West Coast Lyrics
Down on the West coast, they got a sayin'
"If you're not drinkin', then you're not playin'"
But you've got the music
You've got the music in you, don't you?
Down on the West coast, I get this feeling like
It all could happen, that's why I'm leaving
You for the moment, you for the moment
Boy Blue, yeah, you
[Pre-Chorus]
You're falling hard, I push away, I'm feelin' hot to the touch
You say you miss me and I wanna say, "I miss you so much"
But something keeps me really quiet, I'm alive, I'm a lush
Your love, your love, my love
[Chorus]
I can see my baby swinging
His Parliament's on fire and his hands are up
On the balcony and I'm singing
Ooh, baby, ooh, baby, I'm in love
I can see my sweet boy swaying
He's crazy y cubano como yo, la-la
On the balcony and I'm saying
Move, baby, move, baby, I'm in love
I'm in love (I'm in love)
I'm in love (I'm in love)
[Interlude]
(Mic-check)
(One, two)
(Two, two)
(Get it, girl)
[Verse 2]
Down on the West coast, they got their icons
Their silver starlets, their Queens of Saigons
And you've got the music
You've got the music in you, don't you?
Down on the West coast, they love their movies
Their golden gods and rock 'n' roll groupies
And you've got the music
You've got the music in you, don't you?
[Pre-Chorus]
You push it hard, I pull away, I'm feeling hotter than fire
I guess that no one ever really made me feel that much higher
Te deseo, cariño, boy, it's you I desire
Your love, your love, my love
I can see my baby swinging
His Parliament's on fire and his hands are up
On the balcony and I'm singing
Ooh, baby, ooh, baby, I'm in love
I can see my sweet boy swaying
He's crazy y cubano como yo, la-la
On the balcony and I'm saying
Move, baby, move, baby, I'm in love
I can see my baby swinging
His Parliament's on fire and his hands are up
On the balcony and I'm singing
Ooh, baby, ooh, baby, I'm in love
I can see my sweet boy swaying
He's crazy y cubano como yo, la-la
On the balcony and I'm saying
Move, baby, move, baby, I'm in love
[Post-Chorus]
I'm in love
I'm in love
About
“West Coast” is a surf-rock throwback produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. It uses the west coast to frame Lana Del Rey’s tale of leaving her lover to travel—only to return when she can’t bear missing him.
This song marked Lana’s highest debut as #17 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as her second-highest charting single after the Cedric Gervais remix of sleeper-hit “Summertime Sadness.”
“West Coast” was recognized among the top songs of 2014 by Consequence of Sound and Spin, reaching #11 on NME’s list.
On April 11th, 2014, Lana sang an acapella excerpt of “West Coast” at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. It was released three days later as the lead single for her third studio album, Ultraviolence. The song made its full-length debut at Coachella on April 20th.
The black-and-white music video shows Lana torn between lovers, one of them portrayed by famous Hollywood tattoo artist Mark Mahoney. He makes a second appearance in the music video for “Shades of Cool.”
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
“West Coast” was kind of an extention of everything I’ve been feeling so far on the record. It started with “Cruel World” which I felt like felt really west coast based ‘cause of the Wah-Wah guitars and… then having done “Brooklyn Baby” we went back to the 'west coast’ but kind of kept that easy-casual beat.
According to Songfacts, Lana Del Rey said to newspaper The Sun:
That track is inspired by being here. I just started spending the more and more time here. After touring I would be back in California, which is really unusual because I’d be in New York is so long. Being in Los Angeles is where I felt like the record was starting off. It was west coast-driven. Though it actually enhanced my love of New York as well, which was good because I was trying to get that loving feeling back for New York.
I was there for ten years and every time I go back I have this nervous felling. Being in Los Angeles calmed me down when I was making the record, I felt really good about bringing this east coast flavour into this West Coast sound, having this little amalgamation.
“West Coast” debuted at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 during the chart week ending of May 3, 2014.
- 1.Cruel World
- 5.West Coast
- 6.Sad Girl
- 10.Old Money
- 11.The Other Woman
- 12.Black Beauty
- 13.Guns and Roses
- 14.Florida Kilos
- 16.Flipside
