Honeymoon

Overview
"Honeymoon" serves as the thematic anchor for the album of the same name, encapsulating Lana Del Rey's signature blend of tragic romance and Hollywood glamour. The song is a meditation on the concept of a "honeymoon" not as a joyous new beginning, but as a fragile, perhaps final, moment of bliss before reality sets in. It explores themes of voyeurism, the burden of fame, and the acceptance of a lover's dark nature.

The "Dark Blue" State
The recurring reference to the color "dark blue" signifies a specific emotional landscape—one of deep melancholy, depression, but also aesthetic beauty. It suggests that for the narrator, love is not bright and sunny; it is cool, deep, and tinged with sadness. This redefines the traditional idea of a honeymoon, shifting it from a celebration of future promise to a nostalgic clinging to the present.

Mr. Born to Lose
By categorizing her lover as "Mr. Born to Lose," Del Rey aligns herself with the anti-hero archetype. This suggests a relationship founded on shared brokenness or fatalism. The lyrics imply that societal standards (what is "fashionable") do not apply to them, creating an us-against-the-world dynamic common in her discography.

Fame and Surveillance
Lines regarding being watched and the mention of Wilshire Boulevard introduce the element of celebrity. The song critiques the intrusive nature of fame, where intimate moments are scrutinized. However, the narrator's reaction is one of detachment—dreaming away her life—suggesting a dissociation from the public persona to preserve the private self.

The narrative of the song unfolds as a solemn, cinematic confession of a love that exists on the fringes of convention and safety. It begins with the narrator acknowledging a shared, turbulent history with her lover, recognizing the violence and intensity that define his past. Rather than recoiling from this darkness, she embraces it, suggesting that these flawed elements are inextricably linked to the bond they share. She addresses him as a figure destined for failure—"Mr. Born to Lose"—yet this label is spoken with affection and solidarity rather than judgment, indicating that she, too, finds comfort in the resigned acceptance of their fate.

The setting shifts to the specific imagery of Wilshire Boulevard, grounding the ethereal emotions in the concrete reality of Los Angeles. Here, the narrator observes the world around them, noting the passing of time and the triviality of external opinions. She speaks to the isolation of their romance; they are aware that their love is not "fashionable" or socially celebrated, yet this exclusion only serves to bind them closer. There is a recurring sense of surveillance or paranoia—the feeling of being watched by others, perhaps the media or society at large—but she remains unfazed, prioritizing the connection with her partner over the scrutiny of the outside world.

As the narrative progresses, the concept of the "honeymoon" is introduced not as a beginning, but as a suspended state of being. It is a period of dreaming and detachment, where life is allowed to drift away in a haze of "dark blue" emotion. The narrator expresses a desire to remain in this state, avoiding the harsh glare of reality. She references the transient nature of fame and relationships, alluding to the idea that everything is fleeting. The lyrics paint a picture of a woman who is fully aware of the dangers and the likely tragic trajectory of her relationship, yet she chooses to succumb to the hypnotic, sedative quality of the moment, preferring the beautiful, melancholic dream over the starkness of the truth.

Origins and Recording
"Honeymoon" was released on July 14, 2015, as the first taste of Lana Del Rey's fourth major-label studio album. The song was written by Lana Del Rey and her long-time collaborator Rick Nowels, who also handled production alongside Kieron Menzies. It was recorded at The Green Building in Santa Monica and engaged a lush, orchestral sound that marked a departure from the guitar-heavy, psychedelic rock influence of her previous album, Ultraviolence.

Inspiration and Vision
Del Rey described the album's direction as a tribute to Los Angeles and a return to the baroque pop sound of Born to Die, but with a more mature, jazz-inflected noir evolution. She specifically cited a desire for the record to feel "muddy" with "trap" energy in the rhythm sections, though "Honeymoon" itself remains largely orchestral and cinematic. The song was teased via her Instagram and a lyric video that featured homemade, vintage-style footage, reinforcing the nostalgic aesthetic she curates.

Wilshire Boulevard
This famous Los Angeles thoroughfare serves as a symbol for the intersection of wealth, history, and the mundane reality of the city. It grounds the song's lofty emotions in a physical space, representing the physical journey through the landscape of fame and dreams.

The Honeymoon
Traditionally a symbol of new beginnings and marital bliss, Del Rey uses it metaphorically to represent a temporary suspension of reality. It acts as a bubble where the lovers can exist away from the "violence" and "history" mentioned in the verses. It is a sanctuary of denial.

The Gun
The mention of a gun and violence symbolizes the danger inherent in the relationship. It is a phallic metaphor for power and destruction, suggesting that the love she experiences is inextricably tied to danger—a common trope in the "Bonnie and Clyde" dynamic Del Rey often explores.

Dark Blue
Metaphorically represents the mood of the relationship. Unlike the "burning red" of passionate love, dark blue implies depth, coolness, bruising, and the twilight hours. It symbolizes a love that is sedative and all-consuming like the ocean.

The prevailing atmosphere is one of melancholic luxury and sedated calm. It is not the sharp, crying sadness of a breakup, but the heavy, numbing sadness of resignation. The combination of the lush, major-to-minor string progressions and Del Rey's restrained vocals creates a feeling of noir tension—beautiful on the surface, but with an undercurrent of doom. The song feels like a humid summer evening; oppressive yet intoxicating. There is a sense of nostalgia for a present that is already slipping away.

Critical Reception
Upon release, "Honeymoon" was praised by critics for its ambitious, cinematic scope, with many comparing it to the soundtracks of 1960s films. It solidified Lana Del Rey's status as a modern purveyor of "Sadcore" and Baroque Pop.

Aesthetic Legacy
The song and its accompanying album defined a specific visual and sonic aesthetic on social media platforms like Tumblr and Instagram in 2015—characterized by vintage filters, floral imagery, and a celebration of feminine sadness. It moved her discography away from the hip-hop beats of Born to Die and the rock of Ultraviolence toward a more timeless, pure pop-orchestral sound. While not a massive radio hit due to its slow tempo and length, it is considered a quintessential "fan favorite" that captures the purest essence of the Lana Del Rey persona.

Rhyme Scheme
The lyrics follow a loose, fluid rhyme scheme, often utilizing slant rhymes (e.g., "truth/lose") and AABB structures in the verses, though the phrasing is elongated to the point where the rhymes feel distant. This lack of tight, snappy rhyming contributes to the song's drifting, dreamlike quality.

Rhythm and Meter
The song is in 4/4 time but is played at a very slow tempo (Largo). The rhythm is undemanding and lacks a driving percussive force for much of the track, relying instead on the swell of the strings to dictate the movement. The lyrical rhythm is syncopated and stretched; Del Rey often drags out syllables behind the beat ("back phrasing"), enhancing the "lazy" or relaxed emotional tone.

Musical Techniques
The song is defined by its cinematic orchestration. It opens with sweeping high-register strings that immediately establish a classic film score atmosphere. Del Rey employs a vocal delivery that slides between her breathy, high falsetto and her rich, lower contralto range, creating a dialogue between innocence and weariness. The tempo is exceedingly slow, creating a languid, hypnotic pacing that mimics the feeling of being in a trance or under the influence of sedatives.

Literary Techniques
Direct Address: The song is written in the second person ("You"), creating an intimate confession.
Juxtaposition: She contrasts concepts of violence/history with the soft imagery of a honeymoon and flowers.
Allusion: References to "Mr. Born to Lose" allude to classic anti-hero tropes in film and literature.

What is the meaning of 'Mr. Born to Lose' in Honeymoon?

The phrase 'Mr. Born to Lose' refers to an archetypal anti-hero or a lover who is prone to failure and bad luck. By using this term, Lana Del Rey expresses affection for a flawed, perhaps dangerous partner, signaling that she accepts his imperfections and their shared, possibly tragic, destiny.

What does the color 'Dark Blue' represent in the song?

In 'Honeymoon,' 'Dark Blue' symbolizes a deep, melancholic, and bruising form of love. It contrasts with the fiery passion of red, representing sadness, depth, emotional heaviness, and the twilight atmosphere that pervades the song's narrative.

Is Honeymoon about a real person?

While Lana Del Rey often draws from personal experience, she has not explicitly named a single individual as the subject. Listeners often speculate it may refer to past relationships (like Barrie-James O'Neill) or is a composite character representing her attraction to dangerous, complex men.

When was Lana Del Rey's Honeymoon released?

The song 'Honeymoon' was released on July 14, 2015, serving as the title track and the first promotional single for her fourth studio album of the same name.

What is the significance of Wilshire Boulevard in the lyrics?

Wilshire Boulevard is a major prominent street in Los Angeles. Its inclusion grounds the song in a specific reality, contrasting the dreamlike 'Honeymoon' state with the concrete world of LA traffic, fame, and the mundane aspects of life in the city.