Blue Jeans

By Lana del Rey

The song I analyse in this presentation is “Blue Jeans” by Lana Del Rey. The third song
released as a single from her debut album “Born to die”

The song is about a doomed relationship, where he leaves her a lot but she idolises him
and keeps coming back to him.

The music video is shot in a style of mixed visuals of linear narrative and performance. The
narrative shows the doomed relationship visualised with Lana herself and her tattooed
partner.
Opening shot from Lana del Rays “Blue
Jeans” she is digitally edited to “emerge” from
the black water. This during the intro of the
song to build the tone of the music video, dark
and unanimated. The slow violin melody
slowly gains momentum as more layers of
orchestra build on each other before
First shot of her love interest in the video, from behind
the shoulder we see him smoking cigarette by a window.
He looks deep in thought and because it is an over the
shoulder shot gives us the impression of a disinterest or
unhappiness in his relationship. The song is about an
untameable man who leaves her often, this shot my
show him contemplating leaving again.
This is the performance side of the music video,
we see Lana on her own by the pool, we know it’s
the same pool so that the visuals coordinate with
the linear narrative. But this is when Lana will lip-
synch to the song and pose for the shot. We see
reflective light from the pool, to keep us tied into
the narrative.
Here we see more visuals to keep the narrative of
these two in their dammed relationship, she lusts
over him as he undresses by the pool but he
doesn’t take any notice of her. The proxemics
between the two suggest a rift in their relationship,
she is also behind the glass and we only see him in
the reflection.
We then see visuals of them joining
together in the pool but they juxtapose the
lyrics they line in with. This might be
purposeful to emphasise Lana's naivety
towards him. The very explicit imagery
furthers suggest this is a lustful
relationship rather than a loving one.
The visuals of the two in the pool is cross cut
with scenes with a crocodile in the pool. This
could symbolise the true nature of her partner,
he is a predator and dangerous for her. The
crocodile is cross cut with the explicit imagery of
them two in the pool, she might be aware of his
dangerous behaviour.
This is where the narrative of the story develops, we
first see a concerned looking Lana as the bridge of the
song starts. Then imagery of her surrounded by
crocodiles, reminiscent of her in a lions den, as
darkness surrounds her. We then see as he drowns her
in the pool, his dangerous side that attracted her has
also killed her. Then in slow motion he carries her limp
body out of the pool.
This is one of the last visuals we get, it closes the narrative side of
the music video, where she is dragged down into the water by him.
She looks into the camera with an desperate expression, his hand is
gripped around her neck as they submerge further portrays the idea
of him being abusive and dangerous.