This Is What Makes Us Girls (song)

Lana Del Rey
Writer(s)	Lana Del Rey Tim Larcombe Jim Irvin
Producer(s)	Emile Haynie Al Shux
Alternate producer(s)	Peter Ibsen (demo 2)
Length	3:58 (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"
Born to Die track listing
"Summertime Sadness"
"Without You"

"This Is What Makes Us Girls" (also registered as "What Makes Us Girls") is a song by Lana Del Rey released on her second studio album, Born to Die. It serves as the closing track from the standard edition of the album. It was written by Del Rey, Tim Larcombe and Jim Irvin, and was produced by Al Shux and Emile Haynie.

Background

Three demos of the song exist, the first leaked November, 2011, alongside a demo of "National Anthem" preceding the album's release, the second leaked September 29, 2012 and the third demo leaked January 23, 2015. The three demos are all noticeably have a more pop sound that was scrapped on the final release. Unlike most other demos of tracks from Born to Die, the demos have different vocal takes accommodating for lyric and tempo changes. The second demo was produced by Peter "Neros" Ibsen. The final version shares the same background noise sample with "Off to the Races".

Lyrically, the song is Del Rey recounting her wild-child youth, while explaining things she and her friends did that made them girls, including looking for heaven and love, and putting men ahead of their friendships.

"This Is What Makes Us Girls" has never been featured in a live performance by Del Rey, unlike every other track on the standard edition of Born to Die which has been performed at least once.

Cross-references

• Del Rey talks about her time at school in "Boarding School".
• A mention of ribbons in one's hair is found in "Heroin" and "Tired of Singing the Blues".
• Velvet is also mentioned in "Blue Velvet".

Official versions

• Album version — 3:58
• Instrumental version — 3:56
• Demo version 1 — 3:36
• Demo version 2 — 4:06
• Demo version 3 — 4:03

Lyrics

Album version

Remember how we used to party up all night
Sneakin' out and lookin' for a taste of real life
Drinkin' in the small town firelight
(Pabst Blue Ribbon on ice)

Sweet 16 and we had arrived
Walking down the streets as they whistle, "Hi, hi!"
Stealing police cars with the senior guys
Teachers said we'd never make it out alive

There she was, my new best friend
High heels in her hands, swayin' in the wind
Oh, she starts to cry
Mascara running down her little Bambi eyes
"Lana, how I hate those guys!"

This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Something that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it

This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen

And that's where the beginning of the end begun
Everybody knew that we had too much fun
We were skipping school and drinking on the job
With the boss

Sweet 16 and we had arrived
Babies table-dancing at the local dive
Cheering our names in the pink spotlight
Drinking cherry schnapps in the velvet night

Yeah, we used to go break in
To the hotel, glimmerin' we'd swim
Running from the cops in our black bikini tops
Screaming, "Get us while we're hot,
Get us while we're hot!"
(Come on, take a shot)

This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Something that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it

This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen

The prettiest in-crowd that you had ever seen
Ribbons in our hair and our eyes gleamed mean
A freshman generation of degenerate beauty queens
And you know something?

They were the only friends I ever had
We got into trouble and when stuff got bad
I got sent away, I was waving on a train platform
Crying 'cause I know I'm never coming back

This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Something that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it

This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen

Demo version 1

Remember how we used to party up all night
Sneakin' out and lookin' for a taste of real life
Drinkin' in the small town firelight
(Pabst Blue Ribbon on ice)

Sweet 16 and we had arrived
Walkin' down the streets as they whistle, "Hi, hi!"
Stealin' police cars with the senior guys
Teachers said we'd never make it out alive

There she was, my new best friend
High heels in her hands, swayin' in the wind
Oh, she starts to cry
Mascara running down her little Bambi eyes
"Lana, how I hate those guys."

This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Don't you know we'd die for it? It's a curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it

This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen

And that's where the beginning of the end begun
Everybody knew that we had too much fun
We were skippin' school and drinkin' on the job
With the boss

Sweet 16 and we had arrived
Baby's table-dancing at the local dive
Cheerin' our names in the pink spotlight
Drinkin' cherry schnapps in the velvet night

Yeah, we used to go break in
To the hotel pool
Glimmerin' we'd swim
Runnin' from the cops in our black bikini tops
Screamin', "Get us while we’re hot."
We don't give a what?

This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Don't you know we'd die for it? It's a curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it

This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen

The prettiest in-crowd that you had ever seen
Ribbons in our hair and our eyes gleamed mean
A freshman generation of degenerate beauty queens
And you know something?

They were the only friends I ever had
We got into trouble and when stuff got bad
I got sent away and was wavin' on the train platform
Cryin' 'cause I know I'm never comin' back

This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Don't you know we'd die for it? It's a curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it

This is what makes us girls
To all the little queens, do you know what you're worth?
I'll tell you everyday till you get it, girl
It's all gonna happen

This is what makes us girls now, baby
This is why we rule the world now, baby
This is what makes us girls now, baby
Why we rule the world now, baby, oh

This is what makes us girls now, baby
This is why we rule the world now, baby
This is what makes us girls now, baby
Why we rule the world now, baby, oh

Demo version 2/3

Remember how we used to party up all night
Sneakin' out and lookin' for a taste of real life
Drinkin' in the small town firelight

Sweet 16 and we had arrived
Walkin' down the streets as they whistle, "Hi, hi!"
Stealin' police cars with the senior guys
Teachers said we'd never make it out alive

There she was, my new best friend
High heels in her hands, swayin' in the wind
And she starts to cry
Mascara running down her little Bambi eyes
"Lana, how I hate those guys!"

This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we puttin' love first
Somethin' that we'd die for, it's a curse
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him

This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen

And that's where the beginning of the end begun
Everybody knew that we had too much fun
We were skippin' school and drinkin' on the job
With the boss

Sweet 16 and we had arrived
Baby's table-dancing at the local dive
Cheerin' our names in the pink spotlight
Drinkin' Pérignon in the velvet night

Yo, we used to go break in
To the hotel, glimmerin' we’d swim
Runnin' from the cops in our black bikini tops
Screamin', "Get us while we're hot, we don't give a what?"

This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Somethin' that we'd die for, it's a curse
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him

This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen

The prettiest in-crowd that you had ever seen
Ribbons in our hair and our eyes gleamed mean
A freshman generation of degenerate beauty queens
And you know something?

They were the only friends I ever had
I got into trouble and when stuff got bad
I got sent away, wavin' on the train platform
Cryin' 'cause I know I'm never comin' back

This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we puttin' love first
Somethin' that we'd die for, it's a curse
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him

This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen

This is what makes us girls now, baby
It's why we rule the world now, baby, oh
This is what makes us girls now, baby
It's why we rule the world now, baby, oh

Credits

Personnel

• Lana Del Rey — vocals, songwriting
• Tim Larcombe & Jim Irvin — songwriting
• Al Shux — production, vocal production, guitars, bass, keyboards, programming
• Emile Haynie — production, drums, sounds, additional keyboards
• Larry Gold — strings arrangement and conduction
• Steve Tirpak — strings assistance
• Manny Marroquin — mixing
• Erik Madrid & Chris Galland — mixing assistance
• John Davis — mastering

Technical

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