"Looking for America" is a song by Lana Del Rey. It was recorded on August 5, 2019, and produced by Jack Antonoff. The song was recorded and released as a standalone single before the release of her sixth studio album and fifth major-label studio album, Norman Fucking Rockwell!. The song was officially released on August 9, 2019.
Background and writing[]
"Looking for America" was conceptualized by Del Rey while in Montecito, California with her brother Charlie Grant in the wake of two mass-shootings. On August 5, 2019, Del Rey posted a video of her singing the song in the studio with Antonoff playing guitar and added the following caption:[1]
- "Hi folks came back early from Montecito with my brother this morning and asked Jack Antonoff to come into town because I had a song on my mind that I wanted to write.
Now I know I'm not a politician and I'm not trying to be so excuse me for having an opinion- but in light of all of the mass shootings and the back to back shootings in the last couple of days which really affected me on a cellular level I just wanted to post this video that our engineer Laura took 20 minutes ago. I hope you like it. I'm singing love to the choruses I recorded this morning. I'm going to call it 'Looking for America'"
Del Rey would also write that the entirety of the proceeds made from the song would go to support the Gilroy Garlic Festival Victims Relief Fund, El Paso Community Relief Fund, and Dayton Foundation. These funds were created to support the victims of the mass shootings Del Rey had previously acknowledged inspired the writing of the song.
Cross-references[]
- America is also mentioned in "Afraid", "Arcadia", "California", "Come When You Call Me America", "Dangerous Girl", "God Bless America - and All the Beautiful Women in It", "Gramma (Blue Ribbon Sparkler Trailer Heaven)", and "When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing", among many others.
- The American flag is directly referenced in "Boarding School" and "Cola".
- The state of American politics is also a central theme in "Coachella - Woodstock in My Mind".
- Lake Placid, Del Rey's hometown in New York, is also mentioned in "Taco Truck x VB" and the song of the same name.
- Bombs are also mentioned in "Change".
- Children are also mentioned in "Children of the Bad Revolution" as well as in the poem "My Bedroom Is a Sacred Place Now – There Are Children at the Foot of My Bed".
- Del Rey sings about fireworks in "Behind Closed Doors" and references them in "National Anthem".
- Guns are also mentioned in "Florida Kilos", "Guns and Roses", "Living Legend", and "Kinda Outta Luck".
- New York City is mentioned in many of Del Rey's songs, including "Diet Mountain Dew", "How to Disappear", "Old Money", "The Greatest", and "Ultraviolence".
- San Francisco is also mentioned in "Dance Till We Die" as well as in the poem "LA Who Am I to Love You".
- "The blues" are also mentioned in "Ride", "Tired of Singing the Blues", "Terrence Loves You", and "Black Bathing Suit".
Lyrics[]
Took a trip to San Fransisco
All our friends said we would jive
Didn't work, so I left for Fresno
It was quite a scenic drive
Pulled over to watch the children in the park
We used to only worry for them after dark
I'm still looking for my own version of America
One without the gun, where the flag can freely fly
No bombs in the sky, only fireworks when you and I collide
It's just a dream I had in mind
It's just a dream I had in mind
It's just a dream I had in mind
I flew back to New York City
Missed that Hudson River line
Took a train up to Lake Placid
That's another place and time, where
I used to go to drive-ins and listen to the blues
So many things that I think twice about before I do, no
I'm still looking for my own version of America
One without the gun, where the flag can freely fly
No bombs in the sky, only fireworks when you and I collide
It's just a dream I had in mind
It's just a dream I had in mind
It's just a dream I had in mind
It's just a dream I had in mind
Credits[]
Personnel[a]
- Lana Del Rey — songwriting, production, vocals
- Jack Antonoff — songwriting, production, mixing, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums, Mellotron, piano, Rhodes, synthesizer
- Laura Sisk — mixing, recording
- Jon Sher — recording assistance
- Chris Gehringer — mastering