"Heroin" is a commentary on the dark side of life, with the narrator lookin… Read Full Bio ↴"Heroin" is a commentary on the dark side of life, with the narrator looking at the struggles of life in Los Angeles and grappling with the addictive power of drug use. The imagery of "Mötley" and "heavy metal" evoke the recklessness and recklessness that accompany drug use, while the chorus reflects on how drugs can consume someone’s life and take it away, while they drive themselves away with constant escape. The bridge, however, hints at something deeper, as Del Rey talks about trying to break free from her bad habits and change her old evil ways. The song finishes with hope that she may one day be able to break free and come back changed, with a newfound appreciation for life. The song ultimately offers insight on how thought-provoking drug addictions can be for both the addict and the people around them.

Heroin
Lana Del Rey Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Topanga is hot tonight, the city by the bay
Has movie stars and liquor stores and soft decay
The rumbling from distant shores sends me to sleep
But the facts of life can sometimes make it hard to dream

Life rocked me like Mötley
Grab me by the ribbons in my hair
Life rocked me, ultra-softly

Like the heavy metal that you wear

Flying to the moon again
Dreaming about heroin
Probably gave you everything
And took your life away
I put you on an aeroplane
Destined for a foreign land
My hopes that you come back again
And tell me everything's
Okay
Babe, yeah

Topanga is hot today
Manson's in the air
And all my friends have come
'Cause they still feel him here
I want to leave, I'll probably stay another year
It's hard to live when absolutely nothing's clear

Life rocked me like Motley
Bad beginning to my new year
Life rocked me, ultra-softly
Like the heavy metal that you hear

I'm flying to the moon again
Dreaming about heroin
And how I gave you everything
And took your life away
I put you on an aeroplane
Destined for a foreign land
I thought that you'd come back again
To tell me everything's
Okay
Babe, yeah, yeah

It's fucking hot, hot, winter in the city
Something 'bout this weather made these kids go crazy
It's hot, even for February
Something 'bout this sun has made these kids get scary
Oh, writing in blood on my walls and shit like
Oh, oh my god
Tripping off from the walls into the docks and shit
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I'll be lying if I said I wasn't sick of it
Lead me baby
Come on, come on, come on, come on

I'm flying to the moon again
Dreaming about marzipan
Taking all my medicine
To take my thoughts away
I'm getting on that aeroplane
Leaving my old man again
I hope that I'd come back one day
To tell you that I really changed
Baby

It's hot, hot
Something 'bout the city
Don't know what it is that makes my head get crazy
Oh, oh, oh
Makes me feel like I can change
Oh, oh, oh, oh
All of my evil ways and shit
Hmm, hmm

Oh, oh, oh
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sick of it

Overall Meaning

Lana Del Rey's song "Heroin" reflects on the destructive power of addiction and the intense emotions that come with it. The first verse describes her location, Topanga, a small community in the hills of Los Angeles, and the city by the bay, San Francisco. The line "soft decay" paints a picture of a once-beautiful city that has become rundown. The second verse mentions Manson, referring to cult leader Charles Manson and the Tate-LaBianca murders that took place in Los Angeles. The chorus of the song repeats the line "flying to the moon again, dreaming about heroin," which suggests that Del Rey is escaping her problems through drug use. The bridge describes the chaos that comes with addiction, including hallucinations and violent behavior. The song ends with Del Rey leaving her old life behind, hoping to come back one day as a changed person.

Line by Line Meaning

Topanga is hot tonight, the city by the bay Has movie stars and liquor stores and soft decay
The city is full of life and glitter, but also moral decay

The rumbling from distant shores sends me to sleep But the facts of life can sometimes make it hard to dream
The singer enjoys the sound of distant waves, but can't escape the harsh reality

Life rocked me like Mötley Grab me by the ribbons in my hair Life rocked me, ultra-softly Like the heavy metal that you wear
The singer has been through some tough times, but managed to keep going

Flying to the moon again Dreaming about heroin Probably gave you everything And took your life away I put you on an aeroplane Destined for a foreign land My hopes that you come back again And tell me everything's Okay Babe, yeah
The artist is still haunted by a past lover who died from heroin overdose

Manson's in the air And all my friends have come 'Cause they still feel him here I want to leave, I'll probably stay another year It's hard to live when absolutely nothing's clear
The artist feels stuck in a place where Manson's legacy still lingers, and is unsure about the future

It's fucking hot, hot, winter in the city Something 'bout this weather made these kids go crazy It's hot, even for February Something 'bout this sun has made these kids get scary
The singer observes how the city and its inhabitants are affected by the weather

Oh, writing in blood on my walls and shit like Oh, oh my god Tripping off from the walls into the docks and shit Oh, oh, oh, oh I'll be lying if I said I wasn't sick of it
The singer is disgusted by the violence and chaos around her

I'm flying to the moon again Dreaming about marzipan Taking all my medicine To take my thoughts away I'm getting on that aeroplane Leaving my old man again I hope that I'd come back one day To tell you that I really changed Baby
The artist is running away from her problems again, this time hoping to return as a different person

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ELIZABETH GRANT, RICK NOWELS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Robert Cochran

on West Coast

49w

Amazing how the film maker lifted the filming of this video directly from the Chet Baker documentary Let's Get Lost - black & white hanging at the beach and cruising in the backs of convertables