It’s a slow/mid tempo song, only composed by electric guitars and drums. Reminiscent of late 90’s rock themed ballads, “Guns and Roses” reflects on the various romantic partners of her past. Del Rey has previously sung about the front man of the band Guns N' Roses, Axl Rose, in the song “Axl Rose Husband”.
Guns and Roses
Lana Del Rey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I should have learned to let you stay
You didn't want me all the time
But you were worth it anyway
'Cause you were so much better
Than the rest of them
Out of all the others
You were the honest man
He loved guns and roses
Guns and roses
He loved guns and roses
He loved guns
And roses, roses, roses
Motorcycle love divine
I should have learned to let you play
I wasn't the marrying kind
I should have done it anyway
We should have left Las Vegas
And then began again
Took your bike to Detroit
Back to the promised land
He loved guns and roses
Guns and roses
He loved guns and roses
He loved guns
And roses, roses, roses
I can feel it coming in the air tonight
See you walking on that blue Pacific
I can see you bathing in the summer light
Turning tan and you look terrific
You got game boy, game boy
You got game boy, game boy
You got game boy, game boy
You got game
He loved guns and roses
Guns and roses
He loved guns and roses
He loved guns
And roses, roses, roses
He loved guns and roses (oh)
Guns and roses (oh)
He loved guns and roses (oh)
He loved guns (oh)
And roses (roses), roses (roses), roses (roses)
Roses, roses, roses
In Lana Del Rey's song "Guns and Roses," the singer is reflecting on two of her past loves who she refers to as "guns and roses" and "motorcycle love divine." These two men are clearly very different from one another, but the singer loved them both in their own ways. Despite the fact that they did not want her all the time or that she knew she wasn't the marrying kind, she believed they were both worth it. The singer particularly loved "guns and roses" because he was an honest man, unlike the others she encountered. The song has a dreamy, nostalgic quality to it, and the lyrics seem to be a reflection on the past and what could have been.
Towards the end of the song, there is a sudden shift in tone as Del Rey includes a portion from another song, Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight." This could represent a memory or an imagined encounter with one of her past lovers, with the Pacific Ocean and summer light creating a serene and romantic setting. The usage of "game boy" in this portion of the song may also be interpreted as the singer referring to her lover as someone who is confident and skilled. Overall, "Guns and Roses" is a nostalgic and introspective song about love and missed opportunities.
Line by Line Meaning
Heavy metal love of mine
She loved someone with a wild and rough personality like heavy metal music.
I should have learned to let you stay
She regrets not being able to keep her lover around.
You didn't want me all the time
He wasn't always interested in her, but she still loved him.
But you were worth it anyway
Despite his flaws, he was still valuable to her.
'Cause you were so much better
He was better than other men she had encountered.
Than the rest of them
He stood out from other men.
Out of all the others
He was the only one who had her heart.
You were the honest man
He was the only man she could trust.
He loved guns and roses, guns and roses
He enjoyed living with the best things in life if they were associated with risk, danger and pleasure just like guns and roses.
He loved guns and roses, he loved guns
He loved guns as symbols of power and roses as symbols of beauty and passion.
And roses, roses, roses
He loved the idea of love and life itself which is the ultimate beauty of this world.
Motorcycle love divine
She had a passionate love for motorcycles like it was something holy.
I should have learned to let you play
She regrets not being able to let her lover live his life freely.
I wasn't the marrying kind
She wasn't ready to settle down and commit to marriage.
I should have done it anyway
She should have gone through with getting married despite her reservations.
We should have left Las Vegas
They made a mistake in staying in Las Vegas too long.
And then began again
They had the opportunity to start anew and begin again.
To get back to Detroit
They wanted to return to their roots and start fresh in Detroit.
Back to the promised land
Detroit was like a promised land to them, a place where they could start again.
I can feel it coming in the air tonight
She senses that something significant is about to happen.
See you walking on that blue Pacific
She imagines her lover walking on a beach with the Pacific Ocean in the background.
I can see you bathing in the summer light
She pictures her lover enjoying the summer sun.
Turning tan in your left, I think
She believes her lover's skin will tan beautifully in the sun.
You got game boy, game boy, you got game boy
She admires her lover's confidence and charisma.
He loved guns and roses, guns and roses
He enjoyed living with the best things in life if they were associated with risk, danger and pleasure just like guns and roses.
He loved guns and roses, he loved guns
He loved guns as symbols of power and roses as symbols of beauty and passion.
And roses, roses, roses
He loved the idea of love and life itself which is the ultimate beauty of this world.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, Richard W. Jr. Nowels
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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best