Fishtail by Lana Del Rey Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Depths of Melancholic Romance
Lyrics
That you’ll braid my hair, babe
If you don’t really care
You wanted me sadder
You wanted me sadder
Fishtail what’s the matter, like that
Skipping rope in the bayou, bayou
Slip softly into rain
Not that smart but I’ve got things to say
Palm trees in black and white
I like to watch them sway
You’re so funny, I wish I could skinny-dip inside your mind
Lately I’ve been thinkin’ about how things used to be
Swingin’ in a nightgown underneath the old oak tree
Almost Victorian with you, you can talk to me
But lately, I can’t see
(You wanted me sadder)
Baby (you wanted me sadder)
Can’t you see it?
For me, you are the one
And if I’m not the one for you
Don’t you see it?
I was on the stairs
Ella Fitzgerald in the air
Feelin’ hella rare
Baby, if you care
Baby, don’t you dare say
You’ll braid my hair, babe
Don’t you dare say
That you’ll braid my hair, babe
If you don’t really care
You wanted me sadder
Dancing there in the hot, hot sun
I know that we’ve got problems
I plan to address them another day
Palm trees in black and white
I see in technicolor
Maybe I’ll take my glasses off
So I stop painting red flags green
Lately I’ve been sunning in the L.A. River bed
Wearing nothin’ but the summer bruises on my knees
I like how you talk, how you speak, how you look at me
But lately, I can’t see
(You wanted me sadder)
Baby (you wanted me sadder)
(You wanted me sadder)
Can’t you see it?
For me, you are the one
And if I’m not the one for you
Don’t just say it
I was on the stairs
Ella Fitzgerald in the air
Feelin’ hella rare
Baby, if you care
Baby, don’t you dare say
You’ll braid my hair, see
Baby, if you care, then (don’t you dare say)
Baby, don’t you dare say (that you’ll braid my hair, babe)
That you really care
Don’t you dare say
That you’ll braid my hair
When you get home tonight
If you don’t really care
Yeah, don’t you dare say
That you’ll braid my hair, babe
If don’t really care, see
That you’ll braid my hair
If you’re not coming home to me
Mm-mm
You want someone sadder
Skipping rope in the bayou, bayou
Slip softly into rain
I’m not that smart
But I’ve got things to say
Lana Del Rey, the songstress with a penchant for cinematic melancholy, delivers yet another hauntingly beautiful narrative in her song ‘Fishtail.’ Known for her sultry voice and evocative lyrics, Del Rey’s music often weaves a rich tapestry of love, loss, and a longing for a bygone era.
In ‘Fishtail,’ listeners are plunged into a world of contrasting images and raw emotion, bearing witness to the complexity of Del Rey’s lyrical prowess. Here we dive into the heart of what she shares with us through her poetic verses and lush melodies.
The Elegy of Unfulfilled Promises
The refrain, ‘Don’t you dare say that you’ll braid my hair, babe, if you don’t really care,’ serves as an emblem of betrayal. The act of braiding one’s hair symbolizes intimacy and care, a nurturing gesture that requires closeness. To offer this only to withdraw it is a painful deception that Del Rey conveys with aching precision.
The imagery of ‘braiding hair’ interlocks with emotional investments that, once promised, create expectations. Del Rey confronts the gap between promise and reality, binding listeners to the raw disappointment that unfolds when words are not matched by actions.
Nostalgia’s Haunting Grip
References to skipping rope in the bayou and swinging in a nightgown beneath the oak tree paint a picture of childlike innocence and simpler times, juxtaposing the weight of the present. Del Rey is known for evoking vintage Americana, and ‘Fishtail’ is no exception, as she crafts a dreamscape where the past’s simplicity floats like a ghost through the complexities of modern love.
This spectral grasp of nostalgia is further emphasized by lyrical nods to a ‘not that smart’ narrator with much to say, and the almost Victorian experience of communication, framing past connections as deeper, if not idealized, forms of discourse.
A Chromatic Journey from Monochrome to Technicolor
Del Rey contrasts ‘Palm trees in black and white’ with the desire ‘to see in technicolor.’ It’s a metaphorical leap from the absence of vibrancy, possibly within the relationship, to the craving for a fuller spectrum of experience. This could be interpreted as a plaintive yearn for the enthusiasm and richness that is currently missing.
The idea of taking off glasses to ‘stop painting red flags green’ further explores the struggle of self-deception, of deliberately ignoring warning signs in the pursuit of an idyllic love fantasy, a theme Del Rey often visits in her discography.
The Hidden Meaning Behind ‘Fishtail’
The term ‘fishtail’ itself does not appear in its expected context here, leading us to mine deeper for its significance. In one interpretation, ‘fishtail’ could denote a certain wavering or instability, much like the motion of a fish’s tail. It suggests a relationship that is uncertain and unsteady, one that sways back and forth with an unpredictability that echoes the emotional turmoil within.
Alternatively, given Del Rey’s love for iconography, ‘fishtail’ might also allude to the mermaid—an alluring and mysterious figure, often caught between worlds. This resonates with the song’s feeling of being trapped between past happiness and present sorrow, between the carefree nature of romance and its sobering reality.
‘Feelin’ hella rare’: The Power of Memorable Lines
Del Rey’s lyrics often stand out for their ability to condense complex emotional landscapes into concise, poignant phrases. ‘I was on the stairs, Ella Fitzgerald in the air, feelin’ hella rare’ encapsulates a moment of serene self-awareness amidst underlying turmoil. It evokes a scene where music serves as a backdrop to a fleeting sense of uniqueness and significance.
The specific mention of Ella Fitzgerald introduces a timeless quality, connecting the narrator’s current state with the classic tones of an era celebrated for its emotional depth in music. Here, Del Rey stitches the past and present into a seamless garment worn by a character caught in the throes of love’s ambivalences.
