Yayo (song)

Lana Del Rey
Writer(s)	Lana Del Rey
Producer(s)	Dan Heath Emile Haynie
Length	5:21 (See official versions)
From
Single(s)	"Ride"
Promotional single(s)	"Blue Velvet" "Burning Desire"
Paradise track listing
"Gods & Monsters"
"Bel Air"

Lana Del Rey
Writer(s)	Lana Del Rey
Producer(s)	David Kahne
Length	5:42 (See official versions)
From
Lana Del Ray track listing
"Smarty"
N/A

"Yayo" is a song written by Lana Del Rey. The first known recording of the track was on No Kung Fu, and was later re-recorded in 2008 for her first EP, Kill Kill. The same version of the track found on Kill Kill was re-released on her first album, Lana Del Ray. The final release of the track appears as track number seven on her third EP, and second major-label release, Paradise.

Background

"Yayo" was first officially released on October 21, 2008, on Del Rey's first studio EP and commercial release, Kill Kill, when Del Rey still used the stage name Lizzy Grant. It was again released commercially on January 4, 2010, as part of Del Rey's first studio album, Lana Del Ray, under the name Lana Del Ray, both of these releases have since been taken down from all music services.

The final and most well-known version of "Yayo" was officially released on November 9, 2012, as part of Del Rey's third studio EP, Paradise. It is the only song from Del Rey's first studio album Lana Del Ray that has been officially re-recorded and re-released.

As with many of the other Lana Del Ray songs, Del Rey created a homemade video for the track. It was posted to Jimmy Gnecco's facebook wall

Cross-references

• The word "yayo" also appears in "Florida Kilos" and "Breaking My Heart".
• Drugs are a common theme in Del Rey's songs, and "yayo" is a street name for cocaine.
• "Yayo" in Spanish means grandfather or either old person, and it could be a reference to "daddy" and "daddy" is very common in Del Rey's songs.
• References to trailer parks are also found in "Backfire" and "Dangerous Girl", amongst many other songs by Del Rey.
• Someone on a "black motorcycle" is talked about in "Strangelove".

Live performances

Del Rey performed the song live a total of nine known times, but very likely more, during the early days of her career. The first known performance of "Yayo" was June 14, 2007, at Union Pool in New York. During 2016, Del Rey performed "Yayo" for the first known time since 2009 at the TW Classic Festival on July 9, 2016, as part of her Festival Tour. After that, Del Rey performed the song acoustically on guitar for the remaining dates of the Festival Tour.

Official versions

Four different of versions"Yayo" were included on No Kung Fu, Kill Kill, Lana Del Ray, Paradise, and an acoustic demo of the song leaked on a different occasion making a total of five different official full versions of "Yayo". On June 13, 2016, four snippets of Del Rey performing the song live with the band The Rich Whores leaked through Instagram.

• Paradise version – 5:21
• Lana Del Ray version – 5:42
• Kill Kill version – 5:47
• No Kung Fu version – 4:18
• Acoustic demo version – 5:10
• Paradise version instrumental – 5:15

Music video

Music video	Information
	Released	N/A
	Length	6:00
	Director	Lana Del Rey
	Producer
	Filmed	Unknown
	Location	Unknown
	Vevo views	N/A

Background and description

Del Rey created a homemade music video for the song in 2008, it featured clips of Del Rey herself and clips she gathered from miscellaneous films and videos, the usual style of her old music videos. It was posted to Jimmy Gnecco's Facebook wall in 2009.

Lyrics

Paradise version

I like the snake on your tattoo
I like the ivy and the ink blue
Yayo, yes, you
Yayo

You have to take me right now
From this dark trailer park life now
Yayo, how now
Yayo

Put me onto your black motorcycle
Fifty baby doll dress for my "I do"
It only takes two hours to Nevada
I wear your sparkle, you call me your mama

Let me put on a show for you, daddy
Let me put on a show
Let me put on a show for you, tiger
Let me put on a show

I need you like a baby when I hold you
Like a druggie, like I told you
Yayo, yeah, you
Yayo

Put me onto your black motorcycle
Fifties baby doll dress for my "I do"
It only takes two hours to Nevada
I wear your sparkle, you call me your mama

Let me put on a show for you, daddy
Let me put on a show
Let me put on a show for you, tiger
Let me put on a show

Hello, heaven, you are a tunnel lined
With yellow lights on a dark night
Yayo, yes, you
Yayo

Put me onto your black motorcycle
Fifties baby doll dress for my "I do"
It only takes two hours to Nevada
I wear your sparkle, you call me your mama

Let me put on a show for you, daddy
Let me put on a show
Let me put on a show for you, tiger
Let me put on a show

Lana Del Ray/Kill Kill version

I like the snake on your tattoo
I like the ivy and the ink blue
Yayo, yeah, you
Yayo

You have to take me right now
From this dark trailer park life now
Yayo, how now
Yayo

Put me onto your black motorcycle
Fifty baby doll dress for my "I do"
It only take two hours to Nevada
I wear your sparkle, you call me your mama

Let me put on a show for you, daddy
Let me put on a show
Let me put on a show for you, tiger
Let me put on a show

I need you like a baby when I hold you
Like a druggie, like I told you
Yayo, yeah, you
Yayo
 
Put me onto your black motorcycle
Fifty baby doll dress for my "I do"
It only take two hours to Nevada
I wear your sparkle, you call me your mama

Let me put on a show for you, daddy
Let me put on a show
Let me put on a show for you, tiger
Let me put on a show

Hello, heaven, you are a tunnel lined
With yellow lights on a dark night
(Dark night)
Yayo, yeah, you
Yayo

Put me onto your black motorcycle
Fifty baby doll dress for my "I do"
It only take two hours to Nevada
I wear your sparkle, you call me your mama

Let me put on a show for you, daddy
Let me put on a show, yeah
Let me put on a show for you, tiger
Let me put on a show
(Hmm, hmm, hmm)

No Kung Fu version

I like the snake on your tattoo
I like the ivy and the ink blue
Yayo, yeah, you
Yayo

Let me put on a show for you, daddy
Let me put on a show
Let me put on a show for you, tiger
Let me put on a show

(Mm doo-dee-dee-dee)

You have to take me right now
From this dark trailer park life now
Yayo, how now
Yayo

Let me put on a show for you, daddy
Let me put on a show
Let me put on a show for you, tiger
Let me put on a show

(Hey
Hey, yeah
Hey, yeah
Yay-yeah-yay
Doo-oo-oo-oo-oo)

Put me onto your black motorcycle
Fifty baby doll dress for my "I do"
It only takes two hours to Nevada
I wear your sparkle, you call me your mama

Let me put on a show for you, daddy
Let me put on a show
Let me put on a show for you, tiger
Let me put on a show

Let me put on a show for you
Let me put on a show for you
Let me put on a show for you
Let me put on a show

Acoustic demo

I like the snake on your tattoo
I like the ivy and the ink blue
Yayo, yeah, you
Yayo

I need you like a baby when I hold you
Like a druggie, like I told you
Yayo, yeah, you
Yayo

Let me put on a show for you, daddy
Let me put on a show, oh
Let me put on a show for you, tiger
Let me put on a show, yeah

You have to take me right now
From this dark trailer park life now
Yayo, how now
Yayo

Put me onto your black motorcycle
Fifty baby doll dress for my "I do"
It only takes two hours to Nevada
I wear your sparkle, you callin' me your mama

Let me put on a show for you, daddy
Let me put on a show, oh
Let me put on a show for you, I say
Let me put on a show, yeah

Hello, heaven, you are a tunnel lined
With yellow lights on a dark night

Let me put on a show for you, daddy
Let me put on a show, show
Let me put on a show for you, tiger
Let me put on a show

Credits

Paradise version

• Written by Lana Del Rey.
• Published By: EMI. Vocals: Lana Del Rey.
• Produced by Dan Heath & Emile Haynie.
• Vocal engineer: Graham Archer.
• Strings & Keys: Dan Heath.
• Drums & Additional Keys: Emile Haynie.
• Mixed by Jeremy Cochise Ball.
• Mastered by John Davis at Metropolis Mastering, London.
• Recorded at Sarm Studios, London, UK.
• Mixed at The Bridget Studio, Buffalo, NY, USA.

Charts (Paradise version)

Chart (2012)	Peak position
France (SNEP)	120