"Lust for Life" is a song by Lana Del Rey featuring The Weeknd. It is the title track from Del Rey's upcoming fifth studio album and fourth major-label studio album. It was co-written with The Weeknd, Max Martin and Rick Nowels and co-produced with Nowels, Kieron Menzies and Dean Reid. The song was officially released as the second single from Lust for Life on April 19, 2017.
Background
The song was registered at ASCAP under Del Rey's name during March 2017, with The Weeknd credited as a co-writer under his real name Abel Tesfaye.[1] It was officially released on April 19, 2017, after being premiered worldwide on BBC Radio 1.[2] "Lust for Life" is the first track Del Rey has released that features another artist.
Writing and production
In an interview with Courtney Love for Dazed Magazine, Del Rey opened up about writing the song and working with producer Max Martin and stated: "So basically, "Lust for Life" was the first song I wrote for the record, but it was kind of a Rubik’s Cube. I felt like it was a big song but... it wasn’t right. I don’t usually go back and re-edit things that much, because the songs end up sort of being what they are, but this one song I kept going back to. I really liked the title. I liked the verse. John Janick was like, ‘Why don’t we just go over and see what Max Martin thinks?’ So, I flew to Sweden and showed him the song. He said that he felt really strongly that the best part was the verse and that he wanted to hear it more than once, so I should think about making it the chorus. So I went back to Rick Nowels’ place the next day and I was like, ‘Let’s try and make the verse the chorus,’ and we did, and it sounded perfect. That’s when I felt like I really wanted to hear Abel sing the chorus, so he came down and rewrote a little bit of it. But then I was feeling like it was missing a little bit of the Shangri-Las element, so I went back for a fourth time and layered it up with harmonies. Now I’m finally happy with it."[3]
Music video
Official audio
| Music video | Information | |
|---|---|---|
|
Released | April 19, 2017 |
| Length | 4:24 | |
| Director | Clark Jackson | |
| Producer | ||
| Filmed | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, California | |
| Vevo views | 6+ Million views | |
Background and description
An official audio video was released on Del Rey's VEVO channel on April 19, 2017. It features The Weeknd and Del Rey sitting on the edge of the Hollywood sign while holding hands. The clip features interpolation of shots from album trailer. It was directed by Clark Jackson, who also directed the Lust for Life album trailer and produced the "Love" music video. The video gained over 4.7 million views in 24 hours, becoming Del Rey's video to garner the most views in it's first 24 hours of being uploaded.
Cross-references
- The line "my boyfriend's back and he's cooler than ever" is similar to the line "yeah, my boyfriend's pretty cool, but he's not as cool as me" in "Brooklyn Baby".
- The "H of the Hollywood sign" is also mentioned in the Lust for Life album trailer monologue.
- The melody during the lyrics "take off, take off" is the same as in "Without You" during the lyrics "hello, hello".
Lyrics
[Lana Del Rey]:
Climb up the H of the Hollywood sign, yeah
In these stolen moments, the world is mine (doo-wop, doo-wop)
There's nobody here, just us together (shoo-wop, shoo-wop)
Keepin' it hot like July forever
'Cause we're the masters of our own fate
We're the captains of our own souls
There's no way for us to come away
'Cause, boy, we're gold, boy, we're gold
And I was like...
Take off, take off
Take off all your clothes
Take off, take off
Take off all your clothes
Take off, take off
Take off all of your clothes
[The Weeknd]:
They say only the good die young
That just ain't right
'Cause we're having too much fun
Too much fun tonight, yeah
[Lana Del Rey & The Weeknd]:
And a lust for life (and a lust for life)
And a lust for life (and a lust for life)
Keeps us alive (keeps us alive)
Keeps us alive (keeps us alive)
And a lust for life (and a lust for life)
And a lust for life (and a lust for life)
Keeps us alive (keeps us alive)
Keeps us alive (keeps us alive)
[Lana Del Rey]:
We dance on the H of the Hollywood sign, yeah
Till we run out of breath
[Lana Del Rey & The Weeknd]:
Gotta dance 'til we die (doo-wop, doo-wop)
[Lana Del Rey]:
My boyfriend's back and he's cooler than ever (shoo-wop, shoo-wop)
There's no more night
[Lana Del Rey & The Weeknd]:
Blue skies forever
[The Weeknd]:
'Cause we're the masters of our own fate
We're the captains of our own souls
So there's no need for us to hesitate
We're all alone, let's take control
And I was like...
Take off, take off
Take off all your clothes
Take off, take off
Take off all your clothes
Take off, take off
Take off all of your clothes
[Lana Del Rey]:
They say only the good die young
That just ain't right
'Cause we're having too much fun
Too much fun tonight
[The Weeknd]:
Yeah
[Lana Del Rey & The Weeknd]:
And a lust for life (and a lust for life)
And a lust for life (and a lust for life)
Keeps us alive (keeps us alive)
Keeps us alive (keeps us alive)
And a lust for life (and a lust for life)
And a lust for life (and a lust for life)
Keeps us alive (keeps us alive)
Keeps us alive (keeps us alive)
[Lana Del Rey]:
My boyfriend's back and he's cooler than ever
There's no more night
[The Weeknd]:
Blue skies forever
[Lana Del Rey]:
I told you twice in our love letter
There's no stopping now
[Lana Del Rey & The Weeknd]:
Green lights forever
[Lana Del Rey]:
And I was like...
Take off, take off
Take off all your clothes
Take off, take off
Take off all your clothes
Take off, take off
Take off all of your clothes
[Lana Del Rey & The Weeknd]:
And a lust for life (and a lust for life)
And a lust for life (and a lust for life)
Keeps us alive (keeps us alive)
Keeps us alive (keeps us alive)
And a lust for life (and a lust for life)
And a lust for life (and a lust for life)
Keeps us alive (keeps us alive)
Keeps us alive (keeps us alive)
Credits
Personnel
- Lana Del Rey – vocals, production, composition
- Abel Tesfaye – vocals, composition
- Rick Nowels – production, piano, keyboard, mellotron, composition
- Dean Reid – engineering, mixing, drums, bass guitar, percussion, synthesizer programmer, vocoder, sound effects
- David Levita – electric guitar
- Kieron Menzies – engineering, mixing, drums
- Zac Rae – synthesizer
- Ali Payami – drums
- Mighty Mike – bongo
- Max Martin – bass programming, composition
- Jordan Stilwell – engineering
- Trevor Yasuda – engineering
- Adam Ayan – mastering engineer
External links
- Buy/stream "Lust for Life"
References
