Summertime Sadness (song)

Lana Del Rey Writer(s) Lana Del Rey Rick Nowels Kieran De Jour Producer(s) Emile Haynie Alternate producer(s) Rick Nowels Released June 22, 2012 Length 4:25 (See official versions) From Single(s) "Video Games" "Born to Die" "Blue Jeans" "Summertime Sadness" "National Anthem" "Dark Paradise" Promotional single(s) "Off to the Races" "Carmen" Singles chronology "Blue Jeans" "Summertime Sadness" "National Anthem" Born to Die track listing "Million Dollar Man" "This Is What Makes Us Girls" This box: view • talk

"Summertime Sadness" is a song written by Lana Del Rey, Kieran De Jour and Rick Nowels in 2011. Nowels also assisted in the song's production along with Emile Haynie. Taken from Del Rey's first major-label album Born to Die, the song was released as the album's fourth official single worldwide on June 22, 2012. A remix was made by Cedric Gervais which found the track worldwide commercial success.

Background Edit

A second version of the song tagged as "Final 2" exists. It was produced by Patrik Berger. Three snippets of this version leaked between 2016 and 2017, with the last one leaking on August 31, 2017 during an Instagram livestream. The first snippet was leaked in May 2016 and the second one on April 20, 2017. This version has a more rock and electronic sound, featuring an electronic guitar. At first, it was mistaken as a demo or a different radio mix but the leaker confirmed it to be a different version of the album's track. It leaked in full on January 31, 2020.

The original file of the leaked demo is called "Summertime Sadness KM mix 017".

CompositionEdit

"Summertime Sadness" is a trip hop ballad written in the key of C♯ Minor. Del Rey's vocals cover exactly two octaves, ranging from C♯3 to C♯5. It is performed at approximately 112 beats per minute and runs at a duration of four minutes and twenty-five seconds.

Critical reception Edit

In his track-by-track review of Born to Die for Billboard magazine Andrew Hampp wrote about "Summertime Sadness" that "the pouty title alone drew giggles at Del Rey's Bowery gig, but the song itself proves to be one of the more durable tracks here even if its lyrics start to get redundant ('Kiss me hard before you go... That baby you're the best')".^[1] Amy Sciarretto of PopCrush noted that "on an album marked by shoe gazing moments, [the song] is Lana Del Rey at her most head down. But even though there is a palpable damaged girl in her voice, she commands attention with her lazy delivery."^[2] Los Angeles Times named it among the best tracks on the album along with "Video Games" and "Dark Paradise".^[3]

Live performances Edit

Del Rey first performed the song at the Bowery Ballroom on December 5, 2011, before the song was officially released. At the end of the performance, she stated: "I know you don't care, but you're gonna fucking like it when it's on the record." The song is now one of the songs Del Rey performs live most frequently, it has been included in the setlist for most of her concert tours.

Cross-referencesEdit

• "My bad baby" is also a phrase in "Pretty Baby".
• "I'm on fire" is also a lyric in "Body Electric", "Sad Girl", "Baby Blue Love" and thematically similar to a lyric in "Lucky Ones".
• A red dress is also mentioned in "Yes to Heaven", "Cruel World", "Off to the Races", "Carmen" and "Criminals Run the World".
• The phrase "pale moonlight" is mentioned in "Body Electric" and "Meet Me in the Pale Moonlight".
• Kissing hard is also mentioned in "Born to Die" and "Roses".
• Del Rey remarks "oh my God" in "Heroin", "When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing", "The Blackest Day" and "Paradise".

Music videoEdit

Music video	Information
	Released	June 22, 2012.
	Length	4:25
	Director	Kyle Newman, Spencer Susser
	Producer	Tova Dann
	Filmed	April—May, 2012
	Location	Pasadena, California
	Vevo views	304+ Million views

Background Edit

The music video for "Summertime Sadness" was filmed in April and May of 2012. It was directed by Kyle Newman and Spencer Susser. Newman's wife, actress Jaime King, stars alongside Del Rey in the video, and said that, "It's about not being able to live without the one you love, friend or lover it doesn't matter, that's whatever you want it to be." Actor Alex Pettyfer reportedly also helped out on set as a production assistant. The radio mix edit of the video was released on July 20, 2012, in Germany on ClipFish.^[4] The same day, the video with the album version of the song was released worldwide on Del Rey's official YouTube channel.

Description Edit

The music video for the song features two lovers, one played by Jaime King and the other played by Del Rey. As the storyline progresses, one of the lovers commit suicide by jumping from perilous heights.

The music video opens with the clouds parting during which a female voice is heard speaking through a phone call, telling her lover, "remember, i'll always love you, bye", then it shows Del Rey singing the opening verse before jumping from a cliff overlooking a waterfall. The video traces the women's relationship with spliced together through film bits – much like the effects used in her earlier efforts – and foggy scenes of the stars pouting and glancing seductively over their shoulders. The final sixty seconds of the video features both the grief stricken lovers falling in slow motion off of a bridge, suicidal after realizing the irreparability of their relationship. "I just wanted you to know," Del Rey intones as she tumbles slowly into the abyss, "that baby you were the best."

Behind the scenes Edit

Remix music video Edit

The video was re-edited to go alongside the release of the Cedric Gervais remix.

Official versions Edit

• Album version — 4:25
• Single version — 4:23
• Music video version — 4:42
• Radio mix — 4:12
• Radio mix, extended version — 5:06
• Instrumental version — 4:24
• A cappella version — 3:58
• Radio edit — 3:09
• Demo version 1 — 4:13 (produced by Rick Nowels)
• Final version 2 — 5:22 (produced by Patrik Berger)

LyricsEdit

Album versionEdit

Radio editEdit

Demo version oneEdit

Final version twoEdit

Commercial releaseEdit

Summertime Sadness (Remixes) - EP

	Label: Universal Music Format: Digital Released: June 22, 2012 Barcode: None Photography: Spencer Susser Design: Unknown

German CD single

	Label: Vertigo Berlin Format: CD in slimcase Released: July 13, 2012 Barcode: 0602537102631 Photography: Spencer Susser Design: Unknown

German 12" remixes EP

	Label: Stranger Format: 12" vinyl in cardsleeve Released: July, 2012 Barcode: 0602537105106 Photography: Nicole Nodland Design: Unknown

SIDE A (45RPM)

SIDE B (45RPM)

Summertime Sadness (Asadinho Remixes)

	Label: RvS Format: Digital, 12" vinyl Released: Various Barcode: Photography: None Design: Unknown

Summertime Sadness (Nick Warren Remixes)

	Label: Hope Recordings Format: Digital Released: February, 2013 Barcode: None Photography: None Design: Unknown

Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix) - Single

	Label: Spinnin' Records Format: Digital Released: July 11, 2013 Barcode: None Photography: None Design: Unknown

Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Extended Remix) - Single

	Label: Spinnin' Records Format: Digital Released: February 24, 2014 Barcode: None Photography: None Design: Unknown

Promotional releasesEdit

Summertime Sadness CD by Vertigo in Germany, Austria & SwitzerlandEdit

Summertime Sadness - The Remix EP 12" Vinyl by Universal Music Group in GermanyEdit

Summertime Sadness CD by Polydor and Universal Music France in FranceEdit

Summertime Sadness (Asadinho Remixes) 12" Vinyl by RvS Music in UKEdit

Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix) CD by Universal Music in NetherlandsEdit

Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix) CD by Polydor and Spinnin' Records in UKEdit

Summertime Sadness CD by Universal Music in SwedenEdit

Official remixesEdit

• Adam Freeland Dub Mix — 7:05
• Adam Freeland Vox Mix — 7:04
• Asadinho Dub — 7:45
• Asadinho Instrumental — 7:00^[5]
• Asadinho Main Vocal Mix — 8:34^[6]
• Cedric Gervais Remix / Radio Edit / DJ Soft Edit — 3:34^[7]
• Cedric Gervais Remix / Radio Edit — 3:34^[8]
• Cedric Gervais Remix (PIU - Ultimate Dance Workout Edit) — 6:21^[9]
• Cedric Gervais Remix (Running Trax Summer Edit - 40 Min Mix) — 6:51^[10]
• Cedric Gervais Extended Remix — 6:50^[11]
• Hannes Fischer Nightflight Remix — 6:41
• Hannes Fischer Nightflight Radio Edit — 3:52
• Marbert Rocel Remix — 5:41
• MK Feel It In The Air Remix — 8:19
• MK In The Air Remix — 4:03
• MK Lee Foss Cold Blooded Remix — 5:40
• MK Lee Foss Cold Blooded Remix / Soft Edit — 5:36^[12]
• Monsieur Adi Remix — 4:46
• Nick Warren's Instrumental Remix — 10:32
• Nick Warren's Skandik Dub — 10:40
• Nick Warren's Vocal Remix — 10:34
• Panic City Remix — 5:07
• Ryan Hemsworth Remix — 4:10
• Simon Large MK Dub — 6:53
• Todd Terry Dub — 5:37
• Todd Terry Remix — 6:35
• Toyboy & Robin Remix — 4:05
• Twinsmatic Remix — 4:21

CreditsEdit

SongEdit

Personnel

• Lana Del Rey — vocals, songwriting
• Rick Nowels — songwriting, co-production, additional strings
• Emile Haynie — production, drums, keyboards
• Larry Gold — strings arrangement and conduction
• Steve Tirpak — strings assistance
• Dan Heath — flute
• Patrick Warren — additional strings, guitar and keyboards
• Devrim Karaoglu — additional pads
• Dan Grech-Marguerat — mixing
• Duncan Fuller — mixing assistance
• John Davis — mastering

Technical

• Published by EMI
• Mastered at Metropolis Mastering, London, United Kingdom
• Mixed at Miloco's Engine Room, London, United Kingdom

Music videoEdit

Personnel

• Spencer Susser — director, editor
• Kyle Newman — assistant director
• Tova Dann — producer
• Morgan Susser — director of photography

Charts (original version)Edit

Weekly charts Edit Chart (2012–14) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 8 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 15 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] 17 Bulgaria (BAMP)[16] 3 Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[17] 42 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[18] 36 France (SNEP)[19] 56 Germany (Official German Charts)[20] 4 Greece Digital Songs (Billboard)[21] 3 Israel (Media Forest)[22] 10 Italy (FIMI)[23] 6 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[24] 23 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[25] 1 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[26] 53 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[27] 20 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] 3 US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[29] 5

Year-end charts Edit Chart (2012) Position Germany (Media Control AG)[30] 21 Chart (2013) Position Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[31] 58 Chart (2014) Position Italy (Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana)[32] 67

Certifications (original version)Edit

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Austria (IFPI Austria)[33]	Gold	15,000*
Germany (BVMI)[34]	Platinum	300,000^
Italy (FIMI)[35]	3× Platinum	150,000*
Mexico (AMPROFON)[36]	Platinum	60,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[37]	Gold	15,000^
United States (RIAA)[38]	Platinum[sales of remix + original version]	1,000,000[39]
*sales figures based on certification alone ^shipments figures based on certification alone xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References Edit