#lolyta

7. Dark Paradise

Lana’s theatrical, dramatic tale of woe, Dark Paradise, kicks up a notch in the demo, where the sudden drum beats lead to Lana’s flat vocals singing how she’s “got the ice, you’ve got the fire”, which, despite creating a different song entirely, is somehow striking with the different lyrics and the stronger Lana rather than the devastated lady from the original song. It may not work well together lyrically when it comes to finding a meaning for it, but it’s still one of the demos to enjoy, so long as you consider it a conflicting song.

6. Brite Lites

The weird pop experiment Brite Lites is an incredible song from AKA Lizzy Grant, despite it’s unusual combination of music and simplistic lyrics, but the demo is possibly better than the original. Sharply strummed strings paired with Lana’s breathy yet passion-filled vocals make me wonder why this couldn’t have been on the actual album, since the lack of weirdness gives more of a focus to the song and also shows how the simplest of instrumentals can still make a good song.

5. Wolf

Two unreleased tracks sound very similar to one another though the lyrics differ, Hot Hot Hot and Big Bad Wolf, both pop tracks that go along the theme of wanting a dangerous man with a “cherry red car” and being tempted despite the damage it could do, yet the demo for Big Bad Wolf shows this even better than the polished tracks. With Lana’s vocals brilliantly cautious yet romantic over a simple, dark instrumental which sets the theme for gloomy woods and the scarlet celebrity who haunts it, it’s both atmospheric and hypnotising, the stripped-back version showing the true emotion and danger once there is a lack of stylish music.

4. Lolita Demo 3

Unlike the pleasantness of Lolyta, Lolita demo 3 is instead a darker version of the song, going even more into sensual seduction with quiet, ringing verses that become gritty, guitar-driven stripper-worthy choruses - where Lolyta is for day, Lolita demo 3 is for night, and it is a fresh and feline track. It’s incredible that there are so many versions of the same song but each offers a different perspective to the character in the song.

3. National Anthem

Since the previous tracks I’ve listed seem to mostly be different versions of the same song, giving different characters, emotions and worlds, National Anthem follows the trend of giving a completely different feeling to the song. Whilst the version from the album is a sleek, seductive track which portrays Lana as one of the most elite women, the demo gives the illusion that she is a young wild girl who fell into the life of the rich, due to the childish vocals and the rock beat which makes it a grungier and upbeat track. The vocals somehow sound more pure and emotional rather than careless, and the warm way in which Lana sings “red, white, blue is in the sky, summer’s in the air and, baby, heaven’s in your eyes” sounds much more golden, making it a silly and loving song.

2. I Want It All

Much like the previous demos mentioned for Lolita, the demos of National Anthem differ in emotion and persona, making this one the darker of the National Anthem tracks. This song is longer, flowing in the same way as National Anthem but straying from the patriotic theme of the original song, instead sounding more self-absorbed and strained from the nature of the relationship with a dangerous person who could ‘kill for her one day’, particularly with the different bridge. The lack of pop instrumental makes this much more a secluded track, showing the darker side of both Lana and this person who both seem to dream of murder, and the chorus which purely desires everything Lana wants rather than the mutual and country appreciation from the original track.

1. Rehab

Out of the entirety of Lana Del Rey songs I’ve listened to, Rehab, the demo of For K Part 2, is the one that struck me the most, for personal reasons but also for the slow, unusual dream-feel which took me straight to the seventies, which is the feel of the song. The original song is completely different in the sense that it’s more live in quality, and Lana’s tone of voice is upbeat and strong, but the quietness and whining guitar of the demo is incredible when it comes to indulging in an imagined world and just feeling rather than listening to it as a song.