Thank you again to Daniel for taking the blog reins over the past couple of weeks to count down his favorite 2022 albums. I’m inspired by his passion for the music that moves and excites him.
I still don’t get Drake, though.
I don’t know if I’ll do a better job this year keeping up with new music. I’ll try, but I well may be leaning on guest bloggers again 12 months from now.
However, I know there’s at least one album I’ll be firing up on day one: Lana Del Rey’s ninth studio album, titled Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, is due on March 10.
I plan to give this album a track-by-track countdown, as I did for Taylor Swift and Miranda Lambert last year and on Del Rey’s masterpiece Norman Fucking Rockwell in 2019. I might throw a career retrospective in there while I’m at it.
In other words, if you’re not a Lana Del Rey fan you might want to steer clear of these parts in March.
As a teaser of what’s to come, here’s the album’s first single (and title song), an elegant track that uses a forgotten Los Angeles tunnel as a metaphor for Del Rey’s fears about her own legacy.
Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard?
Mosaic ceilings, painted tiles on the wall
I can’t help but feel somewhat like my body marred my soul
Handmade beauty sealed up by two man-made walls
And I’m like
[Chorus]
When’s it gonna be my turn?
When’s it gonna be my turn?
Open me up, tell me you like it
Fuck me to death, love me until I love myself
There’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard
Therе’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulеvard
[Verse 2]
There’s a girl that sings “Hotel California”
Not because she loves the notes or sounds that sound like Florida
It’s because she’s in a world, preserved, only a few have found the door
It’s like Camarillo, only silver mirrors, running down the corridor
Oh, man
[Chorus]
When’s it gonna be my turn?
Don’t forget me
When’s it gonna be my turn?
Open me up, tell me you like me
Fuck me to death, love me until I love myself
There’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard
Don’t forget me
There’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard
[Verse 3]
Harry Nilsson has a song, his voice breaks at 2:05
Something about the way he says “Don’t forget me” makes me feel like
I just wish I had a friend like him, someone to get me by
Lennon in the back, whisperin’ in my ear
“Come on, baby, you can thrive”
But I can’t
[Chorus]
When’s it gonna be my turn?
Don’t forget me
When’s it gonna be my turn?
Open me up, tell me you like it
Fuck me to death, love me until I love myself
There’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard
[Bridge]
Don’t forget me
Like the tunnel under Ocean Boulevard
Don’t forget me
Like the tunnel under Ocean Boulevard
Don’t forget me
Like the tunnel under Ocean Boulevard
[Outro]
Don’t forget me, don’t forget me
No, don’t, don’t forget me
Don’t you, don’t you forget me
Meet Me In Montauk 
I appreciate Lana Del Ray’s music, but find her a bit too melancholy for repeat listening. Still, I look forward to the exposure to her new album through your blog in March
Definitely looking forward to this album and your future deep dive/rankings. I’ve grown to appreciate Lana more and more. I anticipate this will be a strong addition to her discography (and maybe the third album I’ll have been an active fan for).
I like her voice. Not sure about this song. Maybe another listen or two might change my mind.
Can’t wait, f***!