Honeymoon (song)

Lana Del Rey
Writer(s)	Lana Del Rey Rick Nowels
Producer(s)	Lana Del Rey Rick Nowels Kieron Menzies
Released	September 7, 2015
Length	5:50 (See official versions)
From
Single(s)	"High by the Beach" "Music to Watch Boys To"
Promotional single(s)	"Terrence Loves You" "Honeymoon"
Honeymoon track listing
"Music to Watch Boys To"

"Honeymoon" is a song written by Lana Del Rey and Rick Nowels that is featured on Del Rey's third major-label full-length album Honeymoon. It serves as the record's title track and opening track. It was officially released as the second promotional single from the record on September 7, 2015.

Background

Del Rey confirmed Honeymoon as the title of her album in an interview with Billboard on January 6, 2015. On May 7, the lyrics to the track were found in the tour book for the Endless Summer Tour, although no lyrics from the rest of the album were featured.

Del Rey posted a lyric video for the song on her personal YouTube page on July 14, 2015, and the next day Del Rey expanded on the writing of "'Honeymoon" in an Instagram post saying it is "where the record begins and end" and that "it encapsulates all of the things that come naturally to [her]". In an another Instagram post, on August 14, she stated that the song is "the most beautiful one" on the album.

Composition

"Honeymoon" is a cinematic ballad running at 5 minutes 50 seconds in length in the key of F minor with no fixed tempo. The track relies heavily on the use of swooping strings and layered vocal harmonies. In the bridge of the song muted military drums are introduced and return again for the outro along with block piano chords. After the last chorus Del Rey makes use of scatting, a popular jazz vocal device.

Critical reception

Upon release, the song was met with critical acclaim. NME called the track "cinematic" and "emotionally thrilling" before describing it as "perhaps her most heart-stopping ballad yet". The Verge described the song as "six minutes of meandering bliss" and praised the "sweeping strings and stuttering snares" that "float through the background of the song", but also identified that, "like much of Lana Del Rey's work, the core of its appeal is in her voice." TIME called the song "characteristically broody" and "cinematic", and suggested it "leans closer to the sounds of her breakthrough LP Born to Die than the material she cooked up with the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach". The Independent praised the song, calling it "melancholic and beautiful".  Billboard said the song was "grander and more ambitious than anything the singer-songwriter has released thus far", describing it as "epic".

Release

On June 16, 2015, a short video clip featuring a snippet of the track was released onto Instagram. A second snippet featuring the first verse rather than the chorus of the song was posted on the same platform on June 26. Both snippets were posted on Del Rey's @honeymoon Instagram account, which she created to promote the record.

The full track was released onto Del Rey's personal YouTube page on July 14, 2015. It was later released as the album's second promotional single on September 7, 2015.

Live performances

Del Rey performed a short a cappella snippet of the song for the very first time on the last date on the Endless Summer Tour in West Palm Beach, at the Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre on June 16, 2015. The second performance was on Huw Stephen's BBC Radio 1 show, three days before the release of Honeymoon. In 2016, Del Rey performed the song at the "Freak" premiere in Los Angeles, CA at the Wiltern on February 9. The song was also included as part of the the setlist for her 2016 Festival Tour. In 2018, the song was performed on January 17 in Detroit, Michigan at the LA to the Moon Tour, among various other dates.

Cross-references

• The lyrics "there are guns that blaze around you, there are roses in between my thighs" references the songs "Roses" and "Guns and Roses". Blazing guns are also mentioned in "Serene Queen".
• "Fire that surrounds you" is a similar lyric to "he's got the fire" from "Sad Girl".
• The phrase "dark blue" references the line "kissing in the blue dark" from "Video Games". Del Rey loves the color blue, mentioning that it is her favorite color in "The Blackest Day", she also references it in "Shades of Cool" and "Your Girl".
• The lyric "there are violets in your eyes" is similar to the lyrics "palms/sun reflecting in your eyes" from "Freak" and "heaven's in your eyes" from "National Anthem".
• "Dreaming away your life" is a similar lyric to "dreamin' of a different life" from "Take Me to Paris".
• The phrase "we both know" was first used in "Diet Mountain Dew".

Music video

Music video	Information
	Released	N/A
	Length	5:51
	Director	Francesco Carrozzini
	Producer
	Filmed	2015
	Location	West Hollywood, United States
	Vevo views	N/A

Music video	Information
	Released	July 14, 2015
	Length	5:54
	Director	Francesco Carrozzini
	Producer
	Filmed	2015
	Location	West Hollywood, United States
	Vevo views	N/A

Background

On July 14, 2015, Del Rey released a lyric video for "Honeymoon" on her personal YouTube account. It included short snippets from the actual music video.

The full, official music video for the song was filmed by Francesco Carrozzini, but it was never officially released. On April 2, 2016, Del Rey explained on her Instagram account that the video was shelved because she believed "nothing really happened in it".

The full official music video was leaked onto Taylor Secman's YouTube channel on December 27, 2015, although it was not discovered until June 24, 2016, when the link was shared by a fan.

Official versions

• Album version — 5:50
• Instrumental version — 5:53

Lyrics

We both know that it's not fashionable to love me
But you don't go, 'cause truly there's nobody for you but me
We could cruise to the blues—Wilshire Boulevard if we choose
Or whatever you want to do; we make the rules

Our honeymoon
Our honeymoon
Our honeymoon
Say you want me too
Say you want me too
Dark blue
Dark blue

We both know the history of violence that surrounds you
But I'm not scared, there's nothing to lose now that I've found you
And we could cruise to the news—Pico Boulevard in your used little bullet car
If we choose, Mr. Born to Lose

Our honeymoon
Our honeymoon
Our honeymoon
Say you want me too
Say you want me too
Dark blue
Dark blue

There are violets in your eyes; there are guns that blaze around you
There are roses in between my thighs and fire that surrounds you
It's no wonder every man in town had neither fought nor found (you)
Everything you do is elusive to even your honey dew

Our honeymoon
Our honeymoon
Our honeymoon

Da da da da
Dreaming away your life
Dreaming away your life
Dreaming away your life
Oooh...
Dreaming away your life
Dreaming away your life
Dreaming away your life
Oooh... mhm...

Official remixes

• SRTW Remix — 4:01

Promotional release

Honeymoon CD by Interscope Records in Netherlands

Front cover

Back cover

CD

Honeymoon CD by Universal in UK & Europe

Front cover and CD

Back cover

Honeymoon CD by Universal Music Group in Poland

CD in jewelcase

Credits

Personnel

• Lana Del Rey – vocals, songwriting, production
• Rick Nowels – songwriting, production, piano, synth, pads, electric guitar
• Kieron Menzies – production, drums, percussion, samples, engineering, mixing, recording
• Patrick Warren – orchestration, strings, flute, clarinet, oboe, basson
• Curt Bisquera – live drums
• Brian Griffin – conga
• Roger Joseph Manning Jr. – bass, omnichord
• Leon Michels – flute
• Trevor Yasuda – additional effects, engineering
• Chris Garcia – engineering
• Adam Ayan – mastering

Charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
France (SNEP)	154

References

• APRA Id: GW48280521