"This Is 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 final 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".
Lyrics
Final
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 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,
Glimmering 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 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, glimmering 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
- Vocal prodcution — Al Shux
- Guitars — Al Shux
- Bass — Al Shux
- Keyboards — Al Shux
- Additional keyboards — Emile Haynie
- Programming — Al Shux
- Drums — Emile Haynie
- Sounds — Emile Haynie
- Strings arrangment and conducting — Larry Gold
- Strings assistant — Steve Tirpak
- Mixing — Manny Marroquin
- Assistant mixing — Erik Madrid & Chris Galland