"Fucked My Way Up to the Top" (originally titled "Fuck My Way" and also registered as "Fucked My Way Up")[1] is a song by Lana Del Rey written with Dan Heath. It was released on Del Rey's second major-label studio album, Ultraviolence.
Background[]
The song was written by Del Rey and Heath, with Heath co-producing the track alongside Emile Haynie. While the digital booklet for Ultraviolence lists Dan Auerbach as the sole producer, he is not credited on streaming services.[2]
A snippet of an early demo featuring different vocals and instrumental leaked on June 25, 2018. A new snippet was leaked on August 5, 2018. The demo leaked in full on June 26, 2019.
Writing and inspiration[]
On June 9, 2014, in an interview with Grazia magazine, Del Rey said "It's about a singer who first sneered about my allegedly not authentic style but later she stole and copied it. And now she's acting like I am the art project and she the true super artist. My God and people actually believe her, she's successful! I shouldn't continue ranting, it doesn't get anywhere." In a September 2014 interview with Complex when she was asked about the song she answered "It's commentary, like, I know what you think of me, and I'm alluding to that. You know, I have slept with a lot of guys in the industry, but none of them helped me get my record deals. Which is annoying".
Critical reception[]
Before the album was out or the track even previewed, music magazine Billboard described the song as "the best song title on Ultraviolence" along with "Guns and Roses", a sentiment shared by Internet publication Pitchfork Media.
Live performances[]
Del Rey has only performed this song live twice. For the first time on July 17, 2014, in Carcassonne, France, and a second time on August 24, 2014, at Rock en Seine Music Festival.
Cross-references[]
- Curls are also mentioned in "Marilyn Monroe", "The Other Woman" and "When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing".
- Diamonds and pearls are also mentioned in "Catch and Release" and "I Don't Wanna Go". "Diamonds and Pearls" is also a song by Prince featuring Rosie Gaines.
- Linen is also mentioned in "Fine China", the backing vocals of "Ultraviolence", and in her poem "Patent-Leather Do-Over".
- The lyric "Lay me down tonight in my linen and curls" is a backing vocal in "Ultraviolence".
- The phrase "Need you, baby, like I breathe you" is similar to "I need you, I breathe you" witch appears in "Off to the Races".
- Rivieras is also mentioned in “Without You”.
- Lay me down is similar to "Lay down" in "Cult Leader"
Official versions[]
- Album version — 3:32
- Instrumental version — 3:29
- Clean version — 3:32
- Demo version — 3:37
Lyrics[]
Life is awesome, I confess, what I do, I do best
You got nothing, I got tested, and I passed, yes
Lay me down tonight in my linen and curls
Lay me down tonight, Riviera girls
I fucked my way up to the top, this is my show
I fucked my way up to the top, go, baby, go
Go, go, go, go, go, this is my show
Go, go, go, go, go, this is my show
Hey, hey-uh, baby
I'm a dragon, you're a whore, don't even know what you're good for
Mimickin' me's a fucking bore to me, but, babe
Lay me down tonight in my diamonds and pearls
Tell me songs at night 'bout your favorite girl
I fucked my way up to the top, this is my show
I fucked my way up to the top, go, baby, go
Go, go, go, go, go, this is my show
Go, go, go, go, go, this is my show
Need you, baby, like I breathe you, baby
Need you, baby, more, more, more, more
Need you, baby, like I breathe you, baby
Fuckin' need you, baby, more, more, more, more
Lay me down tonight in my linen and curls
Lay me down tonight, I'm your favorite girl
I fucked my way up to the top, this is my show
I fucked my way up to the top, go, baby, go
Go, go, go, go, go, this is my show
Go, go, go, go, go, this is my show
Need you, baby, like I breathe you, baby
I need you, baby, more, more, more, more
Need you, baby, like I breathe you, baby, ah, ah, ah
Credits[]
Personnel
- Lana Del Rey — vocals, songwriting
- Dan Heath — songwriting
- Dan Auerbach — production, electric guitar
- Collin Dupuis — engineering
- Robert Orton — mixing
- Kenny Vaughan & Seth Kaufman — electric guitar
- Nick Movshon — electric bass
- Leon Michaels — Mellotron, synthesizers, piano
- Russ Pahl — pedal steel
- Maximilian Weissenfeldt — drums
- Collin Dupuis — drums programming
- John Davis — mastering
Technical
- Mixed at Hot Rocks Studios
- Mastered at Metropolis Studios, London
References[]
- ↑ HFA Song Code: F6697R
- ↑ "Credits / Ultraviolence / Lana Del Rey". Tidal. https://listen.tidal.com/album/77698750/credits.
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