Raised in upstate New York, Del Rey moved to New York City in 2005 to pursue a music career. After numerous projects, including her self-titled debut studio album, Del Rey's breakthrough came in 2011 with the viral success of her single "Video Games"; she subsequently signed a recording contract with Polydor and Interscope. She achieved critical and commercial success with her second album, Born to Die (2012), which contained the sleeper hit "Summertime Sadness". Del Rey's third album, Ultraviolence (2014), featured greater use of guitar-driven instrumentation and debuted atop the U.S. Billboard 200. Her fourth and fifth albums, Honeymoon (2015) and Lust for Life (2017), saw a return to the stylistic traditions of her earlier releases, while her critically acclaimed sixth album, Norman Fucking Rockwell! (2019), explored soft rock. Her next studio albums, Chemtrails Over the Country Club and Blue Banisters, followed in 2021. Her ninth studio album, “Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd” was released on all platforms March 24th 2023. It includes singles like the title track - "Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd", "A&W", and "The Grants".
Del Rey has collaborated on soundtracks for visual media; in 2013, she wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed musical short Tropico and released "Young and Beautiful" for the romantic drama The Great Gatsby. In 2014, she recorded "Once Upon a Dream" for the dark fantasy adventure film Maleficent and the self-titled theme song for the biopic Big Eyes. Del Rey collaborated with Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus on "Don't Call Me Angel" for the action comedy Charlie's Angels (2019), which peaked at number 13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, Del Rey published the poetry and photography collection Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass (2020).
She is the recipient of various accolades, including two Brit Awards, two MTV Europe Music Awards, and a Satellite Award, in addition to nominations for six Grammy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. Variety honored her at their Hitmakers Awards for being "one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the 21st century".
I Can Fly
Lana Del Rey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You had me caged up like a bird in mid-summer
You saw me waiting, I was crazy, on fire, waiting to fly
I, can fly
I had bright wishes in the summer, I was bathing in sunlight
Painting in the garden like a ghost in Mid-July
Running fast from something with my eyes wide like
I had a dream that I was fine
I wasn't crazy, I was divine
I, can fly
You had me caged up like a bird in mid-summer
You saw me waiting, I was crazy, on fire, waiting to fly
I, can fly
Your lies were hard kisses in the summer
I was dreaming of a lake
Dreaming of the water where I'd rise like a phoenix
Or an iron from the fire
I've got things to tell you like I know that you're a liar
I had a dream that I was fine
I wasn't crazy, I was divine
I, can fly
You had me caged up like a bird in mid-summer
You saw me waiting, I was crazy, on fire, waiting to fly
I, can fly
Your words cut like a knife in butter
I was fighting for my art
Fighting with my lover, you had me so tied up
Thinking there's no other
Yeah, right
Yeah, right
I, can fly,
You had me caged up like a bird in mid-summer
You saw me waiting, I was crazy, on fire, waiting to fly
I, can fly
The song "I Can Fly" by Lana Del Rey can be interpreted as an empowering anthem of liberation, as well as a reflection on personal struggles and relationships. The bird metaphor throughout the song represents the singer's longing for freedom and her struggle to break free from the cages that have been placed around her. The first verse suggests that the singer is held captive by someone, possibly a lover or a controlling authority. However, she declares that she can fly, indicating that she has finally found the strength to break free from her captor and take control of her own life.
The second verse paints a picture of a carefree summer, but with a sense of unrest and longing underneath. The singer is running from something with her "eyes wide like saucers," suggesting that she is trying to escape from something that terrifies her. Despite this, she dreams of being divine and free in the sky, rising like the mythical phoenix. The chorus repeats the declaration that the singer can fly, reinforcing her newfound freedom and control over her own life.
The third verse brings some darkness into the song, with the singer describing her struggle with someone who she knows is lying to her. Her words cut "like a knife in butter," suggesting that she has had enough of the deception and is finally fighting back. The repetition of "yeah, right" is a sarcastic statement of disbelief, as if the singer is finally seeing through the charade and taking power back from the person who has been keeping her captive.
Overall, "I Can Fly" is a powerful and emotional song that speaks to the universal desire for freedom and empowerment. Lana Del Rey's rich and dreamy vocals perfectly capture the mix of longing and determination that the lyrics express.
Line by Line Meaning
I, can fly
I have the power to rise above my current situation and soar to freedom
You had me caged up like a bird in mid-summer
You trapped me in a situation where I felt stuck and unable to move forward
You saw me waiting, I was crazy, on fire, waiting to fly
You witnessed my intense desire to escape and pursue my dreams, despite appearing wild and unstable
I had bright wishes in the summer, I was bathing in sunlight
I had hopeful dreams during a happy time in my life, when everything seemed bright and full of potential
Painting in the garden like a ghost in Mid-July
Moving through life disconnected and detached from reality, while pursuing artistic endeavors
Running fast from something with my eyes wide like
Trying to escape a challenging situation with an intense sense of urgency and awareness
Saucers spinning in the sun
Feeling like my world was spinning out of control
I had a dream that I was fine
I wasn't crazy, I was divine
I held onto the hope that things would improve and that I was worthy of greatness
Your lies were hard kisses in the summer
Your deceitful words felt like painful and unwelcome attention
I was dreaming of a lake
Dreaming of the water where I'd rise like a phoenix
Or an iron from the fire
Fantasizing about being reborn from my struggles and coming out stronger, like a bird rising from ashes or iron being made stronger in the fire
I've got things to tell you like I know that you're a liar
I have things to say to you to call out your deceitful behavior
Your words cut like a knife in butter
Your words were sharp and hurtful, cutting through me like a hot knife through butter
I was fighting for my art
Fighting with my lover, you had me so tied up
Thinking there's no other
Struggling to balance my creative passions with the demands of a toxic relationship, feeling trapped and alone
Yeah, right
Yeah, right
Expressing disbelief at the lies and manipulations of the other person
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ELIZABETH GRANT, RICK NOWELS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@angelheadedhipster2054
♛ QUEEN OF SOUNDTRACKS
♛ QUEEN OF THE GAS STATION
♛ QUEEN OF DISASTER
♛ QUEEN OF THE DOWNTOWN SCENE
♛ QUEEN OF CONEY ISLAND
♛ QUEEN OF SAIGON
♛ QUEEN OF NEW YORK CITY
♛ QUEEN OF HEARTS
♛ QUEEN OF THE STAGE
♛ QUEEN OF ALCHEMY
♛ QUEEN OF THE NIGHT !!!
BASICALLY ♛ QUEEN OF THE ENTIRE FUCKING UNIVERSE ....DROPS MIC !!!
ALSO KNOWN AS :
♛ CONEY ISLAND QUEEN, NEW JERSEY QUEEN, QUEEN IN MONTEREY, NEW YORK CITY QUEEN
♛ SHININ QUEEN, FADED QUEEN, LONESOME QUEEN
♛ TABLOID QUEEN, DAIRY QUEEN, BLUE 50'S QUEEN, QUEEN DIANA
♛ SNOWFLAKE ICE QUEEN, CALENDAR PIN-UP QUEEN, SPARKLE JUMP ROPE QUEEN
♛ DEGENERATE BEAUTY QUEEN, DRUNK BEAUTY QUEEN
@MutliJasmin16
Lana are you ever gonna make a shitty song? My ears can't handle perfect songs like that
@alfarrensyarian7842
I think she don't know how! :)
@gweneviebayaua474
She doesn't know how to make shitty songs or shitty songs aren't just her forte ***lana slays
@HDdk100
Aw poor girl.. It must be hard to be left out while everyone but her makes bad songs.. ;)) all alone
@PrettyLittleAria95
She isn't crazy, she is divine ;)
@nas4799
listen to her song "cola"
@elenataylor4312
"I wasn't crazy, I was divine"
@nicolegreen3795
My favorite line <3
@GirlsLikeFairies
best line in any song ever! my legend little lady.. my baby :D
@noeliap.b5969
ICONIC