National Anthem (Lana Del Rey song)
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| Single by Lana Del Rey | ||||||||||
| from the album Born to Die | ||||||||||
| Released | July 6, 2012 | |||||||||
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| Length | 3:51 | |||||||||
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"National Anthem" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Lana Del Rey for her second studio album, Born to Die (2012). It was released as a single on July 6, 2012, through Interscope Records. The song serves as the album's fifth single. The music video for the song premiered on June 27, 2012. It is directed by Anthony Mandler. It depicts Del Rey as Marilyn Monroe and Jacqueline Kennedy and ASAP Rocky as John F. Kennedy. It centers on the theme of the Assassination of John F. Kennedy. Critical commentary accompanied the song and video. Positive reviews noted the song's critical evaluation of lavish lifestyles, saying it fit together with the lyrical structure of the entire album.
In the chorus, Del Rey sings, "Tell me I’m your national anthem/ Red! White! Blue in the sky! Summer's in the air, baby heaven's in your eyes" At the close of the recording is a multi-layered narrative treatment. The introduction features the classic rendition "Happy Birthday Mr. President" as performed by Marilyn Monroe. Unlike the other songs on Born to Die, Del Rey employs an alternative rapping technique, hip hop beat and heavy basslines, similar to that of "Off to the Races" and "Diet Mountain Dew".Pitchfork Media said the rapping technique was almost "chatting".
Vocally, NME observed that Del Rey sings like a "perfect mannequin" on "National Anthem", criticizing the track for baldly revisiting the beat-driven chorus of "Born to Die". Further, NME praised certain elements of the track, saying: "As she sings of a relationship of a well-heeled man and a blank canvas woman, she invokes not only the dreamland of the monied classes (The Hamptons) and their could-be motto 'Money is the anthem of success' but also invokes the spectre of Vietnam with a reference to 'The Queen Of Saigon'."Digital Spy called the running theme of Born to Die, "demonic Stepford moll", which "National Anthem" fit into. The track was praised for having a: "laconic, anaesthetised vocal that conjures up images of her swigging from a bottle of Hendricks. There's a deep sadness underneath the sweeping string section and gangster hip-hop beats, but it's the chorus's fleeting glimpse of euphoria that'll keep you coming back."
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