Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an Amer… Read Full Bio ↴Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer-songwriter and producer. Her music is noted for its cinematic quality and exploration of tragic romance, glamour, and melancholia, with frequent references to contemporary pop culture and 1950s–1960s Americana.

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".

Summer of Sam
Lana Del Rey Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Like the summer of sam back in '69,
I be heavenly, deadly, on the grind,
'Cause to sing this nice has to be a crime,
I be murdering, murdering 'em.

Like the summer of love back in '69,
You can say that I'm yours, but my
Body is devine, I belong to everybody,

That I walk by, like "hi, hi".

I'm the master of my destinity,
You haven't seen the best of me,
And if you want the rest of me,
You have to pay a lovely fee.

Hard, to stay far, far, away from me.
'Cause I am the baddest girl in NYC.
You can look but please don't touch,
Boy, stay away from me.

Baby, I'm a cinnamon girl,
Keeping it fresh on the far east side.
Baby, I'm a Tenement girl,
Keeping it in couture, cherry pie.

B-A-D-D-E-S-T,
Baddest girl in NYC,

Baby, I'm a dangerous girl,
You should stay away from me.
I be murdering, murdering 'em,
I be murdering, murdering 'em.

Like the summer of sam back in '69,
I be tyin' 'em up and hang 'em out to dry,
'Cause I'm hot like that when I want to die,
I be murdering, murdering 'em.

Like the summer of love back in '69,
When I get on the microphone, my, my,
They be lookin' at each other like,
"Aye, aye, aye!" Bye, bye.

Please excuse, my, my vivacity,
Capacity for her games is incredible,
It's better if you stay away from me.
I know it's hard.

Hard, to stay far, far, away from me.
'Cause I am the baddest girl in NYC.
You can look but please don't touch,
Boy, boy, step away from me.

Baby, I'm a cinnamon girl,
Keeping it fresh on the e-east side.
Baby, I'm a Tenement girl,
Keeping it in couture, cherry pie.

B-A-D-D-E-S-T,
Baddest girl in NYC,

Baby, I'm a dangerous girl,
You should stay away from me.
I be murdering, murdering 'em,
Happily, murdering,
Murdering 'em, ah, ah.
Murdering 'em, murdering 'em.

Undiggable, predictable,
No everyone knows amicable,
I'll give you a fistful,
You know you'll be in a fight.

Missable, invincible,
Behaviour is dispicable,
If you lookin' for fun,
You can come out with me tonight.

I am the baddest girl in NYC.
I am the baddest, you liking,
What you see, oh!

Baby, I'm a cinnamon girl,
Keeping it fresh on the e-east side.
Baby, I'm a Tenement girl,
Keeping it in couture, cherry pie.

B-A-D-D-E-S-T,
Baddest girl in NYC,

Honey, I'm a dangerous girl,
You should stay away from me.

Overall Meaning

The song "Summer of Sam" by Lana Del Rey is about the experiences of a woman living in New York City in the style of the infamous Son of Sam who terrorized the city in the late 1970s. It is a song that is both celebratory and cautionary, with Del Rey using the notorious serial killer David Berkowitz's summer of terror, which left six people dead and seven more injured, as a lens through which to explore her own relationship with fame and the city.

Throughout the lyrics, Del Rey (who refers to herself as the "baddest girl in NYC") plays with the concepts of love and power, being both adored and feared by her fans. She compares herself to the Summer of Sam and the Summer of Love, both times of great cultural upheaval, where social norms were being broken and new ideas about sex, drugs, and rock and roll were emerging. She plays with language, using wordplay and rhymes to create a sense of danger and excitement around her persona, while also acknowledging that her fame can be isolating and that she has created a highly curated version of herself for public consumption.

In the end, Del Rey presents herself as a dangerous, unpredictable force to be reckoned with, a woman who is always in control of her own destiny and who is unafraid to take what she wants. However, she also acknowledges that this power comes at a cost, that she is always being watched and judged by others, and that it can be difficult to maintain one's sense of self in the midst of all of this chaos and pressure.

Overall, "Summer of Sam" is a complex, multi-layered song that is both a celebration of female power and a warning about the dangers of fame and celebrity culture.

Line by Line Meaning

Like the summer of sam back in '69,
Comparing herself to the notorious summer of sam in '69, Lana is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.

I be heavenly, deadly, on the grind,
Lana is an unstoppable force whose talent is otherworldly and lethal like a heavenly death, and she works hard to achieve her goals.

'Cause to sing this nice has to be a crime,
Her beautiful singing voice is such a crime to listen to that it should be illegal.

I be murdering, murdering 'em.
Lana's incredible singing skills kills all competition and establishes her as the best in the game.

You can say that I'm yours, but my
Even though someone may claim to have her love, she belongs to everyone when she walks in the room.

Body is devine, I belong to everybody,
Lana's beauty and charisma makes everyone want to own a piece of her and appreciate her.

That I walk by, like "hi, hi".
People greet Lana when she walks by because of her charm and grace.

I'm the master of my destinity,
Lana is in total control of her life, and only she has the power to shape her future.

You haven't seen the best of me,
Even though people may think they know Lana, they have yet to see her full potential and the extent of her abilities.

And if you want the rest of me,
If someone really wants to get to know her, they have to pay a price to access the special levels of her heart and soul.

You have to pay a lovely fee.
This price comes with an intensity and a tenderness that requires a worthy investment to truly understand and appreciate.

Hard, to stay far, far, away from me.
Lana's power and allure can be difficult to resist, making it challenging for people to distance themselves from her.

'Cause I am the baddest girl in NYC.
Lana's confidence and skill make her the most lethal and accomplished musician in the city.

You can look but please don't touch,
People are welcome to admire Lana's beauty but are not permitted to make a move on her.

Boy, stay away from me.
Lana knows the power she holds over the opposite gender and warns them to keep their distance.

Baby, I'm a cinnamon girl,
Lana is sweet and spicy, like a cinnamon girl, with all the right flavors of mystery, intrigue, and charisma.

Keeping it fresh on the far east side.
Lana is always introducing fresh ideas and new styles of music on the east coast.

Baby, I'm a Tenement girl,
Like the working-class people of these New York City neighborhoods, Lana also has a strong sense of pride and identity.

Keeping it in couture, cherry pie.
Lana blends the high fashion of couture with the sweetness of a cherry pie; she is a hybrid of beauty and deliciousness.

B-A-D-D-E-S-T,
Lana spells it out that she is not just bad, but the baddest of them all.

Baddest girl in NYC,
In case anyone was still unsure, Lana reminds everyone again that she is indeed the baddest girl in New York City.

Baby, I'm a dangerous girl,
People should be careful around Lana; she is powerful, and her charm can be a dangerous and addictive force.

You should stay away from me.
Lana knows her reputation precedes her, and people should be wary of getting too close.

Undiggable, predictable,
Lana is impossible to read and can't be easily figured out.

No, everyone knows amicable,
While people may not completely understand or relate to Lana, everyone can recognize her charm and are drawn to her messages.

I'll give you a fistful,
If someone tries to cross Lana or get too close, they will face the wrath of Lana's fists and power.

You know you'll be in a fight.
Anyone daring enough to challenge Lana can be sure that they will find themselves in a battle to their demise.

Missable, invincible,
Even though Lana is perceived as unstoppable and mighty, there is still an element of her that can be missed.

Behaviour is dispicable,
Lana's behavior and reactions can be shocking and uncomfortable for some.

If you lookin' for fun,
If someone is simply looking to have a good time around Lana, they have to be careful and prepared for anything.

You can come out with me tonight.
Despite the warning signs, Lana knows people will still come out to hang with her because of how powerful and compelling she is.

Honey, I'm a dangerous girl,
Lana emphasizes again how dangerous she can be, reminding people to be cautious around her.

Murdering 'em, happily, murdering,
For Lana, killing the competition comes naturally and brings her great joy, as she annihilates anything in her way.

Murdering 'em, ah, ah.
Lana triumphs in her success, basking in the satisfaction of her hard work and perseverance.

Contributed by Alaina W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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