documentary was also Del Rey, whose cover is featured during the film credits.[1]

On May 6, 2019, All Access Music Group updated its list of radio impacting songs listing "Doin' Time" as a new release by Del Rey on May 20, 2019.[2] The next day, Del Rey posted a video on Instagram with her singing the chorus and the caption saying "Coming Soon".[3][dead link] On May 15, 2019, Del Rey confirmed the song would be released on May 17, 2019.[4][dead link]

The instrumental of the song leaked online on September 3, 2019. The songs official TV Track surfaced November 3, 2019. An early mix of the song surfaced January 24, 2021. This version contains minor production and vocal differences including an extended bridge.

On November 20, 2020, Del Rey released a cover of the song that "Doin' Time" had been originally inspired by, titled "Summertime The Gershwin Version".

Promotion[]

To promote the single, Del Rey changed the profile and cover pictures from all social media accounts with the cover' artwork and banners. In addition, a clean version of the song was sent to radios and Universal Music Group offered it as a free download for a week, starting on May 27, 2019.

A promotional video lasting 15 seconds was used to promote the cover on Spotify.

Live performances[]

"Doin' Time" was performed live for the first time on June 22, 2019, at Malahide Castle & Gardens in Dublin, Ireland as part of the Festival Tour. Del Rey also performed it live for BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge, alongside a cover of "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" during July 2019, released September 9, 2019.

The song was also performed numerous times during the Norman Fucking Rockwell tour.

Gallery[]

Taken during Del Rey's performance by the house Radio 1 Live Lounge photographer.

Music video[]

Music video Information
Lana_Del_Rey_-_Doin’_Time_(Official_Video) Released August 29, 2019
Length 4:25
Director Rich Lee
Producer Justin Diener, Clark Jackson
Filmed August 8–9, 2019
Location Rubidoux Drive-In Theatre, Riverside, California
Vevo views 58+ Million views

Background and description[]

The video is set in Los Angeles, California, and begins with Lana as a giant, a reference to the 1958 American science fiction film Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, laying in an empty channel of the Los Angeles River. Upon standing, she plucks a palm tree from the ground and fans herself before walking down the streets of downtown L.A. where she swiftly drops and tree and finds a water tower to drink from. She walks by buildings, promptly stopping to look at her reflection in a window. She steps over the Hollywood Freeway and heads down to Venice Beach where she dips her toes and splashes in the water. It is then revealed that this is actually a film being played at a drive-in cinema. Lana is depicted at the drive-in in a blonde bob wig with bangs, watching the film while drinking soda and eating popcorn. Her boyfriend wanders to the snack bar to get her a refill where he meets with a makes out with another girl in a car. Lana comes across this scene, is visibly upset and walks away. The film continues playing, while a sample of "Harem Silks From Bombay" performed by Les Baxter plays. The 50 foot Lana is seen laying and dancing in the sand of Venice Beach, before blowing sand into the drive-in and stepping out of the screen, hands on hips, while the theatre-goers scramble to escape. She picks up the car in which the blond Lana's cheating boyfriend and his love interest are in, shakes it, and drops it to the ground. Drive-in Lana and 50 foot Lana exchange smiles to each other, before film Lana steps back into the screen and continues walking around Los Angeles.

The music video was nominated for Best Alternative Music Video at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards.

Behind the scenes[]

Official versions[]

  • Album version — 3:22
    • Instrumental version — 3:16
  • Radio edit — 3:22
  • TV Track version — 3:22
  • "Summertime" early mix version — 3:35

Lyrics[]

Summertime, and the livin's easy
Bradley's on the microphone with Ras MG
All people in the dance will agree
That we're well-qualified to represent the L.B.C.
Me, me and Louie, we gonna run to the party
And dance to the rhythm, it gets harder

Me and my girl, we got this relationship
I love her so bad, but she treats me like shit
On lockdown, like a penitentiary
She spreads her lovin' all over
And when she gets home, there's none left for me

Summertime, and the livin's easy
Bradley's on the microphone with Ras MG
All people in the dance will agree
That we're well-qualified to represent the L.B.C
Me, me and Louie, we gonna run to the party
And dance to the rhythm, it gets harder
(Harder, harder)

Oh, take this veil from off my eyes
My burning sun will, some day, rise
So, what am I gonna be doin' for a while?
Said, I'm gonna play with myself
Show them, now, we've come off the shelf

Summertime, and the livin's easy
Bradley's on the microphone with Ras MG
All people in the dance will agree
That we're well-qualified to represent the L.B.C.
Me, me and Louie, we gonna run to the party
And dance to the rhythm, it gets harder
(Harder, harder)

Evil, I've come to tell you that she's evil, most definitely
Evil, ornery, scandalous and evil, most definitely
The tension, it's getting hotter
I'd like to hold her head underwater
(Summertime)
(Ah, ah, ah)

Summertime, and the livin's easy
Bradley's on the microphone with Ras MG
All people in the dance will agree
That we're well-qualified to represent the L.B.C.
Me, me and Louie, we gon' run to the party
And dance to the rhythm, it gets harder

Credits[]

Personnel
  • Bradley James Nowell — songwriting
  • Rick Rubin — songwriting
  • Adam Keefe Horovitz — songwriting
  • Adam Nathaniel Yauch — songwriting
  • Marshall Raymond Goodman — songwriting
  • Ira Gershwin — songwriting
  • DuBose Heyward — songwriting
  • Dorothy Heyward — songwriting
  • George Gershwin — songwriting
  • Lana Del Rey — vocals
  • Andrew Watt — production, recording, guitar, mixing, programming
  • Happy Perez — production
  • Paul LaMalfa — engineering, recording, mixing
  • Eric Wilson — bass guitar
  • Josh Freese — drums
  • Bud Gaugh — drums
  • Gale Levant — harp
  • Dave Kutch — mastering
Technical
  • Mastered at The Mastering Palace, New York, United States
  • Recorded and Tracked at Gold Tooth Music, Los Angeles, United States / SARM Studios, London, United Kingdom

References[]

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