"Raise Me Up (Mississippi South)" (registered as "Raise Me Up") 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
Three takes of the song were recorded on February 28, 2007, at Studio 356 during the same session (also known as "Get Drunk" Recording Sessions) with "Get Drunk" (3 takes) and "For K, Pt. 2" (1 take).
A demo of the song was leaked under the title "Rayse" on December 23, 2012, then a further three (erroneously thought to be four) acoustic demos leaked alongside demos of "Get Drunk" and "For K, Pt. 2" on January 27, 2015.
Official versions
- Album version — 4:22
- Demo version 1 — 4:00
- Demo version 2 — 3:52
- Demo version 3 — 3:54
- "Rayse" early mix (demo version 4) — 4:22
- Demo version 5 — 3:22
Cross-references
- The phrase "mama" is found in other songs including "Yayo" and "Gangsta Boy".
- "Jim raised me up" is a reference to this song in "Ultraviolence".
- Supernatural things are mentioned in "Maha Maha" and Tropico.
- Del Rey sings about putting jewelry on her neck in "Cola".
Lyrics
Album version & "Rayse" demo version four
Rai-, rai-
(Rai-, rai-, rai-, raise me up)
(Rai-, rai-, rai-, raise me up)
(I don't have to talk)
(Rai-, raise me up, rai-, raise)
Just like you said, it's all been done before
I don't have to talk pretty for them no more
It's like you said, it's all been done before
I don't have to talk pretty for them no more
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I don't have to talk taste for your mama
No, no, no, say no-oh, oh
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up, rai-raise
It's the voodoo Mississippi south
Sixty-nine million stars
Birds are flyin' out of my mouth
Spirits creepin' in my yard
Hold my head, it's tiltin' back
Something dancin' me around
Puttin' crystals on my neck
Liftin' my feet off the ground, the ground
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up, me up
Oh, see? Look what you done now
Oh, me, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout
Oh, me, look what you done now
Oh, me, it's what I'm talkin' 'bout
It's what I'm talkin' 'bout
It's what I'm talkin' about
Pick me up in a pick-up truck
Roy, don, you got it going on
Let me talk on your C.B., what?
Let me play with your new shotgun, shotgun
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
(Shotgun)
Rai-raise me up
(Shotgun)
Rai-raise me up
(Shotgun)
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
(Shotgun)
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I can talk what I want how I wanna
(Rai-rai-rai-raise me up)
I don't have to talk taste for your mama, no
(Rai-rai-rai-raise me up)
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Demo version one
(Five, six, seven, eight)
It's like you said, it's all been done before
So I don't have to talk pretty for them no more
It's like you said, it's all been done before
I don't have to talk pretty for them no more
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I don't have to talk taste for you, mama
No, ah-ah-ah, no, oh no
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up, rai-raise
It's the voodoo Mississippi south
Sixty-nine million stars
And the birds are flyin' out of my mouth
And spirits creepin' in my yard
Hold my head, it's tiltin' back
And something dancin' me around
And it's puttin' crystals on my neck
And liftin' my toes off the ground, the ground
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up, rai-raise
Oh, see? Look what you done now
Oh, me, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout
Oh, see? Look what you done now
Oh, me, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout
That's what I'm talkin' 'bout
That's what I'm talkin' 'bout
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up
Roy, don, you got it going on
Let me talk on your C.B., what?
And you let me play with your new
Shotgun, ah-ah-ah-ah, shotgun, ah-ah-ah, ah
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up, rai-raise
Demo version two
It's like you said, it's all been done before
I don't have to talk pretty for them no more
It's like you said, it's all been done before
I don't have to talk pretty for them no more
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I don't have to talk taste for you, mama
No, ah-ah, no, no, no
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up, rai-raise
It's the voodoo Mississippi south
Sixty-nine million stars
Birds are flyin' out of my mouth
And spirits creepin' in my yard
Hold my head, it's tiltin' back
Something dancin' me around
Puttin' crystals on my neck
And it's liftin' my toes off the ground, the ground
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up, rai-raise
Oh, see? Look what you done now
Oh, me, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout
Oh, see? Look what you done now
Oh, me, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout
That's what I'm talkin' 'bout
That's what I'm talkin' 'bout
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up, rai-raise
Pick me up in a pick-up truck
Roy, don, you got it goin' on
And you, you let me talk on your C.B., what?
And you let me play with your new
Shotgun, ah-ah-ah-ah, shotgun, ah-ah-ah
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up, rai-raise
Demo version three
(And five, six, seven, eight)
It's like you said, it's all been done before
I don't have to talk pretty for them no more
It's like you said, it's all been done before
I don't have to talk pretty for them no more
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I can talk what I want how I wanna
I don't have to talk taste for you, mama
No, ah, no, no, no, no, no, no
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up, rai-raise
It's the voodoo Mississippi south
Sixty-nine million stars
Birds are flyin' out of my mouth
Spirits creepin' in my yard
Hold my head, it's tiltin' back
And something's dancin' me around
And it's, it's puttin' crystals on my neck
And it's liftin' my toes off the ground, the ground
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up, rai-rai-, ah
Oh, see? Look what you done now
Oh, me, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout
Oh, see? Look what you done now
Oh, me, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout
That's what I'm talkin' 'bout
That's what I'm talkin' 'bout
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-raise me up, rai-rai-
You pick me up in a pick-up truck
Roy, don, you got it going on
And you, you let me talk on your C.B., what?
And you let me play with your new
Shotgun, ah-ah, ah-ah, shotgun, ah-ah-ah
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-rai-raise me up
Rai-rai-, ah
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