Norman Fucking Rockwell (song)

Lana Del Rey
Writer(s)	Lana Del Rey Jack Antonoff
Producer(s)	Jack Antonoff Lana Del Rey
Recorded	March 2018 June 27, 2018 (final)
Length	4:08
From
Single(s)	"Mariners Apartment Complex" "Venice Bitch" "Hope Is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman like Me to Have – but I Have It" "Doin' Time" "The Greatest" / "Fuck It I Love You"
Norman Fucking Rockwell track listing
"Mariners Apartment Complex"

"Norman Fucking Rockwell" (stylized in sentence case and originally titled "Bird World") is a song by Lana Del Rey. It serves as the opening track and the title track from Del Rey's sixth studio album and fifth major-label studio album.

Background

On September 18, 2018, during an interview with Zane Lowe, Del Rey explained the back story behind the title track:

"So the title track is called "'Norman Fucking Rockwell'" and it's kind of about this guy who is such a genius artist but he thinks he’s the shit and he knows it and he like won't shut up talking about it."

On June 15, 2019, Del Rey posted a snippet of the song on her Instagram.

During an Instagram livestream on September 4, 2019, Del Rey revealed the track was originally titled "Bird World". She performed this version featuring verses different from the released version. Del Rey said it is her favorite song on the album. It was the third song recorded with Antonoff, after "Love Song" and "Hope Is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman like Me to Have — but I Have It".

The song was nominated for Song of the Year at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.

Live performances

"Norman Fucking Rockwell" serves as the opening track for the Norman Fucking Rockwell Tour, and was first performed live on September 21, 2019 at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York.

Music video

Music video	Information
	Released	December 20, 2019
	Length	14:06
	Director	Chuck Grant
	Producer	Chuck Grant, Lana Del Rey
	Filmed	April, 2018
	Location	Los Angeles, California
	Vevo views	10+ Million views

Background and description

Del Rey shared a 2 minute clip of a music video for the track on August 31, 2019. It was shot by Chuck Grant and is apart of a 3-part video with "Bartender" and "Happiness Is a Butterfly".

The video was originally set for release in October 2019. On December 17, 2019, Del Rey announced it would actually be released December 20, 2019. She shared another excerpt from the video the following day.

Cross-references

• The color blue is also mentioned in many other Del Rey's songs, including "Old Money", "Get Free" and "Color Blue".
• Poetry is also mentioned in "Brooklyn Baby" and "Bartender".
• Not being able to change someone's mood is also a theme in "Shades of Cool".
• The phrase "color me blue" is similar to "paint me happy and blue" which appears in "Venice Bitch".
• Poets are also referenced in the "Ride" monologue and the poems "Salamander" and "Sportcruiser".
• The phrase "your head in your hands" is similar to "my head in my hands" from "White Dress".

Lyrics

Album version

Goddamn, man-child
You fucked me so good that I almost said "I love you"
You're fun and you're wild
But you don't know the half of the shit that you put me through

Your poetry's bad and you blame the news
But I can't change that and I can't change your mood
Ah-ah

'Cause you're just a man
It's just what you do
Your head in your hands
As you color me blue

Yeah, you're just a man
All through and through
Your head in your hands
As you color me blue

Blue, blue, blue

Goddamn, man-child
You act like a kid even though you stand six foot two
Self-loathing poet, resident Laurel Canyon, know-it-all
You talk to the walls when the party gets bored of you

But I don't get bored, I just see it through
Why wait for the best when I could have you?
You, ooh

'Cause you're just a man
It's just what you do
Your head in your hands
As you color me blue

Yeah, you're just a man
All through and through
Your head in your hands
As you color me blue

Blue, blue

You make me blue
Blue, blue, blue
Blue, blue, blue

"Bird World" demo version

Hey, I heard you left town
Hey, heard you're back around'
Hey hey,
Heard you're back in the bar again
Hangin' out with your stupid friends
Playing with your guitar again
But I don't fucking care

Cause you're just a man
It's just what you do
Your head in your hands
As you color me blue
Yeah, you're just a man
All through and through
Your head in your hands
As you color me blue

You keep changing all the time
You're changing your goddamn mind
You know you like to shine
But I don't have a clue

Cause you're just a man
It's just what you do
Your head in your hands...

Credits

Personnel

• Lana Del Rey — songwriting, production, vocals
• Jack Antonoff — songwriting, production, engineering, mixing, keyboards, piano
• Laura Sisk — engineering, mixing
• Jonathan Sher — assistant engineering
• Evan Smith — saxophone
• Phillip Peterson — baritone, cello, flugelbone
• Victoria Parker — violin
• Chris Gehringer — mastering
• Will Quinnell — assistant mastering

Technical

• Mastered at Sterling Sound
• Recorded at Conway Recording Studios, Los Angeles, United States / House of Breaking Glass, Seattle, United States
• Mixed at Conway Recording Studios, Los Angeles, United States