Music Review: Lana Del Rey "Video Games"

Lana Del Rey

Video Games

Album: Born To Die

Year: 2011

          Lana Del Rey has become a master manipulator of men in the  docile  “Video Games.”

          Yielding strings open the single, setting a morose tone. She pushes harder on the swing and her feet almost touch the tree. Her father opens the porch door and says her boyfriend is here. She runs through the family room and to the front door to see him. He leans on his Porsche and lets out a low whisle once he sees her. They drive back to his house. At his house, he opens the mini refrigerator in his bedroom and takes out a beer. He licks his fingers from the fizz and takes a huge swig. He puts his beer next to his dresser and gets out a game controller for his Xbox as she kisses him on the cheek. He switches it on and finds his saved game. She looks at her floral sundress. It’s the one he loves to take off. She stands by the television and begins to play with her strap. She lets it fall and then pulls her dress to her breasts, letting some cleavage peek. His eyes remain on the screen, concentrating on the animate characters. She lets her dress fall, revealing her naked body. The game stops for a moment and he sighs. He clicks another button and the game starts up again. (“Swinging in the backyard/Pull up in your fast car/Whistling my name/Open up a beer/And you say "get over here"/And play a video game/I'm in his favorite sun dress/Watching me get undressed/Take that body downtown/I say you the bestest/Lean in for a big kiss/Put his favorite perfume on/Go play a video game.”)

             In the chorus, she aims to please the boys. She tells them they complete her world and tries to be who they want her to be. She says she can give his life meaning. (“It's you, it's you, it's all for you/Everything I do/I tell you all the time/Heaven is a place on earth with you/Tell me all the things you want to do/I heard that you like the bad girls/Honey, is that true?/It's better than I ever even knew/They say that the world was built for two/Only worth living if somebody is loving you/Baby now you do.”)

             She finishes her set. She is stopped on the way to the bar by a 90s sitcom actor. He compliments her on her voice and music. She thanks him and continues to the bar. The bartender tells her the actor has been watching her all night. Her boyfriend, sitting alongside her, says he has some competition. She says she would like play some pool and offers the actor to join them. Her boyfriend keeps her close, touching her at every moment. Her glasses of cocktails sit on the table. Through her glazed eyes, she is gratified. At 3 am, they stumble out of the bar. She won tonight and kept her boyfriend’s attention for the entire tonight. (“Singing in the old bars/Swinging with the old stars/Living for the fame/Kissing in the blue dark/Playing pool and wild darts/Video games/He holds me in his big arms/Drunk and I am seeing stars/This is all I think of/Watching all our friends fall/In and out of Old Paul's/This is my idea of fun/Playing video games.”)

           The chorus is sung twice to end the single.

            Del Rey’s lonesome vocals have learned new ways to be loved. Being herself was a myth told her too many adults. She taught herself to sing and found local clubs to make her name. She lets the men vie for her, keeping them one toes and not showing her cards. .        

         The  desolate “Video Games” finds love where it can, even it means pulling the strings and tying them together.