Introduction
Lana Del Rey’s “National Anthem” is a multifaceted musical critique of how the American Dream is not as it seems by pointing out a number of societal flaws through painting a picture of an idealized life with money and influence. However, as a result of that, the protagonist feels both a sense of power and entrapment from that lifestyle. This song is, at its core, about a conflicting state of being - the conflict between wanting love and devotion while wanting all the power. While the American Dream can be the ideal life for some, that ideal is not often reflected in the reality for most people. The lyrics are used to tell the message, but then the music is used to carry the feelings and emotions of the message through the Baroque Pop genre. This genre is a mix of classical influence with the rise of pop music. It is a genre rooted in the idea of “nostalgia for a better time” (Cressy 2023, 26), something the American Dream tries to capitalize on. The protagonist’s identity as a woman also impacts how she interacts with the American Dream. “National Anthem” is a song that uses the perspective of being a woman and paints that perspective through the story it tells. It does so by incorporating heavily gendered language, targeting female sexuality and desire for male attention (Usmar, 2014). The music video with rapper A$AP Rocky additionally provides a message about race and about who is included in that vision of the American Dream (‘NATIONAL ANTHEM’ (OFFICIAL VIDEO), 2012). This racial commentary is discussed further at the end of An Image Worth 484 Words and provides an alternate interpretation of the song.
So how does a love song about “Hamptons [and] Bugatti Veyron[s]” (Lana Del Rey 2012 “National Anthem”) end up including these challenging and thought-provoking themes? As a storyteller with a purpose, Lana Del Rey aims to do more with her platform than simply giving the people what they want. “National Anthem” is all about understanding patriotism and the American Dream through the “Lana lens”. To some “National Anthem” is simply a song with a catchy tune and to others it describes the struggles of their life story, even though it might not be apparent at first. Lana Del Rey fan “Nadyazura” stated in a blog post that she sees Lana as an “existentialist feminist … asking people or women whom [sic] listened to it what is [sic] being a woman” (Nadyazura, 2017). Performing arts have been a means for women to share their struggles and reclaim aspects of their identity (Buszek, 2006). Whether it was dance for the flappers in the 1920’s or punk rock for the Riot Grrrls in the 90’s, music and performing arts have always been a part of feminist movements (McDonnell and Vincentelli, 2019)(Pruitt, 2021). Like other women in history, Lana Del Rey uses her platform to release art in the form of music to help herself and others. Songs of hers like “National Anthem” are examples of that art and have become artifacts that show a long history of social change through music that is still prevalent in people’s lives. Through efforts like her music video that stirred up controversy around her inclusion of race and presidential power, she was able to draw public attention to a specific issue. Actions like those are a part of Lana Del Rey's identity as much as they are a unique part of the individual song. “National Anthem” is an important part of Lana’s discography because the deeper meaning has a message that can help others relate or learn from.
This portfolio examines how Lana Del Rey developed the story behind the track “National Anthem” in order to tell the story about the falsified American Dream. An article written by Patrick Usmar’s is a foundational piece of context for this project. It's an analysis of “Born To Die: Lana Del Rey, Beauty Queen or Gothic Princess?” and is about the “dark side” of Lana’s “perfect” portrayal. These dark themes found in “National Anthem,” and some other songs of hers, are the themes that have contributed to her femme fatale aesthetic that has developed a cult following. This song plays a crucial role in the development of her persona. Using that foundation, I thoroughly analyze how the dynamics of “National Anthem” work together as well as the role of the racial commentary from the music video in An Image Worth 484 Words. An Image Worth 484 Words is an editorial piece reviewing how the melody and the lyrics of “National Anthem” reveal the illusion of the American Dream. To explore how themes in Lana’s “National Anthem” are found in other music out there, The American Story Through Song connects “National Anthem” to music from people across the American perspective and their interactions with the country in order to reveal the layers of the portrayal of identity. “National Anthem” portrays a one sided view of the American ideal, so this playlist aims to show a more diverse group of stories that represent the true American idea for different people in the country. Lastly, Podcast: Wanting All of the National Anthem looks at the emotions behind the music and very closely at the musicality. By using an auditory medium the listener is able to hear directly how the music conveys the intended message. The emotions of the song are influenced by the perception of the music style that it incorporates. This difference in perception is shown when I include the analysis of her demo "I Want it All". "I Want it All" is the demo version of "National Anthem" before it became the official song. It is an unofficial version of the track and was released after the official recording was made. The demo is sang and performed is a slightly different genre than "National Anthem" and dispeit being two very similar songs, the meaning changes. Lana Del Rey is not just a singer, but a storyteller who uses her platform for positive change. Whether “National Anthem” is a song you have enjoyed in the past or still love now, I implore you to listen to it once more because you will find something new and powerful hidden on the track.
Works Cited
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