Swinging in the backyard
Pull up in your fast car whistling my name

Open up a beer
And you say, "Get over here," and play a video game

I'm in his favorite sun dress
Watching me get undressed, take that body downtown

I say, "You da bestest"
Lean in for a big kiss, put his favorite perfume on

"Go play your video game"

It's you, it's you, it's all for you
Everything I do
I tell you all the time
Heaven is a place on earth with you
Tell me all the things you want to do
I heard that you like the bad girls, honey, is that true?
It's better than I ever even knew
They say that the world was built for two
Only worth living if somebody is loving you
And baby, now you do

Singing in the old bars
Swinging with the old stars
Living for the fame

Kissing in the blue dark
Playing pool and wild darts
Video games

He holds me in his big arms
Drunk and I am seeing stars
This is all I think of

Watching all our friends fall
In and out of Old Paul's
This is my idea of fun
Playing video games

It's you, it's you, it's all for you
Everything I do
I tell you all the time
Heaven is a place on earth with you
Tell me all the things you want to do
I heard that you like the bad girls, honey, is that true?
It's better than I ever even knew
They say that the world was built for two
Only worth living if somebody is loving you
Baby now you do (now you do)

It's you, it's you, it's all for you
Everything I do
I tell you all the time
Heaven is a place on earth with you
Tell me all the things you want to do
I heard that you like the bad girls, honey, is that true?
It's better than I ever even knew
They say that the world was built for two
Only worth living if somebody is loving you
Baby, now you do
(Now you do, now you do, now you do)

Now you do
(Now you do, now you do, now you do)


Lyrics submitted by IainD, edited by kuronox, irisme, azzyxx, RezVaneh, anaisninja777

Video Games Lyrics as written by Justin Parker Elizabeth Grant

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Video Games song meanings
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127 Comments

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  • +32
    General Comment

    I think the guy doesn't care for her much - she's trying to get him to love her. Trying to convince them: "They say that the world was built for two, Only worth living if somebody is loving you"

    Trying to persuade him with perfumes, big kisses, getting undressed, pretending to be a 'bad girl'. But he keeps playing the videogames...

    She even tries to like the videogames too, but I think she knows that the guy doesn't really like her. He is ignoring her.

    darkfrankhson September 16, 2011   Link
  • +29
    General Comment

    I think this a melancholy tune about a girl who loves a guy who isn't that nice to her. She tries to please him wearing his favourite dress and perfume. "whistling my name" suggest he calls to her and she runs to him like a dog to his master. They lyrics "Watching me get undressed Take that body downtown" suggest at a darkness. "They say that the world was built for two Only worth living if somebody is loving you" suggest that she thinks she will only be happy if she is with someone. The reference to video games might mean he plays her like she is a game or it might be that she less important to him than video games.

    spearmintliloon September 18, 2011   Link
  • +24
    General Comment

    I'm going to give my opinion on video games, and I've probably listened to the song over a hundred times. When the song first came out I remember reading an interview or article where Lana explains how it's about two people. One guy she's actually currently in a relationship with. The other is an old relationship that she's obviously still thinking about the guy, and wishing things had turned out differently. She went onto say that the verses are about how it actually was with the one guy and then the chorus is how she actually wished it had been with the previous relationship. From the lyrics you can grasp that the current relationship is kind of becoming tedious. But if you actually pay attention to the lyrics you will pick up that she uses two different possessive adjectives "his" and "your". With that in mind if you look at the lyrics it makes sense because even though she's with one guy everything she's doing subconsciously is for the other.

    Swinging in the backyard Pull up in your fast car whistling my name Open up a beer And you say get over here and play a video game (This is what actually happened.. "your")

    I'm in his favorite sun dress Watching me get undressed take that body downtown (She's in his, meaning the other guys favorite sundress)

    I say you the bestest Lean in for a big kiss put his favorite perfume on (She says he's the best and is putting on a facade of total happiness, yet she still puts the other guys favorite perfume on)

    Like previously stated the chorus is about the old relationship and how she wished it had been. It correlates with how she referenced it in the verses, how she's doing things for the other guy even though she's in a relationship with the one. She's putting on his favorite sundress and perfume.

    It's you, it's you, it's all for you Everything I do I tell you all the time Heaven is a place on earth with you Tell me all the things you want to do I heard that you like the bad girls honey, is that true? It's better than I ever even knew They say that the world was built for two Only worth living if somebody is loving you Baby now you do

    Even though she's in one relationship, she's still doing everything for the old one.

    coco1323on June 21, 2012   Link
  • +20
    Song Meaning

    According to an article posted on the website Dazed Digital:

    At the same time, she was dealing with the fallout from two broken relationships, so she took Parker’s template and wrote down what was on her mind.

    “The verse was about the way things were with one person, and the chorus was the way that I wished things had really been with another person, who I thought about for a long time,” she says, breaking into an acapella of the song. “‘Swinging in the backyard, pull up in your fast car, whistling my name’. That was what happened, you know? He’d come home and I’d see him. But then the chorus, ‘Heaven is a place on earth with you, tell me all the things you wanna do’ wasn’t like that. That was the way that I wished it was — the melody sounds so compelling and heavenly because I wanted it to be that way. The verse is more matter-of-fact because that’s how it was. It’s a mix of memories and the way I wished it could have been. Just because things happened a certain way doesn’t mean that that’s the way that they are. It really is what you choose to think about. Bad things happen every day but you’re not going to be any happier thinking about them. So I don’t think about them. I don’t have that luxury any more. Some people say that ‘Video Games’ stops them in their tracks; it’s that kind of song. It’s just really sad."

    wednesday181on October 18, 2011   Link
  • +11
    Song Meaning

    According to Lana herself: "It’s just about this guy I had been seeing and the way our relationship was at the time. It was a time in my life when I had let go of my own personal career ambitions and just enjoyed being with him at home when he’d come home from work and play video games. I’d write while I’d watch him. I think when I wrote that song I was just reflecting on the sweetness of it, but also the fact that there was something else I was longing for at the same time. Thematically, it feels personal to me. I wouldn’t have thought that that was the song that people responded to. That is why I get so emotional and happy when I sing it. Because it is a gift for someone like me. Melodically and thematically, Video Games is a perfect representation of me."

    karolinaaon June 10, 2013   Link
  • +9
    General Comment

    I'm kind of saddened by all these dark/negative interpretations... I was feeling a melancholic happiness, but not emotional abuse. The song is kind of ruined for me now...

    I was feeling a melancholy towards a simple happiness. When putting on his favorite dress made her feel like a million dollars, and happiness was in the little things; hanging out together, having fun with friends. When at the end of the day, happiness was simple, and now she has bigger worries.

    I could relate to it because me and my boyfriend have a lot of financial struggle at the moment, but still happiness seems such a strong and simple thing when we play video games together or have drinks with our wonderful friends and family. That dispite the sorrows we carry, maling ourselves and each other happy together with little things is still possible. We can't buy new clothes but when I put on that dress we both love I still feel like the richest woman on earth.

    I guess people hear what they can relate to. No doubt I would have heard more sadness in it two years ago when I was still involved with an emotionally abusive guy. It's all about where your own mind is at, too. I just hear "heaven is a place on earth with you" above all other insinuations.

    daisybubbleson November 27, 2011   Link
  • +7
    General Comment

    I know in an interview Lana Del Rey was quoted saying that singing this song still makes her cry.

    whosemyvanessapieon September 12, 2011   Link
  • +7
    My Interpretation

    I think its about loving a guy, they seem young and he does not pay much attention to her, he does not understand how much she's trying to get his attention....she wears her best dress and all that and all he see's are his friends and alcohol and games. she's describing life as a game, her relationship with him as a game. lovely song, i find its very similar to "fade into you" you Muzzy Star.

    amyleerssmon February 22, 2013   Link
  • +6
    General Comment

    I think it's such a sad song. It sounds like she loves him but is trying to convince herself it's mutual. I think it's a "oh we're so in love" song but the tone of the tune and certain clues in the lyrics make you realise there is something darker going on.

    laurajanefaceon September 17, 2011   Link
  • +6
    My Interpretation

    I feel like this song was was written for a couple who were deeply in love but lost each other. "They say that the world was built for two. Only worth living if somebody is loving you." "Heaven is place on Earth with you." I love this song. It's such a beautifully tragic story, being in love with someone you can't be with, losing the one you love.

    MusicGeek7on July 05, 2013   Link

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