"Summertime Sadness" is a song written by Lana Del Rey, Kieran De Jour and Rick Nowels in 2011. Nowels also assisted in the song's production along with Emile Haynie. Taken from Del Rey's first major-label album Born to Die, the song was released as the album's fourth official single worldwide on June 22, 2012. A remix was made by Cedric Gervais which found the track worldwide commercial success.
Background[]
About the writing of the song, Del Rey told SuperSuper that the reason she loved "Summertime Sadness" was because "I love it because I didn't compromise when I wrote it at all — I wrote exactly what I felt, and put a melody to it that was perfect for the words. I was staying in Santa Monica, California with my composer and best friend, Dan Heath. I would sit under the telephone wires and listen to them sizzle in the warm air while he went to work. I wanted to take the electricity and absorb it so it would make me feel alive and electric again. I felt happy in the warm weather and started writing about how sad and gorgeous the summertime felt to me."
A second version of the song tagged as "Alternate Final", also known as "Final 2" exists. It was produced by Patrik Berger. Three snippets of this version leaked between 2016 and 2017, with the last one leaking on August 31, 2017, during an Instagram livestream. The first snippet was leaked in May 2016 and the second one on April 20, 2017. This version has a more rock and electronic sound, featuring an electronic guitar. At first, it was mistaken as a demo or a different radio mix but the leaker confirmed it to be a different version of the album's track. It leaked in full on January 31, 2020.
The original file of the leaked demo is called "Summertime Sadness KM mix 017".
The song's two radio mixes are reportedly finished demos from sessions with Rick Nowels.[S 1]
In mid-2022, the song went viral on TikTok, with hundreds of thousands of individual videos made using it, amassing millions of views.
On September 26, 2022, a sped up version of the song was released on all streaming platforms.
On January 1, 2024, a writer's demo of the song sang by Nowels leaked.
Composition[]
"Summertime Sadness" is a trip hop ballad written in the key of C♯ Minor. Del Rey's vocals cover exactly two octaves, ranging from C♯3 to C♯5. It is performed at approximately 112 beats per minute and runs at a duration of four minutes and twenty-five seconds.
Critical reception[]
In his track-by-track review of Born to Die for Billboard magazine Andrew Hampp wrote about "Summertime Sadness" that "the pouty title alone drew giggles at Del Rey's Bowery gig, but the song itself proves to be one of the more durable tracks here even if its lyrics start to get redundant ('Kiss me hard before you go... That baby you're the best')".[1] Amy Sciarretto of PopCrush noted that "on an album marked by shoe gazing moments, [the song] is Lana Del Rey at her most head down. But even though there is a palpable damaged girl in her voice, she commands attention with her lazy delivery."[2] Los Angeles Times named it among the best tracks on the album along with "Video Games" and "Dark Paradise".[3]
Live performances[]
Del Rey first performed the song at the Bowery Ballroom on December 5, 2011, before the song was officially released. At the end of the performance, she stated: "I know you don't care, but you're gonna fucking like it when it's on the record." The song is now one of the songs Del Rey performs live most frequently, it has been included in the setlist for most of her concert tours.
Music video[]
| Music video | Information | |
|---|---|---|
|
Released | June 22, 2012. |
| Length | 4:25 | |
| Director | Kyle Newman, Spencer Susser | |
| Producer | Tova Dann | |
| Filmed | April—May, 2012 | |
| Location | Pasadena, California | |
| Vevo views | 304+ Million views | |
Background[]
The music video for "Summertime Sadness" was filmed in April and May 2012. It was directed by Kyle Newman and Spencer Susser. Newman's ex-wife, actress Jaime King, stars alongside Del Rey in the video, and said that, "It's about not being able to live without the one you love, friend or lover it doesn't matter, that's whatever you want it to be." Actor Alex Pettyfer reportedly also helped out on set as a production assistant.
The radio mix edit of the video was released on July 20, 2012, in Germany on ClipFish.[4] The same day, the video with the album version of the song was released worldwide on Del Rey's official YouTube channel.
Copyright issues[]
In July 2022, Spanish director Lucas Bolaño sued Del Rey and her team for using imagery of the sky and audio of a voice saying "Remember, I'll always love you, bye." from his short film "Sky" in the music video's intro without his permission. According to Bolaño, the clip was nearly similar with "only marginal differences." When Del Rey's lawyers argued that it was too late for Bolaño to notice the infringement on his intellectual property, the filmmaker stated that he hadn't watched the music video until 2021. In May 2023, Judge Wilson stated that a jury might accept the argument.[5] In April 2023, the intro has been cut from the video on all platforms.[6]
Description[]
The music video for the song features two lovers, one played by Jaime King and the other played by Del Rey. As the storyline progresses, one of the lovers commit suicide by jumping from perilous heights.
The music video opened with clouds parting during which a female voice is heard speaking through a phone call, telling her lover, "remember, I'll always love you, bye", which is an interpolation from a song by Experimental Little Monkey titled "Strange Dumpling Cheeks". But this opening scene has since been removed, assumingly because of copyright reasons. It then shows Del Rey singing the opening verse before jumping from a cliff overlooking a waterfall. The video traces the women's relationship with spliced together through film bits — much like the effects used in her earlier efforts — and foggy scenes of the stars pouting and glancing seductively over their shoulders. The final sixty seconds of the video features both the grief-stricken lovers falling in slow motion off of a bridge, suicidal after realizing the irreparability of their relationship. "I just wanted you to know," Del Rey intones as she tumbles slowly into the abyss, "that baby you the best."
Behind the scenes[]
Remix music video[]
The video was re-edited to go alongside the release of the Cedric Gervais remix.
Lana Del Rey, Cedric Gervais - Summertime Sadness Lana Del Rey vs. Cedric Gervais
Alternate music video[]
An alternate version of music video, containing unseen clips, played on German television in 2012. A screenshot of this version leaked on December 29, 2022.
Cross-references[]
- "My bad baby" is also a phrase in "Pretty Baby".
- Reference to the demo of "Ride".
- "I'm on fire" is also a lyric in "Body Electric", "Ben", "Sad Girl", "Baby Blue Love" and thematically similar to a lyric in "Lucky Ones". This lyric might be a reference to the song "I'm on Fire" by Bruce Springsteen.
- A red dress is also mentioned in "Say Yes to Heaven", "Cruel World", "Off to the Races", "Carmen" and "Criminals Run the World".
- The phrase "pale moonlight" is mentioned in "Body Electric" and "Meet Me in the Pale Moonlight".
- Kissing hard is also mentioned in "Born to Die" and "Roses".
- Del Rey remarks "oh my God" in "Heroin", "When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing", "The Blackest Day" and "Paradise".
Official versions[]
- Album version — 4:25
- Instrumental version — 4:24
- A cappella version — 3:58
- Sped Up version — 3:17
- Single version — 4:23
- Music video version — 4:25
- Radio edit — 3:07
- Radio mix — 4:12
- Extended version — 5:06
- Alternate final version (produced by Patrik Berger) — 5:22
- "Mix 17" demo version (produced by Rick Nowels and mixed by Kieron Menzies) — 4:13
- Writer's demo version (recorded by Rick Nowels) - 3:25
- Paradise Tour version — 4:12
Lyrics[]
Album version[]
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got my red dress on tonight
Dancin' in the dark in the pale moonlight
Done my hair up real big, beauty queen style
High heels off, I'm feelin' alive
Oh my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above
Are sizzlin' like a snare
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothin' scares me anymore
(1, 2, 3, 4)
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
I'm feelin' electric tonight
Cruisin' down the coast, goin' about 99
Got my bad baby by my Heavenly side
I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight
Oh my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above
Are sizzlin' like a snare
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothin' scares me anymore
(1, 2, 3, 4)
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
Think I'll miss you forever
Like the stars miss the sun in the morning sky
Later's better than never
Even if you're gone I'm gonna drive, drive, drive
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
Radio edit[]
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got my red dress on tonight
Dancin' in the dark in the pale moonlight
Done my hair up real big, beauty queen style
High heels off, I'm feelin' alive
Oh my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above
Are sizzlin' like a snare
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothin' scares me anymore
(1, 2, 3, 4)
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
I'm feelin' electric tonight
Cruisin' down the coast, goin' about 99
Got my bad baby by my Heavenly side
I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight
Oh my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above
Are sizzlin' like a snare
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothin' scares me anymore
(1, 2, 3, 4)
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
Demo version[]
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got my red dress on tonight
Dancin' in the dark in the pale moonlight
Done my hair up real big, beauty queen style
High heels off, I'm feelin' alive
Oh my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above
Are sizzlin' like a snare
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothin' scares me anymore
(1, 2, 3, 4)
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
I'm feelin' electric tonight
Cruisin' down the coast, goin' about 99
Got my bad baby by my Heavenly side
I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight
Oh my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above
Are sizzlin' like a snare
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothin' scares me anymore
(1, 2, 3, 4)
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
Think I'll miss you forever
Like the stars miss the sun in the morning sky
Later's better than never
Even if you're gone I'm gonna drive, drive, drive
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
Alternate final[]
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got my red dress on tonight
Dancin' in the dark in the pale moonlight
Done my hair up real big, beauty queen style
High heels off, I'm feelin' alive
Oh my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above
Are sizzlin' like a snare
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothin' scares me anymore
(1, 2, 3, 4)
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
I'm feelin' electric tonight
Cruisin' down the coast, goin' about 99
Got my bad baby by my Heavenly side
I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight
Oh my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above
Are sizzlin' like a snare
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothin' scares me anymore
(1, 2, 3, 4)
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
Think I'll miss you forever
Like the stars miss the sun in the morning sky
Later's better than never
Even if you're gone I'm gonna drive, drive, drive
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh
Writer's demo[]
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, your're the best
I got my red dress on tonight
Dancing in the dark, in the pale moonlight
Got my hair up real up beauty queen style
High heels on, I'm feeling alive
Oh my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above
Are sizzlin' like a snare
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothin' scares me anymore
"And then you guys gotta go, 2, 3, 4, that's part of the lyrics, okay?
So you go '2, 3, 4'"
"Why do you count it so it syncs and the tempo's correct?"
"Huh?"
"You should say it so the tempo's correct"
"No, no, no, I can't, I can't"
"I know, I just want the tempo to be right, though, that's the only reason, you should say it"
"No, no, no, scares me any more, right, I'll say the tempo"
"Got it"
"Just go '2, 3, 4', 'cause that's part of the lyrics there"
"Yes"
Nothing scares me anymore
(2, 3, 4)
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you're the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
I'm feeling electric tonight
Cruising down the coast, going 'bout 99
Got my bad baby by my Heavenly side
I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight
Oh my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above
Are sizzlin' like a snare
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothin' scares me anymore
(2, 3, 4)
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you're the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh
"That's fire"
"That's pretty good"
Commercial release[]
- Summertime Sadness (Remixes) - EP
|
Label: Universal Music Format: Digital Released: June 22, 2012 Barcode: None Photography: Spencer Susser Design: Unknown |
|---|
| # | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Radio Mix) | 4:12 |
| 2. | "Summertime Sadness" | 4:25 |
| 3. | "Summertime Sadness" (Radio Mix, Extended Version) | 5:06 |
| 4. | "Summertime Sadness" (Hannes Fischer Nightflight Remix) | 6:41 |
- German CD single
|
|
Label: Vertigo Berlin Format: CD in slimcase Released: July 13, 2012 Barcode: 0602537102631 Photography: Spencer Susser Design: Unknown |
|---|
| # | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Radio Mix) | 4:12 |
| 2. | "Summertime Sadness" | 4:25 |
- German 12" remixes EP
|
Label: Stranger Format: 12" vinyl in cardsleeve Released: July, 2012 Barcode: 0602537105106 Photography: Nicole Nodland Design: Unknown |
|---|
SIDE A (45RPM)
| # | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Todd Terry Remix) | 6:35 |
| 2. | "Summertime Sadness" (Todd Terry Dub) | 5:37 |
SIDE B (45RPM)
| # | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Hannes Fischer Nightflight Remix) | 6:41 |
| 2. | "Summertime Sadness" (Marbert Rocel Remix) | 5:41 |
- Summertime Sadness (Asadinho Remixes)
|
Label: RvS Format: Digital, 12" vinyl Released: Various Barcode: Photography: None Design: Unknown |
|---|
| # | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Asadinho Main Vocal Mix) | 8:34 |
| 2. | "Summertime Sadness" (Asadinho Dub) | 7:45 |
| 3. | "Summertime Sadness" (Asadinho Instrumental) | 7:00 |
- Summertime Sadness (Nick Warren Remixes)
|
Label: Hope Recordings Format: Digital Released: February, 2013 Barcode: None Photography: None Design: Unknown |
|---|
| # | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Nick Warren's Vocal Remix) | 10:34 |
| 2. | "Summertime Sadness" (Nick Warren's Skandik Dub) | 10:40 |
| 3. | "Summertime Sadness" (Nick Warren's Instrumental Remix) | 10:32 |
- Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix) - Single
|
Label: Spinnin' Records Format: Digital Released: July 11, 2013 Barcode: None Photography: None Design: Unknown |
|---|
| # | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Cedric Gervais Remix) | 3:34 |
- Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Extended Remix) - Single
|
Label: Spinnin' Records Format: Digital Released: February 24, 2014 Barcode: None Photography: None Design: Unknown |
|---|
| # | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Cedric Gervais Extended Remix) | 6:52 |
Promotional releases[]
Summertime Sadness CD by Vertigo in Germany, Austria & Switzerland[]
Summertime Sadness - The Remix EP 12" Vinyl by Universal Music Group in Germany[]
Summertime Sadness CD by Polydor and Universal Music France in France[]
Summertime Sadness (Asadinho Remixes) 12" Vinyl by RvS Music in UK[]
Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix) CD by Universal Music in Netherlands[]
Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix) CD by Polydor and Spinnin' Records in UK[]
Summertime Sadness CD by Universal Music in Sweden[]
Official remixes[]
- Adam Freeland Dub Mix — 7:05
- Adam Freeland Vox Mix — 7:04
- Asadinho Dub — 7:45
- Asadinho Instrumental — 7:00[7]
- Asadinho Main Vocal Mix — 8:34[8]
- Cedric Gervais Remix / Radio Edit / DJ Soft Edit — 3:34[9]
- Cedric Gervais Remix / Radio Edit — 3:34[10]
- Cedric Gervais Remix (PIU - Ultimate Dance Workout Edit) — 6:21[11]
- Cedric Gervais Remix (Running Trax Summer Edit - 40 Min Mix) — 6:51[12]
- Cedric Gervais Extended Remix — 6:50[13]
- Hannes Fischer Nightflight Remix — 6:41
- Hannes Fischer Nightflight Radio Edit — 3:52
- Marbert Rocel Remix — 5:41
- MK Feel It In The Air Remix — 8:19
- MK In The Air Remix — 4:03
- MK Lee Foss Cold Blooded Remix — 5:40
- MK Lee Foss Cold Blooded Remix / Soft Edit — 5:36[14]
- Monsieur Adi Remix — 4:46
- Nick Warren's Instrumental Remix — 10:32
- Nick Warren's Skandik Dub — 10:40
- Nick Warren's Vocal Remix — 10:34
- Panic City Remix — 5:07
- Ryan Hemsworth Remix — 4:10
- Simon Large MK Dub — 6:53
- Todd Terry Dub — 5:37
- Todd Terry Remix — 6:35
- Toyboy & Robin Remix — 4:05
- Twinsmatic Remix — 4:21
Credits[]
Song[]
- Personnel
- Lana Del Rey — vocals, songwriting
- Rick Nowels — songwriting, co-production (album version), production (radio mix), additional strings
- Emile Haynie — production, drums, keyboards
- Larry Gold — strings arrangement and conduction
- Steve Tirpak — strings assistance
- Dan Heath — flute
- Patrick Warren — additional strings, guitar and keyboards
- Devrim Karaoglu — additional pads, production (radio mix)
- Dan Grech-Marguerat — mixing
- Duncan Fuller — mixing assistance
- John Davis — mastering
- Patrik Berger — production (alternate final version)
- Technical
- Published by EMI
- Mastered at Metropolis Mastering, London, United Kingdom
- Mixed at Miloco's Engine Room, London, United Kingdom
Music video[]
- Personnel
- Spencer Susser — director, editor
- Kyle Newman — assistant director
- Tova Dann — producer
- Morgan Susser — director of photography
