Changes: Shades of Cool (song)

Revision as of 15:53, 2 October 2019

Lana Del Rey

Writer(s)

Lana Del Rey
Rick Nowels

Producer(s)

Dan Auerbach

Recorded

December 2013

Released

May 26, 2014

Length

5:42
(See official versions)

From

Single(s)

"West Coast"
"Ultraviolence"
"Black Beauty"

Promotional single(s)

"Shades of Cool"
"Ultraviolence"
"Brooklyn Baby"

Singles chronology
"West Coast"	"Shades of Cool"	"Ultraviolence"

*Ultraviolence* track listing
"Ultraviolence"	"Brooklyn Baby"

This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).

"Shades of Cool" is a song by Lana Del Rey written with Rick Nowels and produced by Dan Auerbach. It is featured on Del Rey's second major-label studio album Ultraviolence, and was released as the first promotional single from the album on May 26, 2014.

Background

On May 23, 2014, various music streaming sites announced that "Shades of Cool" would be debuted on May 26 as the first promotional single from the album, Ultraviolence. The artwork for the single was released alongside the news that it would be a promotional single.

The song was recorded during December 2013, in the same sessions as "Sad Girl", "Is This Happiness", "I Can Fly", "Fine China", "Yes to Heaven" and "Your Girl".

Composition

The track is in F♯ major with a time signature of 6/8 and a tempo of approximately 49 beats per minute. Del Rey sings using the higher part of her register, a departure from most of her music since Born to Die.

Critical reception

"Shades of Cool" received general acclaim from music critics. Coplan of Consequence of Sound complimented the song for its "grace and sophistication".^[1] Saran Shetty of Slate called "Shades of Cool" "a beautiful, brooding return to form [for Del Rey]", and opined that the single would "fit perfectly" in a James Bond theme track.^[2] Likewise, Rolling Stone 's Calyn Ganz wrote that the track "would be perfect for a James Bond film directed by Quentin Tarantino."^[3] Lathan Ryan from PopMatters positively compared Del Rey's vocals on "Shades of Cool" to those of Cocteau Twins vocalist Elizabeth Fraser, observing that "Del Rey has never sounded better".^[4]

Cross-references

The songs theme of failing to change a lover is also found in "Afraid" and "Backfire".
A Chevy is also mentioned in "Hundred Dollar Bill", "Every Man Gets His Wish", "Heartshaped Chevrolet" and "On Our Way".
California is also mentioned in "Freak".
The colour blue is mentioned in "Honeymoon", "Old Money", "The Blackest Day", "Video Games" and "Your Girl".
Del Rey mentions a relationship with a man who loves drugs in "Pretty When You Cry".
Hot weather is also mentioned in "Heroin".

Music video

Music video	Information
	Released	June 17, 2014
	Length	5:43
	Director	Jake Nava
	Producer	Ben Cooper
	Filmed	May, 2014
	Location	Los Angeles, California
	Vevo views	79+ Million views

Music video	Information
	Released	July 1, 2014
	Length	5:43
	Director	Jake Nava
	Producer	Ben Cooper
	Filmed	May, 2014
	Location	Los Angeles, California
	Vevo views	N/A

Background

On June 12, 2014, Del Rey posted a preview of the video on Instagram.^[5] The video was uploaded to YouTube and Vevo on June 17, 2014. The video was filmed in Los Angeles in May and stars celebrity tattoo artist Mark Mahoney who previously appeared in the music video for "West Coast". On July 1, 2014, music video director Jake Nava released a director's cut version of the video. The video was picked up by many online news sources, and includes extra shots of the pool and dancing scenes with Mahoney. The director's cut version is 5:42 long and contains most of the same shots in the officially released video. The original music video ending featured a deleted scene of Del Rey drowning, compared to the released version.

Description

The video opens with Mahoney looking at the camera as a scene of an LA street at night fades in. Del Rey starts singing over shots of Mahoney driving a car before she appears superimposed over various dark blue plants and flowers, with the colors on her distorted and blurring. During the chorus, the scene with Del Rey shows red fireworks and birds while Mahoney is shown with blue shooting stars.

In the second verse, Del Rey walks down a street of LA in the daytime and sees Mahoney getting into his car. He notices her but gets in anyway.

In the next scene Del Rey swims by Mahoney by the glass side of a swimming pool as Mahoney crosses himself. Del Rey is then seen dancing in a living room while Mahoney drinks. Del Rey eats a strawberry then drinks and smokes in the pool while in another scene she playfully hugs and dances with Mahoney. She gets out of the pool as the shot references Marilyn Monroe in Something's Got to Give.

The video ends with a shot of Mahoney pulling a happy Del Rey off the floor into an embrace in reverse.

Photoshoot by Neil Krug

Official versions

Album version — 5:42
Instrumental version — 5:40

Lyrics

My baby lives in shades of blue
Blue eyes and jazz and attitude
He lives in California too
He drives a Chevy Malibu
And when he calls, he calls for me, not for you
He lives for love, he loves his drugs, he loves his baby too

But I can't fix him, can't make him better
And I can't do nothing about his strange weather

But you are unfixable
I can't break through your world
'Cause you live in shades of cool
Your heart is unbreakable

My baby lives in shades of cool
Cool heart and hands and aptitude
He lives for love, for women too
I'm one of many; one is blue
And when he calls, he calls for me, and not for you
He prays for love, he prays for peace, and maybe someone new

But I can't help him, can't make him better
And I can't do nothing about his strange weather

'Cause you are unfixable
I can't break through your world
'Cause you live in shades of cool
Your heart is unbreakable

(Your hot, hot, weather in the summer
Hot, hot, neglectful lover
Hot, hot, weather in the summer
Hot, neglectful lover)

(You're crumbling, sadly
You're sadly, crumbling)

You are unfixable
I can't break through your world
'Cause you live in shades of cool
Your heart is unbreakable

Credits

Personnel

Lana Del Rey — vocals, songwriting
Rick Nowels — songwriting
Dan Auerbach — production, electric guitar
Collin Dupuis — engineering, drum programming
Robert Orton — mixing
Nick Movshon — electric bass
Leon Michaels — mellotron
Kenny Vaughan & Russ Pahl — electric guitar
Seth Kaufman — Omnichord
Maximilian Weissenfeldt — drums
John Davis — mastering

Charts

Chart (2014)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	50
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)	40
Canada (Billboard Hot 100)	52
Czech Republic Digital Singles (ČNS IFPI)	79
Greece Digital Songs (Billboard)	3
France (SNEP)	37
Hungary (Single Top 40)	19
Italy (FIMI)	35
Russian Top Radio Hits (Tophit)^[6]	207
Spain (PROMUSICAE)	31
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	43
US Billboard Hot 100	79

References

Singles | Tour | Music videos | Photoshoots | Producers

"Cruel World"
"Ultraviolence"
"Shades of Cool"
"Brooklyn Baby"
"West Coast"
"Sad Girl"

"Pretty When You Cry"
"Money Power Glory"
"Fucked My Way Up to the Top"
"Old Money"
"The Other Woman"

Bonus tracks:
"Black Beauty"
"Guns and Roses"
"Florida Kilos"
"Is This Happiness"
"Flipside"

[1] Coplan, Chris (May 25, 2014). "Listen to Lana Del Rey's New Song 'Shades of Cool'". Consequence of Sound. [Access date: March 15, 2017]

[2] Shetty, Sharan (May 26, 2014). "Lana Del Rey's New Song Is a Beautiful, Brooding Return to Form". Slate. [Access date: March 15, 2017]

[3] Ganz, Caryn (June 20, 2014). "Lana Del Rey - 'Ultraviolence' Album Review". Rolling Stone. [Access date: March 15, 2017]

[4] Lathan, Ryan (June, 2014). "Lana Del Rey: Ultraviolence". PopMatters. [Access date: March 15, 2017]

[5] (June 12, 2014). "Lana Del Rey on Instagram: 'Shades'". Instagram. [Access date: March 15, 2017]

[6] ttps://www.tophit.ru/en/tracks/57642/view

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 |previous = "[[Ultraviolence (song)|Ultraviolence]]"
 |next ="[[Brooklyn Baby (song)|Brooklyn Baby]]"
-|recorded = 2013|released = May 26, 2014}}
+|recorded = December 2013|released = May 26, 2014
+|Last single image = WC_cover.jpg
+|Last single link = West Coast (song)
+|Last single title = West Coast
+|This single image = SOC cover.jpg
+|This single link = Shades of Cool (song)
+|This single title = Shades of Cool
+|Next single image = UV cover.jpg
+|Next single link = Ultraviolence (song)
+|Next single title = Ultraviolence
+}}
 {{Wikipedia|Shades of Cool}}
-"'''Shades of Cool'''" is a song by [[Lana Del Rey]]. It was written by Del Rey and [[Rick Nowels]], produced by [[Dan Auerbach]] and is featured on Del Rey's second major-label studio album ''[[Ultraviolence (album)|Ultraviolence]]''. It was released as the first promotional single from the album on [[2014/May#May 26|May 26, 2014]].
+"'''Shades of Cool'''" is a song by [[Lana Del Rey]] written with [[Rick Nowels]] and produced by [[Dan Auerbach]]. It is featured on Del Rey's second major-label studio album ''[[Ultraviolence (album)|Ultraviolence]]'', and was released as the first promotional single from the album on [[2014/May#May 26|May 26, 2014]].
 ==Background==
-On May 23, 2014, various music streaming sites announced that "Shades of Cool" would be debuted on May 26 as the first promotional single from the album ''[[Ultraviolence (album)|Ultraviolence]]''. The artwork for the single was released alongside the news that it would be a promotional single.
+On May 23, 2014, various music streaming sites announced that "Shades of Cool" would be debuted on May 26 as the first promotional single from the album, ''[[Ultraviolence (album)|Ultraviolence]]''. The artwork for the single was released alongside the news that it would be a promotional single.
+The song was recorded during December 2013, in the same sessions as "[[Sad Girl (song)|Sad Girl]]", "[[Is This Happiness (song)|Is This Happiness]]", "[[I Can Fly (song)|I Can Fly]]", "[[Fine China (song)|Fine China]]", "[[Yes to Heaven (song)|Yes to Heaven]]" and "[[Your Girl (song)|Your Girl]]".
 ==Composition==
@@ Line 26: / Line 38: @@
 == Cross-references ==
 * The songs theme of failing to change a lover is also found in "[[Afraid (song)|Afraid]]" and "[[Backfire (song)|Backfire]]".
+* A Chevy is also mentioned in "[[Hundred Dollar Bill (song)|Hundred Dollar Bill]]", "[[Every Man Gets His Wish (song)|Every Man Gets His Wish]]", "[[Heartshaped Chevrolet (song)|Heartshaped Chevrolet]]" and "[[On Our Way (song)|On Our Way]]".
+* California is also mentioned in "[[Freak (song)|Freak]]".
+* The colour blue is mentioned in "[[Honeymoon (song)|Honeymoon]]", "[[Old Money (song)|Old Money]]", "[[The Blackest Day (song)|The Blackest Day]]", "[[Video Games (song)|Video Games]]" and "[[Your Girl (song)|Your Girl]]".
+* Del Rey mentions a relationship with a man who loves drugs in "[[Pretty When You Cry (song)|Pretty When You Cry]]".
+* Hot weather is also mentioned in "[[Heroin (song)|Heroin]]".
 ==Music video==
@@ Line 36: / Line 53: @@
 |filmed= May, 2014
 |location= Los Angeles, California
-|vevo views= 64+ Million views
+|vevo views= 79+ Million views
 }}
 {{infobox mvideo
-|video = Lana_Del_Rey_–_Shades_of_Cool_(Director%27s_Cut)
+|video = Lana Del Rey – Shades of Cool (Director's Cut)
 |released = July 1, 2014
 |length = 5:43
@@ Line 50: / Line 67: @@
 ==== Background ====
-On [[2014/June#June 12|June 12, 2014]], Del Rey posted a preview of the video on Instagram.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/pKvcCflniX/ (June 12, 2014). "Lana Del Rey on Instagram: 'Shades'". ''Instagram''. [Access date: March 15, 2017<nowiki>]</nowiki>]</ref> The video was uploaded to YouTube and Vevo on June 17, 2014. The video was filmed in Los Angeles in May and stars celebrity tattoo artist [[Mark Mahoney]] who previously appeared in the music video for "[[West Coast (song)|West Coast]]". On [[2014/July|July 1, 2014]], music video director [[Jake Nava]] released a director's cut version of the video. The video was picked up by many online news sources, and includes extra shots of the pool and dancing scenes with Mahoney. The director's cut version is 5:42 long and contains most of the same shots in the officially released video.
+On [[2014/June#June 12|June 12, 2014]], Del Rey posted a preview of the video on Instagram.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/pKvcCflniX/ (June 12, 2014). "Lana Del Rey on Instagram: 'Shades'". ''Instagram''. [Access date: March 15, 2017<nowiki>]</nowiki>]</ref> The video was uploaded to YouTube and Vevo on June 17, 2014. The video was filmed in Los Angeles in May and stars celebrity tattoo artist [[Mark Mahoney]] who previously appeared in the music video for "[[West Coast (song)|West Coast]]". On [[2014/July|July 1, 2014]], music video director [[Jake Nava]] released a director's cut version of the video. The video was picked up by many online news sources, and includes extra shots of the pool and dancing scenes with Mahoney. The director's cut version is 5:42 long and contains most of the same shots in the officially released video. The original music video ending featured a deleted scene of Del Rey drowning, compared to the released version.
 ==== Description ====
@@ Line 64: / Line 81: @@
 == Official versions ==
-* Album version – 5:42
+* Album version — 5:42
-* Instrumental version – 5:40
+* Instrumental version — 5:40
 ==Lyrics==
@@ Line 100: / Line 117: @@
 Your heart is unbreakable
-Your hot, hot, weather in the summer
+(Your hot, hot, weather in the summer
 Hot, hot, neglectful lover
 Hot, hot, weather in the summer
-Hot, neglectful lover
+Hot, neglectful lover)
-You're crumbling, sadly
+(You're crumbling, sadly
-You're sadly, crumbling
+You're sadly, crumbling)
 You are unfixable
@@ Line 116: / Line 133: @@
 == Credits ==
 '''Personnel'''
-* Lana Del Rey – vocals, songwriting
+* Lana Del Rey — vocals, songwriting
-* Rick Nowels – songwriting
+* Rick Nowels — songwriting
-* Dan Auerbach – production, electric guitar
+* Dan Auerbach — production, electric guitar
-* Collin Dupuis – engineering, drum programming
+* Collin Dupuis — engineering, drum programming
-* Robert Orton – mixing
+* Robert Orton — mixing
-* Nick Movshon – electric bass
+* Nick Movshon — electric bass
-* Leon Michaels – mellotron
+* Leon Michaels — mellotron
-* Kenny Vaughan & Russ Pahl – electric guitar
+* Kenny Vaughan & Russ Pahl — electric guitar
-* Seth Kaufman – Omnichord
+* Seth Kaufman — Omnichord
-* Maximilian Weissenfeldt – drums
+* Maximilian Weissenfeldt — drums
-* John Davis – mastering
+* John Davis — mastering
 ==Charts==
@@ Line 173: / Line 190: @@
 ==References==
 {{Reflist}}
 {{Navbox album ultra}}
 [[Category:Endless Summer Tour songs]]
@@ Line 186: / Line 202: @@
 [[Category:Promotional singles]]
 [[Category:Ultraviolence promotional singles]]
+[[Category:LA to the Moon Tour songs]]
+[[Category:Norman Fucking Rockwell Tour songs]]