Shades Of Cool

“Shades of Cool” explores the complexities of a toxic and ultimately unrequited love for a man who is emotionally distant and 'unfixable'. The song delves into themes of devotion, fantasy, and the darker side of American mythology, which are common in Lana Del Rey's work. The narrator is fully aware of her lover's flaws; he is a womanizer, possibly involved with drugs, and lives in a self-contained world that she cannot penetrate. Despite this knowledge, she remains captivated by him. The phrase 'shades of cool' itself is a metaphor for his emotional coldness and detachment. The song is a poignant admission of her inability to change him, with the repeated lines, 'I can't fix him, can't make him better'. It is a narrative of resignation, where the narrator accepts the painful reality of their relationship without any illusions of a happy ending. This portrayal of a dangerous and forbidden love is presented with a raw honesty that avoids romanticizing the situation, making it a powerful and realistic depiction of being trapped in an unhealthy relationship.

The narrative unfolds around a woman deeply infatuated with a man who embodies a cool, detached, and ultimately broken persona. He is a resident of California, driving a Chevy Malibu, and possesses an alluring combination of 'blue eyes and jazz and attitude'. This man lives a life of indulgence, dedicated to love, drugs, and his 'baby', the narrator. However, she is acutely aware of her inability to change or 'fix' him. She recognizes the 'strange weather' of his moods and personality as an insurmountable barrier. He is emotionally unavailable, with an 'unbreakable' heart, living within his own 'shades of cool'.

The second verse deepens the portrayal of his emotional coldness, describing his 'cold heart and hands'. The narrator acknowledges that she is just one of many women in his life, referring to herself as 'one of many, Bonnie's blue', a potential allusion to a sorrowful, devoted lover in the vein of Bonnie Parker. Despite his promiscuity, when he does reach out, it is for her. He seeks spiritual solace, praying for love and peace, and perhaps even for someone new, further highlighting his restless and unsatisfied nature. Yet again, the narrator reiterates her powerlessness to help or better him, accepting the futility of trying to alter his fundamental character. The chorus repeats, reinforcing the central theme of his invincibility and her inability to penetrate his world.

The bridge introduces a shift in tone, with the lyrics 'Hot, hot weather in the summer, Hot, hot, neglectful lover'. This juxtaposition of intense external heat with his emotional neglect emphasizes the pain and longing in their relationship. He is described as 'crumbling, sadly', suggesting a self-destructive tendency that she can only witness. The song concludes with a final repetition of the chorus, her voice ascending into an ethereal wail, leaving the listener with a sense of tragic resignation and the enduring image of a woman devoted to a man she can never truly reach.

“Shades of Cool” was written by Lana Del Rey and Rick Nowels, a frequent collaborator with whom she also penned hits like “Summertime Sadness” and “Young and Beautiful”. The song was produced by Dan Auerbach, the guitarist and vocalist of The Black Keys. Auerbach's involvement marked a significant shift in Del Rey's sound, moving away from the hip-hop-influenced production of her previous album, Born to Die, towards a more guitar-based, psychedelic rock and desert rock aesthetic for Ultraviolence. The song was recorded in 2013 and 2014, with some sessions taking place at Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville. “Shades of Cool” was released on May 26, 2014, as the second single from the album Ultraviolence. Del Rey mentioned in an interview that the song was inspired by a person she met in California. The music video was directed by Jake Nava and was filmed in Los Angeles, featuring tattoo artist Mark Mahoney as Del Rey's love interest.

“Shades of Cool” is structured with a distinct rhyme scheme in its verses, generally following an AABB pattern, which provides a sense of lyrical cohesion. For example, the opening lines are 'My baby lives in shades of blue / Blue eyes and jazz and attitude / He lives in California, too / He drives a Chevy Malibu'. The rhythm of the song is a slow and deliberate waltz in 3/4 time, which contributes to its melancholic and dream-like feel. The slow tempo allows for Del Rey's vocals to glide over the instrumentation, creating a sense of spaciousness and introspection. The interplay between the lyrical rhythm and the musical rhythm is crucial to the song's overall effect. The steady, hypnotic pulse of the waltz contrasts with the emotional turmoil expressed in the lyrics, creating a sense of tension. The chorus features a more soaring and sustained vocal melody, which provides a dynamic lift from the more subdued verses. The rhythmic structure of the song, with its slow and steady pace, allows the listener to become immersed in the atmospheric and introspective world of the narrator.

Musically, “Shades of Cool” is a departure from Lana Del Rey's earlier work, characterized by its slow, waltz-like tempo and a sound palette rooted in psychedelic and desert rock. The song is composed in the key of D minor and has a tempo of 46 beats per minute. The instrumentation is centered around a 'slow-burn' bassline, reverberated electric guitars, and swelling strings, creating a cinematic and atmospheric soundscape. A notable feature is the guitar solo performed by producer Dan Auerbach, which adds to the song's rock influences. Del Rey's vocal performance is particularly dynamic, shifting between a 'hushed whisper' in the verses and 'ephemeral wailing' in the chorus, where she utilizes her 'operatic' soprano range. This contrast in vocal delivery enhances the emotional intensity of the song. The production employs a significant amount of reverb, contributing to the track's ghostly and haunting quality. Lyrically, the song employs a narrative voice that is both devoted and resigned, a common persona in Del Rey's music.

“Shades of Cool” was released as the second single from Lana Del Rey's critically acclaimed album Ultraviolence (2014). While not a massive commercial hit, the song did chart on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 79, and entered the top 40 in some European countries. The song is considered a fan favorite and a key track in Del Rey's discography, often praised for its cinematic quality and her vocal performance. The music video, directed by Jake Nava, has also received significant attention for its vintage aesthetic and surreal imagery, further solidifying Del Rey's visual identity. The song and the album Ultraviolence as a whole marked a significant artistic evolution for Del Rey, showcasing a more mature and cohesive sound that was heavily influenced by rock and psychedelic music. The album received positive reviews and was ranked by several publications as one of the best albums of the year and the decade. The song has been performed live by Del Rey on several occasions, including on her 'Endless Summer Tour'. Jessica Lange also performed a cover of 'Gods & Monsters', another song from Ultraviolence, in the television show American Horror Story: Freak Show, which brought further attention to the album's dark and cinematic themes.

“Shades of Cool” is rich with symbolism and metaphors that contribute to its somber and cinematic atmosphere. The title itself is the central metaphor, representing the man's emotional coldness, detachment, and inscrutability. The color blue is a recurring motif, with the opening line 'My baby lives in shades of blue' immediately setting a melancholic tone. This could symbolize his sadness, his aloofness, or even allude to the genre of blues music. The 'strange weather' is a metaphor for his unpredictable and turbulent emotional state, which the narrator is powerless to change. The American flag, a common symbol in Del Rey's work, also appears in the music video, often layered over images of her and her lover. This can be interpreted as a commentary on the American Dream and its darker, more complicated realities, a recurring theme throughout the album Ultraviolence. The music video also employs surreal and dream-like imagery, such as Del Rey appearing as a ghostly apparition and being engulfed by fireworks, which enhances the song's ethereal and otherworldly quality.

The most prominent recurring phrase in “Shades of Cool” is the title itself, which appears in the chorus: ''Cause you live in shades of cool'. This line encapsulates the central theme of the song – the man's emotional detachment and the world he inhabits that is inaccessible to the narrator. The phrase 'I can't fix him, can't make him better' is another crucial recurring line that emphasizes the narrator's sense of powerlessness and resignation in the relationship. This repetition drills home the central conflict of the song. The motif of the color blue is also significant, appearing in the opening line, 'My baby lives in shades of blue', and in the line 'I'm one of many, Bonnie's blue'. This recurring color reinforces the song's melancholic and somber mood. The reference to 'strange weather' also acts as a recurring motif for the man's unpredictable nature. Musically, the song features a recurring guitar riff that introduces the verses, creating a sense of continuity and a signature sound for the track.