Lana Del Rey isn’t afraid to be referential in her music. She wears her inspirations on her sleeve and often writes them into her songs. From John Denver to Bob Dylan, check out five of Del Rey’s musical nods, below.
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1. John Denver
I’m gonna take mine of you with me
Like “Rocky Mountain High,” the way John Denver sings – “The Grants”
In the opening song to Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd, “The Grants,” Del Rey and a host of background singers repeat the refrain above. The lyrics nod to one of John Denver’s signature songs, “Rocky Mountain High.” That alone should tell you all you need to know about Del Rey’s affinity for the folk singer, but to add even more evidence, she recently released a cover of Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
2. Elvis Presley
Elvis is my daddy
Marilyn’s my mother – “Body Electric”
One for the money
Two for the show – “Million Dollar Man”
Del Rey has referred to Elvis Presley several times throughout her career. On top of looking the spitting image of Priscilla Presley (which feels like a perpetual call back to Elvis’ era), she has mentioned The King by name and even drawn inspiration from his biggest hits.
In “Body Electric,” Del Rey calls Elvis her “daddy,” while in “Million Dollar Man” she nods to the opening line of “Blue Suede Shoes.”
3. Bruce Springsteen
Dancin’ in the dark, in the pale moonlight – “Summertime Sadness”
In her breakout hit, “Summertime Sadness,” Del Rey sings about listening to Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” To just listen to the song you wouldn’t immediately connect Del Rey’s words to Springsteen’s hit, but when seeing the lyrics written out, it becomes clear that she is referencing the title and not just singing about an action.
(Photo by Kayla Oaddams/WireImage)
