"Heavy Hitter" (also known as "Neon Palmmm") is an unreleased song by Lana Del Rey. It was recorded on March 27, 2009, with a beat by producer Blockhead, which Del Rey selected and wrote to.[1]
Background[]
Blockhead shared the rough mix of his version of the song on his blog on January 25, 2012, accompanied by the concept beat that Del Rey had recorded a concept demo over, now known to be "Neon Palmmm".[2] A second mix of Blockhead's original version of the song leaked around the time of his sharing of the first mix. The second version was produced by two unknown producers - who owned the studio in which the song was recorded - and is labeled as the "final version". It is not exactly known when the second version of the song surfaced.
Blockhead was dissatisfied that his production was mostly replaced by the other two producers, and he complained about the situation on his blog:[3]
Here’s where I get a little bitter. The idea of bringing me in to work with her was to hear her sound in a different light. At the time, she was signed to a small indie label and still trying to find her sound. I can 100% accept that I was not the right sound for her. But it definitely bummed me out that we went into work on some shit that could have been interesting and it came out to a very typical , almost “bar band” kinda vibe. All that was left of my beat was a fading horn, a little of the guitars and a simple bass line. The rest was replaced with corny drums sounds, lame rhodes progressions and some guitars riffs. I realize this sounds like I’m shitting all over the other two dudes who did all the instrument work but I’m not. They did they’re [sic] job. They made it a more pop friendly song. Those dudes are far more talented musicians than I’ll ever be, we just have a different take on music, that’s all. I think I was just under the assumption that’s what we weren’t there to do. I figured Lizzy and I were bought in together to try and see what happens when a girl like her sings over beats like mine. But, to really the fault of no one involved, it just didn’t happen.
He would later add, "Any edge I could have possibly brought to the table had been eradicated. All this was going on while the two guys working on the music were frequently turning back at me saying shit like, ‘Dude, awesome track..’ , as if my beat was even a part of what was going on in the song at this point."[4]
Del Rey tweeted the lyrics "let's change our DNA" twice in 2009.[5][6]
The original file of Blockhead's first mix leaked on July 6, 2017, and is labeled as "Heavy Hitter-Ideas rough 1". Along with "Hundred Dollar Bill" and "Hawaiian Tropic", the song's metadata attributes it to an album titled "2009 Pod Audio". The original file of the song's concept beat is titled "07 Track 7 lizzy". The version with vocals, titled "Neon Palmmm", leaked on October 14, 2020.
"Heavy Hitter" was also a part of a June 2009 rehearsal session that included raw live versions of "Raise Me Up (Mississippi South)", "Vivian", and "Hundred Dollar Bill". This song's take leaked on December 21, 2023.
Cross-references[]
- A swimming pool is also referenced in "Off to the Races", "Push Me Down", and "Trash Magic".
- A Lamborghini is also mentioned in "Hit It & Run".
- Butterflies are referenced in "Butterflies", "Butterflies, Pt. 2", "Carmen", and "Happiness Is a Butterfly".
- Del Rey calls her lover a king in "Hawaiian Tropic", "Prom Song (Gone Wrong)", "JFK", "Salvatore", "Starry Eyed", "Queen of Disaster", and "Catch and Release".
- Gold is also mentioned in "Ultraviolence" and "Lust for Life".
- Del Rey mentions the Chateau Marmont in "Elvis", "Off to the Races", and "She's Not Me".
- The phrase "lights, camera, action" also appears in many other songs, such as "Daddy Issues" and "Put Me in a Movie". Similar phrase "lights, camera, acción" appears in "High by the Beach".
- The phrase "you're so cool" also appears in "Wolf T-Shirt", "Boarding School", and the poem "In the Flats of Melrose".
- The ocean is mentioned in "Bentley", "Religion", "Salvatore", the demo of "Kill Kill", and in the poem "LA Who Am I to Love You".
- The concept demo title "Neon Palmmm" is referenced in "Meth Love".
- Monterrey is also mentioned in "Beach Boys".
Official versions[]
- Version 1 (Mix 1) — 3:07
- Version 1 (Mix 2) — 3:07
- Version 2 — 3:07
- "Neon Palmmm" concept demo — 2:05
- Concept beat — 2:02
- Rehearsal take — 1:37
Lyrics[]
Version 1 (Mix 1)[]
I was lounging at the Chateau Marmont, glimmering by the swimming pool
My man walked in like a slow motion movie, I said, "you're so cool"
I heard a man screaming, "lights, camera, action"
I c-c-can't remember what happened
I overdose, you throw me over your shoulder
I was dying, you were screaming, "open up that Lamborghini"
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Open up your butterfly doors, what do you say?
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Let's ch-ch-change our DNA, let's change our DNA
You the king mafia, baby, I'm the queen of alchemy
I know a way to make gold by mixing our souls to escape reality
We in Monterrey, run to that ocean
I got that magical trance potion
Gotta leave, I can't wait 'til I'm older
You was laughing, I was running, use that remote to open up
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Open up your butterfly doors, what do you say?
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Let's ch-ch-change our DNA, let's change our DNA
You can be my higher power, baby
I can be your empress USA
We can go on drives for hours, baby
Let's change our DNA, let's change our DNA
Let's change
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Open up your butterfly doors, what do you say?
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Let's ch-ch-change our DNA, let's change our DNA
Heavy hitter
Version 1 (Mix 2) and version 2[]
I was lounging at the Chateau Marmont, glimmering by the swimming pool
My man walked in like a slow motion movie, I said, "you're so cool"
I heard a man screaming, "lights, camera, action" (Lights, camera, action)
I c-c-can't remember what happened
I overdose, you throw me over your shoulder
I was dying, you were screaming, "open up that Lamborghini"
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Open up your butterfly doors, what do you say?
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Let's ch-ch-change our DNA, let's change our DNA
You the king mafia, baby, I'm the queen of alchemy
I know a way to make gold by mixing our souls to escape reality
We in Monterrey, run to that ocean
I got that magical trance potion
Gotta leave, I can't wait 'til I'm older
You was laughing, I was running, use that remote to open up
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Open up your butterfly doors, what do you say?
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Let's ch-ch-change our DNA, let's change our DNA
You can be my higher power, baby
I can be your empress USA
We can go on drives for hours, baby
Let's change our DNA, let's change our DNA
Let's change
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Open up your butterfly doors, what do you say?
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Let's ch-ch-change our DNA, let's change our DNA
Heavy hitter
"Neon Palmmm" concept demo[]
I know a place with neon palm trees, so
We can get away, come to the shore
Heavy hitter, hey, heavy hitter
J’adore, j’adore
I heard a man screaming, “lights, camera, action”
I c-c-can’t re-mem-mem-member what happened
I overdose, you throw me over your shoulder
I was dying, you were screaming
Open up your, open up your
Open up your butterfly doors, mmm
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Open up your butterfly doors of your speed green Lamborghini
J’adore, j’adore
Miss national grand supreme
Miss tropical USA
It’s high glitz for the US queen
Let’s ch-ch-change our DNA
Let’s change our DNA, heavy hitter
Let’s change our DNA, come all the way
Let’s change our DNA, are you with me?
I know a way to get away
Open up your
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Open up your butterfly doors
Rehearsal take[]
(Hey, Doug) Hi, Doug!
(For, for "Heavy Hitter", we're gonna do, uh, a 4-bar intro, and then you'll come in when she starts singing the verse
I guess it's a solo thing that I'm going to do, but I'm gonna do it in, in time, and it's gonna sound like this:
Two, three, four)
I was loungin' at the Chateau Marmont, glimmering by the swimming pool
My man walked in like a slow motion movie, I said, "you're so cool"
I heard a guy screaming, "lights, camera, action" (My bad)
I c-c-can't remember what happened
I overdose, you throw me over your shoulder
I was dying, you were screaming, "open up that Lamborghini" (Here we go)
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Open up your butterfly doors, what do you say?
Open up your butterfly doors, heavy hitter
Let's ch-ch-change our DNA, let's change our DNA
You the king mafia, baby
(Okay, and you can get the form from the other recording, but that's kind of how I'm gonna be doing it)
Yeah (Okay)
References[]
- ↑ "It might blow up but it won’t go pop". Phat Friend. Archived from the original on January 12, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/201202010000042/https://phatfriend.com/2010/01/12/it-might-blow-up-but-it-wont-go-pop/.
- ↑ "Before Lana Del Ray". Phat Friend. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120130053844/http://phatfriend.com/2012/01/25/before-lana-del-ray.
- ↑ "Before Lana Del Ray". Phat Friend. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120130053844/http://phatfriend.com/2012/01/25/before-lana-del-ray.
- ↑ Be Free (July 5, 2017). "Heavy Hitter (final mix/original file) - Diet MTN Dew Demo 2 (original file)". LanaBoards. http://lanaboards.com/topic/9131-heavy-hitter-final-mixoriginal-file-diet-mtn-dew-demo-2-original-file/. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
- ↑ xx (April 9, 2009). "There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. Let's change our DNA.". Twitter. https://twitter.com/MissDaytona/status/1481276821.
- ↑ xx (March 27, 2009). "Let's change our DNA, Heavy Hitter". Twitter. https://twitter.com/MissDaytona/status/1399700814. Retrieved February 12, 2024.