"Gods & Monsters" (also registered as "Gods") is a song written by Lana Del Rey and Tim Larcombe, and produced by Larcombe and Emile Haynie in 2012 from Del Rey's third EP, and second major release, Paradise.
Background and composition
On September 24, 2012, Del Rey posted the sampler video of Paradise containing short snippets of all the tracks. The song is in the key of G# minor with at 96 BPM. It is a soft rock ballad that lyrically deals with innocence and hedonism. The song features signature sounds from Haynie that are reminicent of his work on "Million Dollar Man".
During 2014, limited official promo CDs for the song were exclusively distributed by Polydor and Interscope. The CDs included official remixes of the song, as well as the official instrumental, acapella, and "TV Track" versions of the song. The song was never received commercial individual release though, meaning it is not a single or promotional single.[1][2][3]
On May 7, 2017, various snippets of the official instrumental, a capella, and TV track versions of the song leaked online. And on June 9, 2017, the full a capella was leaked on a Russian torrent forum, but was immediately taken down.
Critical reception
The track was well received by critics. Jesse Cataldo of Slant magazine said, "Nothing here is on the same level as Born to Die, with only a few tracks, like "Gods and Monsters" and bonus track "Burning Desire", attaining a similar degree of snappy, mesmerizing languorousness."[4] Nick Butler of Sputnikmusic felt the track was an unintentionally new sound for Del Rey, but that the track was good. AllMusic reviewer John Bush commented that the line "like a groupie incognito posing as a real singer, life imitates art" was an embodiment of the whole album. Some reviewers shared negativity on the track, such as Drowned In Sound's David Edwards who commented "'Gods and Monsters' simply drags."
Use in media
In 2014, American actress Jessica Lange covered "Gods & Monsters" for the American Horror Story: Freak Show episode "Edward Mordrake (Part 1)". The cover was released as a single on October 22, 2014.[5]
Tropico music video
- Main article: Tropico (film)
Del Rey's short film, Tropico (released December 6, 2013), contains a visual for "Gods & Monsters", as part of Tropico's second chapter titled Gods & Monsters. It shows Del Rey working as a stripper and actor Shaun Ross as a gang member who works as a clerk at a convenience store during the day.
Cross-references
- In "Go Go Dancer", Del Rey tells a man to "keep your fingertips on my waist", similar to "put your hands on my waist".
- The lyric "Me and my momma we don't get along" from "My Momma" is similar to the lyric "Me and God we don't get along".
Official versions
- Album version — 3:57
- Instrumental version — 3:58
- Acapella version — 3:58
- TV Track version — 3:58
Lyrics
(The land, the land)
(The land, the land)
In the land of gods and monsters, I was an angel
Livin' in the garden of evil
Screwed up, scared, doin' anythin' that I needed
Shinin' like a fiery beacon
You got that medicine I need
Fame, liquor, love, give it to me slowly
Put your hands on my waist, do it softly
Me and God we don't get along, so now I sing:
"No one's gonna take my soul away,
I'm livin' like Jim Morrison."
Headed towards a fucked up holiday
Motel spree, sprees, and I'm singing:
"Fuck yeah, give it to me,
This is heaven what I truly want."
It's innocence lost, innocence lost
In the land of gods and monsters, I was an angel
Lookin' to get fucked hard
Like a groupie incongnito posin' as a real singer
Life imitates art
You got that medicine I need
Dope, shoot it up, straight to the heart please
I don't really wanna know what's good for me
"God's dead," I said, "Baby, that's alright with me."
No one's gonna take my soul away
I'm livin' like Jim Morrison
Headed towards a fucked up holiday
Motel spree, sprees, and I'm singing
"Fuck yeah, give it to me,
This is heaven what I truly want."
It's innocence lost, innocence lost
When you talk it's like a movie and you're making me crazy
'Cause life imitates art
If I get a little prettier, can I be your baby?
You tell me, "life isn't that hard."
No one's gonna take my soul away
I'm livin' like Jim Morrison
Headed towards a fucked up holiday
Motel spree, sprees, and I'm singing
"Fuck yeah, give it to me,
This is heaven what I truly want."
It's innocence lost, innocence lost
Official remixes
- Club Clique Remix — 4:13
- Village Remix — 4:39
- Mokadem Remix — 4:42
- Mokadem Instrumental — 4:45
- Balistiq Remix — 3:33
- Balistiq Instrumental — 3:31
Promotional release
Gods & Monsters CD by Polydor in UK
Gods & Monsters CD by Polydor and Interscope Records in UK & US
Gods & Monsters CD by Polydor in UK
Credits
- Personnel
- Guitars — Tim Larcombe
- Drums, Piano & keyboards — Tim Larcombe and Emile Haynie
- Strings arrangment & Horns — Dan Heath
- Mixing — Robert Orton at Hot Rocks Studio
- Recording — at The Time Square Studio, Hoxton Square (London)
- Mastering engineer — John Davis for Metropolis Mastering (London)
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| France (SNEP)[6] | 91 |
| UK (Official Charts Company)[7] | 39 |
| US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[8] | 15 |
References
- ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Lana-Del-Rey-Gods-And-Monsters/release/9897062
- ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Lana-Del-Rey-Gods-And-Monsters/release/9893654
- ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Lana-Del-Rey-Gods-And-Monsters/release/9893736
- ↑ http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/lana-del-rey-paradise
- ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/gods-monsters-from-american-horror-story-feat-jessica/id932516559
- ↑ http://www.lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Lana+Del+Rey&titel=Cola&cat=s
- ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20140427/7501
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/306420/lana%2Bdel%2Brey/chart?f=902
 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||