Oh Say Can You See
Lana Del Rey Lyrics


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Oh say can you see
My stars
The night time is almost ours
To wander through alleys
And look at the bars
Nighttime is almost ours

The headlights from passing cars
They illuminate my face and
Leave me the dark
The voice of Nirvana says
"Come as you are"
And I will
Nighttime is almost ours

The sway of the hips and arms
Will cradle you from afar
They swing till you're tired




And send you to Mars
Nighttime is almost ours

Overall Meaning

In Lana Del Rey's song "Oh Say Can You See", the singer invokes the imagery of the American flag and anthem, but twists it to her own vision of nighttime wonder. The first line asks if you can see her stars, which could refer to her own reputation and fame. She then talks about the night time being almost theirs, hinting at an escape from the constraints of daily life. The alleys and bars mentioned could be a nod to the seedy side of Hollywood, but also represent the experience of wandering the streets at night, intoxicated by the freedom it brings.


The headlights of passing cars both illuminate and obscure her face, adding to the sense of mystery and detachment from the real world. The line "Come as you are" is a reference to a famous Nirvana song, but could also be interpreted as an invitation to be yourself, unfiltered and unafraid. The chorus repeats the idea that nighttime is almost theirs, as if daring the listener to join in the escapades.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh say can you see
Can you perceive or notice?


My stars
My unique qualities or characteristics


The night time is almost ours
We are approaching the night, which belongs to us


To wander through alleys
To aimlessly stroll through streets


And look at the bars
To observe the prison-like structures on the windows and doors


The headlights from passing cars
The lights from automobiles passing by


They illuminate my face and
They light up my facial features, and


Leave me the dark
Contrastingly leave me in the shadows


The voice of Nirvana says
The sound of the music group Nirvana speaks


"Come as you are"
"Be yourself without reservations"


And I will
And I shall honour that suggestion


The sway of the hips and arms
The movement of the body


Will cradle you from afar
Will embrace you from a distance


They swing till you're tired
They continue to sway until exhaustion


And send you to Mars
And transport you to another realm, possibly of euphoria


Nighttime is almost ours
The night is almost completely ours




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Elizabeth Grant

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@vqlleyofthedolls

Oh Di que puedes ver
Mis estrellas
La noche es casi nuestra
Pasear por callejones
Y mira las barras
La noche es casi nuestra

Los faros de los coches que pasan
Iluminan mi rostro y
Déjame la oscuridad
La voz de Nirvana dice
"Ven tal como eres"
Y lo haré
La noche es casi nuestra

El vaivén de las caderas y los brazos.
Te acunaré desde lejos
Se balancean hasta que te cansas
Y enviarte a Marte
La noche es casi nuestra



All comments from YouTube:

@respawnicon

Some songs mean so much to you personally and evoke such a precise period of time and the powerful memories that it can feel devastating. You can see, smell, feel everything and can never go back to that unique moment in time. Its actually extremely sad. This song is too much

@Pinotnino

@brookeex0_

stoppppp this is exactly y i looked for this song but for like the opposite emotions i listened to this on a hammock in florida on shrooms on repeat like 20 times just staring at the stars swinging really was the best experience of my entire existence❤️

@resilience679

Beautifully said! This song is like time in a capsule for everyone that hears it whether it be the first time you heard it or your mindset at the time you heard it it just resonates with a point in your life

@ciaraskeleton

@helenpearce4810

I still remember walking with a boy down the main street in my hometown at 1 am years ago, the normally bustling street quiet, fall jackets and sneakers on, the green and red of the traffic lights oscillating for no one lighting our faces. I played this then and every time since I think of that moment

5 More Replies...

@urrockstargf111

the nirvana reference is everything <3

@briana2746

made me love her even more

@lordROLLINmore88

And I "will". - Lana del Rey

@emilio_8161

The guitar is one of the best instrument in this song. I mean that vibrato with the guitar gives me the sunset in Miami

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