Text Book (song)

Lana Del Rey
Writer(s)	Lana Del Rey Gabe Simon
Producer(s)	Gabe Simon Zach Dawes Dean Reid
Recorded	2020
Released	May 20, 2021
Length	5:03
Single(s)	"Wildflower Wildfire" "Text Book" "Blue Banisters" "Arcadia"
Singles chronology
"Wildflower Wildfire"
"Text Book"
"Blue Banisters"

"Text Book" is a song by Lana Del Rey, from her eighth studio album and seventh major-label studio album Blue Banisters. It was produced by Gabe Simon, Zach Dawes, and Dean Reid. It was released as a single on May 20, 2021 along with "Blue Banisters" and "Wildflower Wildfire".

Cross-References

• Lana refers to meeting Clayton Johnson at a BLM rally.
• Sean Larkin owned a Thunderbird, likely referring to him.

Official versions

• Single version — 5:04

Lyrics

I guess you could call it text book
I was looking for the father I wanted back
And I thought I found it in Brentwood
It seemed only appropriate you’d easily have my back

And then there the was the issue of her
I didn’t even like myself or love the life I had
And there you were with shining stars
Standing blue with open arms
You touched the detriment most of the friends I knew already had

You’ve got a Thunderbird
My daddy had one too
Let’s rewrite history
I’ll do this dance with you
You know I’m not that girl
You know I’ll never be
Maybe just the way we’re different could set me free

There we were
Screaming "Black Lives Matter"
In the crowd by the open river
And I saw you saw who I am
God I wish I was with my father
He could see us in all our splendor
All the things I couldn’t want for him

I screamed for them, ohh
I scream for them, ahh

Could we do this dance again?
Do you think if I go blonde we could get our old love back?
I guess this is really the end
I never felt jealous before this year but I’m jealous now
People say we’re too much alike
But maybe finally that’ll make it right in the end
I’ve always seen the signs
Whether men I met felt right
But would smile at you and stick a knife
In your back, finally I met you so I’m not wondering why

You’ve got a Thunderbird
My daddy had one too
Let’s rewrite history
I’ll do this dance with you
You know I’m not that girl
You know I’ll never be
Maybe just the way we’re different could set me free

There we were
Screaming "Black Lives Matter"
In the crowd by the open river
And I saw you saw who I am
God I wish I was with my father
He could see us in all our splendor
All the things I couldn’t want for him

I screamed for them, ohh
I scream for them, ahh

Old man river keeps rolling
With or without him
Old man river keeps rolling
Without him, oh my old man
Old man river keeps rolling, ohh

Credits

Personnel

• Lana Del Rey — songwriting, vocals
• Gabe Simon — songwriting, producing, engineering, background vocals, acoustic guitar, guitar, bass, synth bass, keyboards, percussion, drum programming, piano, sound effects
• Dean Reid — producing, additional producing, engineering, mixing
• Zach Dawes — producing
• Alex Tomkins — assistant recording engineering
• Ben Fletcher — assistant recording engineering
• Brian Rajaratnam — assistant recording engineering
• Melodye Perry — background vocals
• Greg Leisz — baritone guitar, pedal steel
• Darren Weiss — drums
• Griffin Goldsmith — drums
• John Congleton — engineering
• Jon Sher — engineering
• Mai Leisz — engineering
• Adam Ayan — mastering engineering