7. Without You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhuckvSkNgU As pure a love song as you'll ever hear - a story of finding fame and discovering it's meaningless if you can't have the one you love. This is from the Paradise edition of Born to Die and the focus and themes are still solid fame was always in the equation, but now the reality is starting to kick in. This was originally called 'Pretty Cameras', but was wisely changed to 'Without you', a standard couplet in the history of pop, and it doesn't disappoint in comparisons with Nilsson and Maria Carey, if anything, Lana knocks them out of the park with her understatement. It's a song about regret, hope, but above all enjoying the memories of a great love, even a if it's fleeting one. Motown songs made their name from this type of story, and the words match anything Motown released. That's a bold claim but if the Supremes sang the following line it would have gone down as a classic in pop history - 'Gold and silver line my heart, but burnt into my brain are these stolen images, stolen images, stolen images, can you picture it? Babe the life we could have lived?' This is 'Where did our love go?' for he 21st Century. This could easily have been an upbeat, faster tempo tune, but the genius of Lana Del Rey is that she sets her own pace. If you're not convinced yet, stick with me I've got another 6 songs that will certainly convert you.
Ed Nash
Contributor
What makes music fantastic? Star quality, amazing music, breathtaking lyrics and the ability to bring something new to the table, even if that means a new take on the classics. That's what I love to listen to and write about.
As well as writing for What Culture, I occasionally write a blog http://tedney.blogspot.co.uk and sometimes use Twitter, but sparingly @TedneyNash
See more from
Ed