"If I Die Young" (erroneously referred to as "On & On & On" or "Going On & On") is an unreleased song by Lana Del Rey. The song was produced by Rick Nowels in 2015 during the development of Del Rey's fourth studio album, Honeymoon.[S 1]
Background[]
A snippet of the song leaked on September 15, 2021, followed by a second one the next day. A third snippet leaked on September 29. An edited version of the song leaked on October 1. The unedited version of the song — featuring an uncut intro and outro — leaked on July 3, 2023.
Cross-references[]
- The lyric “be my baby tonight” is also used in "Lolita".
- The lyric "It's all over now, baby blue" references the Bob Dylan song of the same name.
- Roses are mentioned in many of Del Rey's songs, such as "Honeymoon", "Roses Bloom for You", "Violets for Roses", "Bel Air", "Guns and Roses", "JFK", "Stoplight De-Lite", and the song of the same name.
- A nightgown is also mentioned in "Hope Is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman like Me to Have – but I Have It".
- California is directly referred to in many of her songs, including "Fuck It I Love You", "Freak", "How to Disappear", "Angels Forever, Forever Angels", "Shades of Cool", and the two songs of the same name.
- Del Rey also sings about her music living "on and on" in "Sweet Carolina".
Lyrics[]
All the roses are red and Jupiter, too
I'm lying in my nightgown making confessions to you
It's all over now, baby blue
All my secrets are out, I told them all to you
And it's a little grim, but I sing a hymn only for you
I seal it with a kiss, and it goes like this
"Baby, love me, too"
If I die young, let me die in California
And when I'm gone, make 'em play my favorite song
It's Jimmy Buffet, to remember
Life's a beach, baby, enjoy it
When I'm done, let the music play on
And on and on and on
Ohh, go on and on and on
All my stories are out, all the lies are out, too
When we drive in the nighttime, I lift them up to you
And it's a little grim, but I sing a hymn only for you
I seal it with a kiss, and it goes like this
"Baby, love me, too"
If I die young, let me die in California
And when I'm gone, make 'em play my favorite song
It's Jimmy Buffet, to remember
Life's a beach, baby, enjoy it
When I'm done, let the music play on
And on and on and on
Ohh, go on and on and on
Be my baby (Ohh)
Be my baby, tonight
We'll go on and on and on
Be my baby (Oh oh oh oh oh)
Be my baby, tonight
Go on and on and on
It's a little grim, but I sing a hymn only for you
I seal it with a kiss, and it goes like this
We'll go on and on and on
If I die young, let me die in California
If I go first, make 'em play my favorite song
It's Jimmy Buffet, to remember
Life's a beach, baby, enjoy it
When I'm done, let the music play on
And on and on and on
Be my baby (Ohh)
Be my baby, tonight
We'll go on and on and on
Be my baby (Mmm)
Be my baby, tonight
Go on and on and on