The Meaning Behind the Yearning “Say Yes to Heaven” by Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey took the pop world by storm in 2012, when she released her debut album, Born to Die. The record arrived during the golden age of the website Tumblr, and defined a generation of hyper-online listeners. Her sound is distinctly Californian, pulling from themes of lackadaisical glamor. Her lyrics often harbor a bittersweet meaning and antiquated quality.

Del Rey grew up in New York State, and first started working on music under the monikers May Jailer and Lizzy Grant while enrolled at Fordham University. After embracing the Lana Del Rey persona, she started putting out tracks on the label 5 Points Records. By the time she released Born To Die, she had already locked down a major label record deal and performed on Saturday Night Live.

In the years since, Del Rey has cemented her place as an inimitable star. While her alternative roots continue to beam through in her songwriting, albums like Ultraviolence and Norman Fucking Rockwell have also been commercial smashes. She’s the rare artist capable of peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 while also earning influential Best New Music designations from the website Pitchfork.

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Del Rey continued her successful run in 2023, releasing the album Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd to widespread acclaim. It features production credits from artists including Jack Antonoff and Mike Hermosa, as well as guest features from the likes of Father John Misty and SYML. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 200, and quickly racked up hundreds of millions of plays on platforms like YouTube and Spotify.

Del Rey released three singles from the record: “Hollywood Bowl,” “Lost at Sea,” and cult favorite “Say Yes to Heaven.”

The Meaning Behind the Song

“Say Yes To Heaven” was initially written in 2012. It circulated as a bootleg amongst diehard Del Rey fans for years after leaking online in 2016. In 2022, a sped-up version of the song went viral on TikTok. This may have played a part in the decision to release the official studio version in May of ’23.

“Say Yes to Heaven” is carried by a dreamy, melancholy feeling. It opens with gentle acoustic guitar plucking and psychedelic electric chords. Del Rey’s vocal style is laid back, yet sharp. The first verse contains submissive lyrics that seem to be directed toward a romantic partner.

If you dance, I’ll dance
And if you don’t, I’ll dance anyway
Give peace a chance
Let the fear you have fall away

The chorus, while somewhat understated, builds on this theme. I’ve got my eye on you, she repeats over a simple bass drum and tambourine beat. Her singing style is playful, but in a way that feels somewhat otherworldly.

“Say Yes to Heaven” is ultimately about waiting for someone you already love to reciprocate those feelings. In her lyricism, Del Rey comes across as resolute instead of desperate. If you dance, I’ll dance / I’ll put my red dress on, get it on, she sings in the final verse. It captures a sense of stoic, timeless, and implicitly flawed yearning in the placid style Del Rey is known for.

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