“Feet don’t fail me now…” These five words marked the beginning of a new era, one characterized by moderate-to-severe depressive episodes, waterproof mascara and casual cocaine use. The homosexuals, of course, wasted no time in declaring Lana Del Rey a gay icon.
The ethereal richness of her vocals, the evident depth concealed behind seemingly cliche lyrics … one can’t help but extrapolate some sort of deeper meaning.
That’s because there is one. A big one.
I am fully convinced, theydies and gentlethems, that Lana Del Rey is the Antichrist. By the end of this article, you will be, too.
We must begin, of course, with “Born To Die.” The title is as provocative as it is existential, marking a defined beginning and end. Conceptually then, the album encompasses the extremes of the human experience, from unresolved daddy issues and habitual drug abuse to unparalleled opulence. She leads a life of sin and is not afraid to admit it. Nothing too incriminating, right? Wrong.
For reference, divert your attention to the music video for the title track, in which she sits on a throne amid the dramatic backdrop of the Palace of Fontainebleau, a residence inhabited by such monarchs as Louis VII and Napoleon III. Did I mention she’s surrounded by tigers? Historically, tigers have had symbolic implications of power.
So what? Del Rey’s the queen; this is common knowledge. However, her presumed “boyfriend” soon makes an appearance; he’s a scantily clad, heavily tatted fellow, whom we might presume to be the embodiment of sin (or, at least, temptation). Fast forward to the end of the video: an image of Mr. Sin holding the bloody, mangled remains of our monarch, no doubt symbolizing the death of the established order. This is just the beginning.
“Born To Die” was promptly followed up with an EP, “Paradise,” one with indisputably Edenic implications. From her claim that she is “an angel living in the garden of evil” in “Gods & Monsters” (no doubt a play on Lucifer’s status as a fallen angel) to her admiration of “the snake on your tattoo” in “Yayo” (Snake? Garden? Come on!), the parallel couldn’t be clearer.
Focusing specifically on the lyrics of “Gods & Monsters,” Del Rey even goes as far as publicly expressing her antagonistic relationship with God, singing, “Me and God, we don’t get along” before ultimately asserting, “God’s dead, I said ‘baby that’s alright with me.’”
A risque claim, to be sure, especially from a self-professed Christian. Through her music, Del Rey repaints the Christian narrative, shifting it from the traditional conception of Eden as a “paradise” to a “garden of evil” in which the omnipotent God is dead. Who, then, will assume His role? Keep reading.
Enter “Ultraviolence.” Ominous title aside, this album wastes no time entering this post-God dystopia, evidenced by the first track on the album, “Cruel World.” “Got your bible … and your gun,” she croons. This juxtaposition of a sacred religious text with a tool of destruction, reinforcing the death of Christianity as we know it, is only the beginning.
If one looks very closely, Del Rey not only commits, but openly glorifies, all of the Seven Deadly Sins: Pride (“Shades of Cool”), Greed (“Money Power Glory”), Lust (“Fucked My Way Up To The Top”), Envy (“Sad Girl”), Gluttony (“Old Money”), Wrath (“Ultraviolence”) and Sloth (“Brooklyn Baby,”).
If we consider her “Paradise” EP as a distinct album, then “Ultraviolence” would be her third album. Why, you might ask, would Del Rey wait until her third album to accept all these abominable sins? As a direct rejection of the Holy Trinity, of course! The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are foregone in the name of the Daddy, the Baby and the Absurdly High Note She Hits In “Cola.”
For the sake of concision, we’ll overlook “Honeymoon” (because, let’s face it, most LDR fans do anyway), but the Satanic loyalty continues with “Lust For Life,” a direct and undeniable declaration of sin with the implication of permanence. But wait, you may be asking yourself, didn’t she say we were born to die? Well, yes. But, that was then. This is now. We were born to sin.
Now, why is any of this relevant? I’ll tell you why. Her newest album, “Norman Fucking Rockwell,” is scheduled to be released in late March. This falls into Aries territory, which is represented by a disembodied ram’s head and therefore the sign of Satan (sorry, I don’t make the rules). But that’s not all — this upcoming album will be her sixth.
The End — or, depending on your devotion to Del Rey, the Beginning — is on the horizon. This knowledge likely won’t protect you from her fiery reign, but perhaps if you go home and read your Scripture (i.e., Lana Del Rey Wiki), you might have a shot at salvation. In the words of our new Supreme, “I pray your life is sweet, you fucker. Damn you.” Repent, or be damned.
Cameron Tipton PO ’20 is a psychology major. They are passionate about creative writing, Iranian-American politics, LGBTQ issues and iced coffee… and Lana. Obviously.