Lana Del Rey ties for #18 on Village Voice’s Pazz & Jop poll with ‘Venice Bitch,’ the second single from her upcoming album, Norman Fucking Rockwell.
My two most-anticipated albums of 2019 are Vampire Weekend’s Father of the Bride and Del Rey’s newest. She has been relatively prolific (her last album, Lust For Life, came out in the summer of 2017) but she has also yet to disappoint and I know any new material will be rewarding.
‘Venice Bitch,’ in addition to offering up a delicious pun, is a nearly 10-minute ethereal pop ballad featuring an extended stretch of psychedelic guitar noodling. Not exactly Top 40 fare. Before all the weird guitar stuff, the song features a typically gorgeous melody. I’m sure during most future listens I’ll hit skip after the 4-minute mark.
Fear fun, fear love
Fresh out of fucks, forever
Tryin’ to be stronger for you
Ice cream, ice queen
I dream in jeans and leather
Life’s dream, I’m sweet for you
[Chorus]
Oh God, miss you on my lips
It’s me, your little Venice bitch
On the stoop with the neighborhood kids
Callin’ out, bang bang, kiss kiss
[Post-Chorus]
You’re in the yard, I light the fire
And as the summer fades away
Nothing gold can stay
You write, I tour, we make it work
You’re beautiful and I’m insane
We’re American-made
[Verse 2]
Give me Hallmark
One dream, one life, one lover
Paint me happy and blue
Norman Rockwell
No hype under our covers
It’s just me and you
[Chorus]
Oh God, miss you on my lips
It’s me, your little Venice bitch
On the stoop with the neighborhood kids
Callin’ out, bang bang, kiss kiss
[Post-Chorus]
You’re in the yard, I light the fire
And as the summer fades away
Nothing gold can stay
You write, I tour, we make it work
You’re beautiful and I’m insane
We’re American-made
[Bridge 1]
Oh… yeah, oh… yeah, oh… yeah
Signin’ off, bang bang, kiss kiss
Yeah (oh)… yeah, oh… yeah, oh… yeah
Signin’ off, bang bang, kiss kiss
[Chorus]
Oh god, want you on my lips (I do, I do)
It’s me, your little Venice bitch (Yes it is)
On the stoop with the neighborhood kids
Signin’ off, bang bang, kiss kiss
[Bridge 1]
Oh… shatter (yeah), oh… shatter (yeah, yeah), oh… shatter (yeah)
(Signin’ off, bang bang, kiss kiss)
Yeah, yeah
Yeah (oh)… yeah, oh… yeah, oh… yeah
(Signin’ off, bang bang, kiss kiss)
Yeah, yeah
[Verse 3]
You heard my baby’s back in town now
You should come, come over
We’ll be hanging around now
You should come, come over
[Chorus]
Oh God, I love him on my lips
It’s me, your little Venice bitch
Touch me with your fingertips
It’s me, your little Venice bitch
[Verse 4]
Ba-back in the garden
We’re getting high now, because we’re older
Be myself, I like diamonds
My baby, crimson and clover
[Bridge 2]
(La-la-la-la-la, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful)
(La-la-la-la-la, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful)
Wha-wha-wha-wha-whatever
Everything, whatever
Wha-wha-wha-wha-whatever
Everything, whatever
[Guitar Solo]
[Bridge 3]
Oh-ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah… yeah, ah… yeah
(La-la-la-la-la, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful)
Ah… yeah, ah… ah
(La-la-la-la-la, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful)
La-la-la-la-la, beautiful, (yeah) beautiful, beautiful (yeah)
La-la-la-la-la, beautiful, (yeah) beautiful, beautiful (yeah)
La-la-la-la-la, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
La-la-la-la-la, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
[Verse 4]
Back in the garden
We’re getting high now, because we’re older
Be myself, I like diamonds
My baby, crimson and clover
[False Outro]
Crimson and clover, honey
Crimson and clover, honey
Crimson and clover, honey
Crimson and clover, honey
Crimson and clover, honey
Crimson and clover, honey
Over and over, honey
Over and over, honey
Over and over, honey
Over and over, honey
Over and over
[Guitar Solo]
[Outro]
If you weren’t mine, I’d be
Jealous of your love
If you weren’t mine, I’d be
Jealous of your love
If you weren’t mine, I’d be
Jealous of your love
If you weren’t mine, I’d be
Jealous of your love
If you weren’t mine, I’d be
Jealous of your love
Meet Me In Montauk 
Any song with a “False Outro” followed by another guitar solo and a real outro Is definitely way too long, but I do like the overall ethereal feel of this song.