"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.
Composition
"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.
A second version of the song tagged as "Final 2" exists. It was produced by someone who worked on the album, but finally was produced by Emile Haynie. 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.
Critical reception
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
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 the Born to Die Tour, Paradise Tour, Endless Summer Tour, Festival Tour, and LA to the Moon Tour.
Cross-references
- "My bad baby" is also a lyric 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”.
Music video
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 | 98+ Million views |
Background
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
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 Lana 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
Remix music video
The video was re-edited to go alongside the release of the Cedric Gervais remix.
Official versions
- 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
- Radio edit — 3:09
- Demo version 1 — 4:13 (produced by Rick Nowels)
- Final Version 2 (snippet) — 0:22
- Final Version 2 (snippet 2) — 0:14
Lyrics
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got my red dress on tonight
Dancin' in the dark in the pale moonlight
Done my hair up real big, beauty queen style
High heels off, I'm feelin' alive
Oh my god, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above
Are sizzlin' like a snare
Honey I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothin' scares me anymore
(One, two, three, four)
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I'm feelin' electric tonight
Cruisin' down the coast, goin' about ninety-nine
Got my bad baby by my heavenly side
I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight
Oh my god, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above
Are sizzlin' like a snare
Honey I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothin' scares me anymore
(One, two, three, four)
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Think I'll miss you forever
Like the stars miss the sun in the morning sky
Later's better than never
Even if you're gone I'm gonna drive
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best
I got that summertime, summertime sadness
Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness
Got that summertime, summertime sadness
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Commercial release
- Summertime Sadness (Remixes) - EP
Label: Universal Music Format: Digital Released: June 22, 2012 Barcode: None Photography: Spencer Susser Design: Unknown |
---|
# | Name | Time |
---|---|---|
1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Radio Mix) | 4:12 |
2. | "Summertime Sadness" | 4:25 |
3. | "Summertime Sadness" (Radio Mix, Extended Version) | 5:06 |
4. | "Summertime Sadness" (Hannes Fischer Nightflight Remix) | 6:41 |
- German CD single
Label: Vertigo Berlin Format: CD in slimcase Released: July 13, 2012 Barcode: 0602537102631 Photography: Spencer Susser Design: Unknown |
---|
# | Name | Time |
---|---|---|
1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Radio Mix) | 4:12 |
2. | "Summertime Sadness" | 4:25 |
- German 12" remixes EP
Label: Stranger Format: 12" vinyl in cardsleeve Released: July, 2012 Barcode: 0602537105106 Photography: Nicole Nodland Design: Unknown |
---|
SIDE A (45RPM)
# | Name | Time |
---|---|---|
1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Todd Terry Remix) | 6:35 |
2. | "Summertime Sadness" (Todd Terry Dub) | 5:37 |
SIDE B (45RPM)
# | Name | Time |
---|---|---|
1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Hannes Fischer Nightflight Remix) | 6:41 |
2. | "Summertime Sadness" (Marbert Rocel Remix) | 5:41 |
- Summertime Sadness (Asadinho Remixes)
Label: RvS Format: Digital, 12" vinyl Released: Various Barcode: Photography: None Design: Unknown |
---|
# | Name | Time |
---|---|---|
1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Asadinho Main Vocal Mix) | 8:34 |
2. | "Summertime Sadness" (Asadinho Dub) | 7:45 |
3. | "Summertime Sadness" (Asadinho Instrumental) | 7:00 |
- Summertime Sadness (Nick Warren Remixes)
Label: Hope Recordings Format: Digital Released: February, 2013 Barcode: None Photography: None Design: Unknown |
---|
# | Name | Time |
---|---|---|
1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Nick Warren's Vocal Remix) | 10:34 |
2. | "Summertime Sadness" (Nick Warren's Skandik Dub) | 10:40 |
3. | "Summertime Sadness" (Nick Warren's Instrumental Remix) | 10:32 |
- Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix) - Single
Label: Spinnin' Records Format: Digital Released: July 11, 2013 Barcode: None Photography: None Design: Unknown |
---|
# | Name | Time |
---|---|---|
1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Cedric Gervais Remix) | 3:34 |
- Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Extended Remix) - Single
Label: Spinnin' Records Format: Digital Released: February 24, 2014 Barcode: None Photography: None Design: Unknown |
---|
# | Name | Time |
---|---|---|
1. | "Summertime Sadness" (Cedric Gervais Extended Remix) | 6:52 |
Promotional releases
Summertime Sadness CD by Vertigo in Germany, Austria & Switzerland
Summertime Sadness - The Remix EP 12" Vinyl by Universal Music Group in Germany
Summertime Sadness CD by Polydor and Universal Music France in France
Summertime Sadness (Asadinho Remixes) 12" Vinyl by RvS Music in UK
Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix) CD by Universal Music in Netherlands
Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix) CD by Polydor and Spinnin' Records in UK
Summertime Sadness CD by Universal Music in Sweden
Credits
Song
- 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 video
- Personnel
- Spencer Susser — director, editor
- Kyle Newman — assistant director
- Tova Dann — producer
- Morgan Susser — director of photography
Charts (original version)
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
|}
Certifications (original version)
Region | Certification | Sales/shipments |
---|---|---|
Austria (IFPI Austria)[25] | Gold | 15,000* |
Germany (BVMI)[26] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[27] | 3× Platinum | 150,000* |
Mexico (AMPROFON)[28] | Platinum | 60,000* |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[29] | Gold | 15,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[30] | Platinum[sales of remix + original version] | 1,000,000[31] |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
References
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/1067142/lana-del-reys-born-to-die-track-by-track-review
- ↑ http://popcrush.com/lana-del-rey-born-to-die-album-review
- ↑ http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2012/01/lana-del-rey-born-to-die.html
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20120723060429if_/http://www.clipfish.de/musikvideos/video/3816557/lana-del-rey-summertime-sadness/
- ↑ http://www.austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Lana+Del+Rey&titel=Summertime+Sadness&cat=s
- ↑ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Lana+Del+Rey&titel=Summertime+Sadness&cat=s
- ↑ http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=Lana+Del+Rey&titel=Summertime+Sadness&cat=s
- ↑ http://www.bamp-bg.org/2009-07-08-09-48-53/nielsen/362-15102012-21102012.html
- ↑ http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparada/index.php?hitp=R
- ↑ http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparada/index.php?hitp=R
- ↑ http://www.lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Lana+Del+Rey&titel=Summertime+Sadness&cat=s
- ↑ http://www.officialcharts.de/song.asp?artist=Lana+Del+Rey&title=Summertime+Sadness&cat=s&country=de
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2013-08-03/greece
- ↑ http://www.mediaforest.biz/WeeklyCharts/HistoryWeeklyCharts.aspx?year=2012&week=39
- ↑ http://www.fimi.it/main/chart_id/1671
- ↑ http://www.charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Lana+Del+Rey&titel=Summertime+Sadness&cat=s
- ↑ http://bestsellery.zpav.pl/airplays/top/archiwum.php?year=2012&idlisty=849#title
- ↑ http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparadask/index.php?hitp=R
- ↑ http://www.swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Lana+Del+Rey&titel=Summertime+Sadness&cat=s
- ↑ http://www.swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Lana+Del+Rey&titel=Summertime+Sadness&cat=s
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/306420/Lana+Del+Rey/chart?f=902
- ↑ http://www.mix1.de/charts/jahrescharts-2012-singles.htm
- ↑ http://zene.slagerlistak.hu/archivum/eves-osszesitett-listak/radios/2013
- ↑ http://www.fimi.it/5233
- ↑ http://www.ifpi.at/?section=goldplatin
- ↑ http://www.musikindustrie.de/no_cache/gold_platin_datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=Summertime+Sadness&strInterpret=Lana+Del+Rey&strTtArt=alle&strAwards=checked
- ↑ http://www.fimi.it/archivio_certificazioni.php
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asociaci%C3%B3n_Mexicana_de_Productores_de_Fonogramas_y_Videogramas
- ↑ http://www.swisscharts.com/search_certifications.asp?search=Lana+Del+Rey+Summertime+Sadness
- ↑ http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Summertime+Sadness%22
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5695421/go-behind-lana-del-reys-summertime-surge
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