"Mermaid Motel" (registered as "Mermaid Hotel") is a song written by Lana Del Rey and produced by David Kahne. It was released in 2010 on Del Rey's debut album, Lana Del Ray.
Background and writing[]
In an interview with ex-boyfriend Michael Mizrahi, Del Rey stated:
"I wrote "Mermaid Motel" because I was so happy. I was on such a roll. I wrote three smashing songs, in my opinion. I wrote "Queen of the Gas Station", "Jump" and "Put Me in a Movie" in a week. And that's how it happens. I have to wait so long, I never know how long, could be years [for inspiration], but I know exactly when I have a song, and it comes all at once. It doesn't take long to write. It comes with the melody. It comes with the harmonies and I have to take as long as it takes that day, because then it does leave."[1]
A studio demo, recorded in 2007, leaked on July 1, 2017. The original file leaked the next day. The file comes from an album called "No Kung Fu Demos (Received 2007-09-06)" confirming that the demo was a track on Del Rey's EP, No Kung Fu. This version of the song was produced by Steven Mertens. He also produced a demo of the song for Lana Del Ray, it was recorded on February 28, 2008.
There is an alternate version called "Mermaid Hotel", with a length of 3:00. It is registered and remains unleaked.[2]
Live performances[]
There are three known performances of "Mermaid Motel". The first known performance was at The National Underground on December 2, 2008. The second known performance was at Arlene's Grocery on February 3, 2009. Footage of this live performance is available online. The third known performance was at Pianos on February 17, 2009.
Music video[]
| Music video | Information | |
|---|---|---|
|
Released | July 10, 2008 |
| Length | 4:09 | |
| Director | Lana Del Rey | |
| Producer | ||
| Filmed | 2008-2009 | |
| Location | Unknown | |
| Vevo views | N/A | |
Background and description[]
Del Rey created her own homemade music video for the song in 2008–2009. She posted it to YouTube on July 10, 2008. Like most of her earlier music videos, it features clips of Del Rey singing along to the song and clips she gathered from miscellaneous films and videos.
Cross-references[]
- A motel is also mentioned in "Motel 6".
- Coney Island is also mentioned in "Carmen", "Off to the Races" and "TV in Black & White".
- Heavy metal is also mentioned in "Angels Forever, Forever Angels", "Axl Rose Husband", "Guns and Roses" and "Smarty".
- Del Rey refers to singing the "National Anthem".
- The phrase "Miss America" is also mentioned in "Driving in Cars with Boys" and "Trash Magic".
- Del Rey sings the phrase "God bless.." in "God Bless America - and All the Beautiful Women in It" and "Ben".
- Chandeliers are also mentioned in the first demo of "Trash Magic".
Official versions[]
- Album version — 3:59
- No Kung Fu demo — 6:21
- "Mermaid Hotel" version (unleaked) — 3:00
Lyrics[]
Album version[]
Mhm mhm, mhm
Maybe we could go to Coney Island
Maybe I could sing the national anthem
Buy a white sweater for the last white day
Of the summer
Buy my purple wig for my mermaid video
Walk back to where I live in my motel
On Neptune Avenue
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
(Maybe we could go to) Suede Tokyo
Or see Van Halen at the reunion show
Heavy metal hour on TV
Diamond Dave and Ray Lee
And you salute me, Miss America
Because I am, I am
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
Maybe we could go to Coney Island
Maybe I could sing you to sleep
God bless the universe, God bless the ocean
God bless you and God bless me
God bless you and God bless me
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, t-take it off
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off
Demo version[]
Maybe we can go to Coney Island
Maybe I can sing the national anthem
Buy a white sweater for the last white day
Of the summer
Like my purple hair for my mermaid video
Walk back to where I live in my motel
On Neptune Avenue (It's pretty fancy, ah)
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
Maybe we could visit suede Tokyo
See Van Halen at the reunion show
Heavy metal hour on TV
Diamond Dave and Ray Lee
And you salute me, Miss America
Because I am, I am
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
All I wanna do is lie on chandeliers
I've been beautiful for more than a thousand years
All I wanna do is lie on chandeliers and stare at you, baby
Smile you to tears
Oh, oh, hmm
Maybe we can go to Coney Island
Maybe I can sing you to sleep
God bless the universe, God bless the ocean
God bless the blue and God like them mean
God bless the blue and God like them mean
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
You call me lavender, you call me sunshine
You say take it off, take it off
Take it off
References[]
- ↑ lizzygrant4ever (September 2, 2013). "Lizzy Grant interviewed by Michael Mizrahi". Tumblr. http://lizzygrant4ever.tumblr.com/post/60113849123/lizzy-grant-interviewed-by-michael-mizrahi.
- ↑ ISWC: T-914.763.009-9
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