- What Does “Fortnight” by Taylor Swift & Post Malone Mean? - April 19, 2024
- What Is the Meaning of the “H00DBYAIR” Song by Playboi Carti? - December 25, 2023
- What Is the Meaning of the “Lemon Tree” Song by Fool’s Garden? - November 24, 2023
Lana Del Rey – A&W Lyrics Meaning
“A&W”, written by Lana Del Rey and Jack Antonoff, is a song released on the 14th of February 2023. It is the second unanticipated single and the fourth song from her 2023 album “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd”. The meaning of the song “A&W” lyrics by Lana Del Rey is an exploration of complex emotions, identity, trauma, addiction, & codependency. In “A&W,” Lana delivers a 7-minute rant that is divided into two parts. The first section features an anecdote from her childhood, while the second section focuses on her adulthood, where she grapples with addictions.
Embedded below is the Official Audio of the song from YouTube. Read the rest of the article while the music plays in the background. The complete lyrics of the song “A&W” by Lana Del Rey are at the end of this article.
Decoding Meaning of “A&W” Lyrics by Lana Del Rey
The “A&W” lyrics by Lana Del Rey reflect on her life experiences. She shares her feelings of not caring about what others think of her appearance or behavior. Lana talks about staying at a hotel instead of her home and engaging in intimate relationships without seeking love or affection. The song also touches on darker themes of molestation and feeling invisible in society. This song comments on society’s perceptions of women and how it can lead to feelings of worthlessness and shame. The line-by-line analysis of the meaning of the lyrics behind the song “A&W” by Lana Del Rey is below:
The “A&W” lyrics by Lana Del Rey mean human experiences are complex, and multifaceted and can encompass a wide range of emotions, challenges, and joys.
[Part I: American W…]: First Part of “A&W” Lyrics Meaning by Lana Del Rey
Here, we analyze the first part of “A&W” lyrics meaning by Lana Del Rey:
[Verse 1]: The Statement About Self and Autonomy
I haven’t done a cartwheel since I was nine
Verse 1 to Part I of “A&W” Lyrics by Lana Del Rey
I haven’t seen my mother in a long, long time
I mean, look at me, look at the length of my hair, my face, the shape of my body
Do you really think I give a d..n what I do after years of just hearing them talking?
Meaning
The first verse of Part I of “A&W” lyrics by Lana Del Rey reflects her sense of self and autonomy. In the first line, Lana says she hasn’t engaged in a playful, childlike activity (doing a cartwheel) in a long time. This means she has lost touch with her sense of innocence and carefree spirit. The second line means that Lana has been disconnected from her mother for an extended period. This has further contributed to her feeling isolated and detached.
The following lines mean that Lana Del Rey has a sense of detachment and defiance toward the opinions of others. She notes that her appearance has changed significantly (long hair, face shape, body shape). So, she doesn’t care about conforming to the expectations and judgments of others. “Do you really think I give a damn what I do after years of just hearing them talking?” means that she has grown weary of external pressures. But she is focused on living her life on her own terms, regardless of others’ opinions.
[Pre-Chorus/ Chorus]: Reflection on Lana’s Experience of Living in America, Freedom, and Individualism
I say I live in Rosemead, really, I’m at the Ramada
It doesn’t really matter, doesn’t really, really matterCall him up, come into my bedroom
Chorus and Pre-Chorus to Part I of “A&W” Lyrics by Lana Del Rey
Ended up, we f… on the hotel floor
It’s not about having someone to love me anymorе
This is the experiеnce of being an American w…
Meaning
The chorus and pre-chorus of Part I of “A&W” lyrics by Lana Del Rey reflect her experience of living in America. In the pre-chorus, the singer is not entirely truthful about where she lives. The specific location does not matter much to her. Lana describes an intimate encounter that occurred in a hotel room at the beginning of the chorus. “Intimate Encounter” suggests a casual or non-committal attitude toward romantic relationships. The final line means her experience of being an American implies a sense of freedom, a desire for autonomy, and a detachment from conventional values and social norms.
[Verse 2]: Reflection on Self-Perception and Identity Exploration
Called up one friend, call up another
Verse 2 to Part I of “A&W” Lyrics by Lana Del Rey
Forensic Files wasn’t on
Watching Teenage Diary of a Girl
Wondering what went wrong
I’m a princess, I’m divisive
Ask me why I’m like this
Maybe I’m just kinda like this
I don’t know, maybe I’m just like this
Meaning
The second verse of Part I of “A&W” lyrics by Lana Del Rey describes a moment in her life when she hung out with friends and watched TV. In the first two lines, she socializes and tries to pass the time. She mentions Forensic Files is not on. Also, she mentions the choice to watch Teenage Diary of a Girl instead. This shows her casual and idle attitude.
The next lines describe Lana Del Rey’s self-perception. She identifies as a princess. This suggests a sense of entitlement and self-importance. Divisiveness suggests that she tends to cause disagreements and conflict. The following lines suggest she is unsure about the reasons behind her self-perception, and she doesn’t fully understand herself.
[Verse 3]: Reflection on Trauma, Self-Perception, and Spirituality
I mean, look at my hair, look at the length of it there and the shape of my body
Verse 3 to Part I of “A&W” Lyrics by Lana Del Rey
If I told you that I was r…d, do you really think that anybody would think I didn’t ask for it, didn’t ask for it?
Didn’t testify, already f…ed up my story
On top of this (Mm), so many other things you can’t believe
Did you know a singer can still be lookin’ like a side piece at thirty-three?
God’s a charlatan, don’t look back, babe
Puts the shower on while he calls me
Sneaks out the back door to talk to me
I’m invisible, look how you hold me
I’m invisible, I’m invisible
I’m a ghost now, look how you hold me now
Meaning
The third verse of Part I of “A&W” lyrics by Lana Del Rey speaks on trauma, self-perception, and spirituality. In the first two lines, she is self-conscious about her appearance and how she is perceived by others. The next few lines mention trauma. She is worried that others would blame and judge her for it, even though it was not her fault. “f…ed up story” and “so many other things you can’t believe” mean that Lana Del Rey has experienced significant trauma beyond the abuse.
Lana Del Rey refers to a singer still looking like a “side piece” at the age of 33. This means a sense of disappointment and disillusionment in the music industry and the entertainment world. The next few lines reference spirituality. Here, Lana Del Rey calls God a “charlatan”. Then, she suggests that she feels invisible and ignored by a higher power. The line about God putting the shower on while he calls her means a sense of disconnection or abandonment. In the final lines about being a ghost and feeling invisible, Lana suggests a sense of isolation and detachment from the world.
[Part II: Jimmy]: Second Part of “A&W” Lyrics Meaning by Lana Del Rey
Here, we analyze the first part of “A&W” lyrics meaning by Lana Del Rey:
[Chorus/ Post-Chorus]: Reflection on a Relationship Characterized by Substance Abuse and Addiction
Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop, Jimmy, Jimmy ride
Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop, Jimmy, get me high (Oh, my God)
Love me if you live and love, you can be my light
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get high
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get high
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get high
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get highJimmy, you should switch it up, baby, light it up
Jimmy, if you leave the house, find me in the club (Like)
Jimmy, if you switch it up, you should light it up
Jimmy, if you leave the house, find me in the club (Hey)
Your mom called, I told her, you’re f…ing up big time
But I don’t care, baby, I already lost my mind
Jimmy, if I lie it up, find me in the club (Mind, mind)
Your mom called, I told her, you’re f…ing up big timeYour mom called, I told her, you’re f…ing up big time
Chorus, Verse, and Post-Chorus to Part II of “A&W” Lyrics by Lana Del Rey
Your mom called, I told her, you’re f…ing up big time
Meaning
The Chorus and Post-Chorus of Part II of “A&W” Lyrics by Lana Del Rey describe a relationship between her and a guy named Jimmy. She repeats “Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop, Jimmy, Jimmy ride” and “Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop, Jimmy, get me high”. This means that their relationship is characterized by substance abuse and addiction. The following lines suggest Lana desires to love and connection. But she feels that Jimmy only loves her when he wants to get high. This means that Lana is in a codependent and unhealthy relationship. Her partner only values her for her ability to provide addictive substances.
The final lines from the Post-Chorus of Part II of “A&W” Lyrics by Lana Del Rey about Jimmy “f…ing up big time” and a call from “your mom” suggest that there are some external pressure and conflict in the relationship. This is related to Jimmy’s substance abuse. The repetition of this line emphasizes the gravity of the situation. This suggests that she is frustrated or fed up with the relationship.
The Complete Lyrics of “A&W” by Lana Del Rey
Here are the complete lyrics of “A&W” by Lana Del Rey via Genius and chords:
[Part I: American W…]
I haven’t done a cartwheel since I was nine
I haven’t seen my mother in a long, long time
I mean, look at me, look at the length of my hair, my face, the shape of my body
Do you really think I give a d..n what I do after years of just hearing them talking?I say I live in Rosemead, really, I’m at the Ramada
It doesn’t really matter, doesn’t really, really matterCall him up, come into my bedroom
Ended up, we f… on the hotel floor
It’s not about having someone to love me anymorе
This is the experiеnce of being an American w…Called up one friend, call up another
Forensic Files wasn’t on
Watching Teenage Diary of a Girl
Wondering what went wrong
I’m a princess, I’m divisive
Ask me why I’m like this
Maybe I’m just kinda like this
I don’t know, maybe I’m just like thisI say I live in Rosemead, really, I’m at the Ramada
It doesn’t really matter, doesn’t really, really matterCall him up, he comes over again
Yeah, I know I’m over my head, but, oh
It’s not about having someone to love me anymore
No, this is the experience of being an American w…I mean, look at my hair, look at the length of it there and the shape of my body
If I told you that I was r…d, do you really think that anybody would think I didn’t ask for it, didn’t ask for it?
Didn’t testify, already f…ed up my story
On top of this (Mm), so many other things you can’t believe
Did you know a singer can still be lookin’ like a side piece at thirty-three?
God’s a charlatan, don’t look back, babe
Puts the shower on while he calls me
Sneaks out the back door to talk to me
I’m invisible, look how you hold me
I’m invisible, I’m invisible
I’m a ghost now, look how you hold me nowIt’s not about having someone to love me anymore (Oh, okay)
No, this is the experience of being an American w…
It’s not about having someone to love me anymore
No, this is the experience of being an American w…[Part II: Jimmy]
This is the experience of being an American w…
This is the experience of being an American w…Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop, Jimmy, Jimmy ride
Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop, Jimmy, get me high (Oh, my God)
Love me if you live and love, you can be my light
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get high
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get high
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get high
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get highYour mom called, I told her, you’re f…ing up big time
Your mom called, I told her, you’re f…ing up big timeShimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop, Jimmy, Jimmy ride
Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop, Jimmy, get me high
Love me if you live and love, you can be my light (Mm)
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get high
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get high
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get high
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get highYour mom called, I told her, you’re f…ing up big time
Jimmy, you should switch it up, baby, light it up
Jimmy, if you leave the house, find me in the club (Like)
Jimmy, if you switch it up, you should light it up
Jimmy, if you leave the house, find me in the club (Hey)
Your mom called, I told her, you’re f…ing up big time
But I don’t care, baby, I already lost my mind
Jimmy, if I lie it up, find me in the club (Mind, mind)
Your mom called, I told her, you’re f…ing up big timeShimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop, Jimmy, Jimmy ride
Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop, Jimmy, get me high
Love me if you live and love, you can be my light
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get high
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get high
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get high
Jimmy only love me when he wanna get highYour mom called, I told her, you’re f…ing up big time
The Complete Lyrics of “A&W” by Lana Del Rey
Concluding Meaning of “A&W” Lyrics by Lana Del Rey
In conclusion, the “A&W” lyrics by Lana Del Rey explore identity, trauma, addiction, and codependency. These emotions are conveyed through personal reflections and vivid imagery of the singer. While these lyrics are emotionally charged and are challenging to read for some, they offer a glimpse into the complexity of human experiences. Such emotions show the many ways in which human beings make sense of their lives. The title of the song “A&W” is the abbreviation for “American W…r”.
It’s funny, this album felt totally effortless. When I did Norman F…ing Rockwell! it was about world-building, whereas this was straight vibing.
Lana Del Rey via RollingStone
Comment on the meaning behind the song “A&W” lyrics by Lana Del Rey below or on the Twitter handle “@laviasco”. We have also analyzed “Mariners Apartment Complex“, “Season of the Witch“, “F… It I Love You“, “The Greatest“, “Happiness is a butterfly“, “Love Song“, “California“, “Cinnamon Girl“, and “How to disappear” by Lana Del Rey.
