This is What Makes Us Girls is a song that featured on the Born to Die album as Track 12. An alternate title What Makes Us Girls was registered online, and another as That Is...
Remember how we used to party up all night?
Sneaking out and looking for a taste of real life
Drinking in the small town firelight
(Pabst Blue Ribbon on ice)
Sweet sixteen, and we had arrived
Walking down the streets as they whistle, "Hi, hi!"
Stealin' police cars with the senior guys
Teachers said we'd never make it out alive
There she was, my new best friend
High heels in her hand, swayin' in the wind
While she starts to cry
Mascara running down her little Bambi eyes
"Lana, how I hate those guys"
This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Something that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen (happen)
And that's where the beginning of the end begun
Everybody knew that we had too much fun
We were skipping school and drinking on the job
With the boss
Sweet sixteen, and we had arrived
Baby's table dancing at the local dive
Cheering our names in the pink spotlight
Drinking cherry schnapps in the velvet night
Yo, we used to go break into the hotel
Glimmering, we'd swim
Running from the cops in our black bikini tops
Screaming, "Get us while we're hot, get us while we're hot"
(C'mon, take a shot)
This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Something that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen (happen)
The prettiest in-crowd that you had ever seen
Ribbons in our hair, and our eyes gleamed dream
A freshmen generation of degenerate beauty queens
And you know something?
They were the only friends I ever had
We got into trouble, and when stuff got bad
I got sent away, I was waving on the train platform
Crying 'cause I know I'm never coming back
This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Something' that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen
Sneaking out and looking for a taste of real life
Drinking in the small town firelight
(Pabst Blue Ribbon on ice)
Sweet sixteen, and we had arrived
Walking down the streets as they whistle, "Hi, hi!"
Stealin' police cars with the senior guys
Teachers said we'd never make it out alive
There she was, my new best friend
High heels in her hand, swayin' in the wind
While she starts to cry
Mascara running down her little Bambi eyes
"Lana, how I hate those guys"
This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Something that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen (happen)
And that's where the beginning of the end begun
Everybody knew that we had too much fun
We were skipping school and drinking on the job
With the boss
Sweet sixteen, and we had arrived
Baby's table dancing at the local dive
Cheering our names in the pink spotlight
Drinking cherry schnapps in the velvet night
Yo, we used to go break into the hotel
Glimmering, we'd swim
Running from the cops in our black bikini tops
Screaming, "Get us while we're hot, get us while we're hot"
(C'mon, take a shot)
This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Something that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen (happen)
The prettiest in-crowd that you had ever seen
Ribbons in our hair, and our eyes gleamed dream
A freshmen generation of degenerate beauty queens
And you know something?
They were the only friends I ever had
We got into trouble, and when stuff got bad
I got sent away, I was waving on the train platform
Crying 'cause I know I'm never coming back
This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put love first
Something' that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen
Lyrics submitted by foamhands, edited by wwarara, jeanette7702, scottdoesntknow628
"This Is What Makes Us Girls" as written by Elizabeth Grant Tim Larcombe
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The statement about girls she is making is saying that girls will do anything for love. They all look for love and put it first before anything, it's an overwhelming need in so many girls. She even hints at the fact that girls put their boyfriends/love before their friends by saying "we don't stick together 'cause we put our love first"
It also takes you back to the more fun times of being in high school. She reminisces..
"Sweet sixteen and we had arrived
Baby's table dancin' at the local dive
Cheerin our names in the pink spotlight
Drinkin' cherry schnapps in the velvet night"
My personal favorite part is when she mysteriously whispers..
"The prettiest in crowd that you had ever seen
Ribbons in our hair and our eyes gleamed mean
A freshmen generation of degenerate beauty queens
And you know something?"
They were the bad bitches in high school, but they were girls in high school. That says it all, really. Catty, vicious, sneaky, and of course, put love interests first before anything.
Lana is telling you to not cry about it.. Listen to her! Just go out and have fun, and put your friends first before your boyfriends! And same for you guys! Put your friends first (:
I still think all about Lana Del Rey is highly sexist, but I don't think she actually knows, because she was fucking raised in it. She's just a a troubled girl that seeks love in older men for some reason. And know that she grew up, she has to live with it. So she made songs about. And everyone likes them because everyone wants to be the bad girl.
I think being the good girl is easier and more satisfying.
Just my opinion. :)
Remember how we used to party up all night
Sneaking out and looking for a taste of real life
Drinking in the small town firelight
(Pabst Blue Ribbon on ice)
Sweet sixteen and we had arrived
Walking down the street as they whistle, "Hi, hi!"
Stealin' police cars with the senior guys
Teacher said we'd never make it out alive
There she was my little best friend
High heels in her hands, swayin' in the wind
While she starts to cry, mascara runnin' down her little Bambi eyes:
"Lana, how I hate those guys."
This is what makes us girls
We don't look for heaven and we put love first
It's something that we'd die for, It's a curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen
And that's where the beginning of the end begun
Everybody knew that we had too much fun
We were skippin' school and drinkin' on the job
(With the boss)
Sweet sixteen and we had arrived
Babys table dancin' at the local dive
Cheerin our names in the pink spotlight
Drinkin' cherry schnapps in the velvet night
Know we used to go break in
to the hotel, glimmering we'd swim
Runnin' from the cops in our black bikini tops
screaming "Get us while we're hot", Get us while we're hot
(come on take a shot)
This is what makes us girls
We don't look for heaven and we put love first
It's something that we'd die for, It's a curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen
The prettiest crowd that you had ever seen
Ribbons in our hair and our eyes gleamed mean
A freshmen generation of degenerate beauty queens
And you know something?
They were the only friends I ever had
We got into trouble and when stuff got bad
I got sent away, I was waving on the train platform
Crying 'cause I know I'm never comin' back.
This is what makes us girls
We don't look for heaven and we put love first
It's something that we'd die for, It's a curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen
The song documents the typical modern manifestation of female adolescence from the perspective of the girls with an added dash of self-awareness. They're only sixteen, but they feel as if they are adults ("Sweet sixteen and we had arrived") and are desperate to experience "real life". Convinced of their invincibility and intoxicated by the glamour of partying, they engage in wildly self-destructive behaviour. Their idiocy is tragic to witness - caught up in these notions of 'fun', they have no idea of the consequences of their impetuousness (that verse about breaking into a hotel).
The girls get written off by all those around them as hopeless stereotypes ("Teachers said we'd never make it out alive"). Popular media views them only as "degenerate beauty queens" without a single redeeming feature - and yet they are people, and they are still true friends. Modern culture is then further criticised in the chorus, where girls put their romantic relationships over all others. Girls today are encouraged through things eg. rom-coms, Disney movies, to view 'true love' as the ultimate fundamental of life. They'd die for it, even, which shows how unhealthy this culture is. What makes them girls is the inability to see past this bullshit - they are still immature and wholly subscribe to popular opinion.
In many ways, the song is an elegy to the innocence of childhood. The train part (yes I know Lana was sent to boarding school, whatever) symbolises her graduation to adulthood. She can never again return to the her previous ignorance.
"Remember how we used to party up all night
Sneaking out and looking for a taste of real life"
This relates to the party that Cady threw.
"Sweet sixteen and we had arrived
Walking down the street as they whistle, "Hi, hi!""
Cady is 16 in the film. I also feel like this line relates to when Jason says "That new Cady girl is hot etc"
Teachers said we'd never make it out alive
Obviously this line relates to Miss Norbury and Mr Duvall - don't think I need to expand on that! Also the "Don't have sex because you will get pregnant and die" line.
There she was my new best friend
High heels in her hands, swayin' in the wind
While she starts to cry, mascara runnin' down her little Bambi eyes:
"Lana, how I hate those guys."
This is definitely about Regina George. The crying reminds me of when she cries over Aaron Samuels.
This is what makes us girls
We don't look for heaven and we put our love first
Don't you know we'd die for it? It's a curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put our love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen
The chorus encapsulates the whole film for me. Aaron Samuels is a huge plot device in the film and essentially drives the storyline. They're all fighting over Aaron and ignoring any sign of true friendship that they have. The friendships in Mean Girls are utterly fake and all driven by selfishness which I think this chorus really conveys.
And that's where the beginning of the end begun
Everybody knew that we had too much fun
We were skippin' school and drinkin' on the job
(With the boss)
This relates to when Janice is getting mad with Cady for constantly being with the plastics.
Sweet sixteen and we had arrived
Baby's table dancin' at the local dive
Cheerin our names in the pink spotlight
This could relate to Jingle Bell Rock and also the spring fling nominees.
Drinkin' cherry schnapps in the velvet night
This can slightly relate to when Regina's mum gives them alcohol!
The prettiest crowd that you had ever seen
Ribbons in our hair and our eyes gleamed mean
A freshmen generation of degenerate beauty queens
And you know something?
This sums up Cady's relationship with the plastics. She's in awe of them and has never experienced anything like them but she still feels emptiness.
They were the only friends I ever had
We got into trouble and when stuff got bad
I got sent away, I was waving on the train platform
Crying 'cause I know I'm never comin' back.
Then Cady reflects on her true friends Janice and Damien. She's sad because things got out of control and now she feels that they're never going to be her friends again.
Well, that's my opinion.
Sneaking out and looking for a taste of real life
Drinking in the small town firelight
(Pabst Blue Ribbon on ice)
[Lana is reminiscing about her younger days with her friends when she was a teenager. Like most teenagers, her and her friends were looking for fun and fun is usually trouble at that age.]
Sweet sixteen and we had arrived
Walking down the streets as they whistle, "Hi, hi!"
Stealin' police cars with the senior guys
Teachers said we'd never make it out alive
There she was my new best friend
High heels in her hands, swayin' in the wind
While she starts to cry, mascara runnin' down her little Bambi eyes:
"Lana, how I hate those guys."
[When you're young and experience your first heartbreak]
This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put our love first
Somethin' that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put our love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen
[When you're young and fall in love, you put them before anyone else and they become everything to you. It's just how it is and what's going to happen to everyone.]
And that's where the beginning of the end begun
Everybody knew that we had too much fun
We were skippin' school and drinkin' on the job
(With the boss)
[The beginning of the end begun because it was all starting to get too crazy and wild and Lana's life would never be the same after that]
Sweet sixteen and we had arrived
Baby's table dancin' at the local dive
Cheerin our names in the pink spotlight
Drinkin' cherry schnapps in the velvet night
Yo we used to go break in
To the hotel, glimmer and we’d swim
Runnin' from the cops in our black bikini tops
Screaming, "Get us while we're hot. Get us while we're hot."
(Come on take a shot)
[Lana and her friends are having fun and that's what their life is about; being young and having fun. They're drinking and getting into trouble with the cops, but it's all fun to them at the time.]
This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put our love first
Somethin' that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put our love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen
The prettiest in crowd that you had ever seen
Ribbons in our hair and our eyes gleamed mean
A freshmen generation of degenerate beauty queens
And you know something?
[Lana became friends with the popular crowd in high school]
They were the only friends I ever had
We got into trouble and when stuff got bad
I got sent away, I was waving on the train platform
Crying 'cause I know I'm never comin' back.
[ They thought growing up and partying was the most exciting thing, but later realized there's consequences. Her parents sent her away because she got into trouble and developed an alcohol problem, so she went away to get clean and she knew she wasn't coming back because she would just mess up again and go back to the way she was before and get back into heavy drinking. ]
This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put our love first
Somethin' that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put our love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen
This is what makes us girls
We all look for heaven and we put our love first
Somethin' that we'd die for, it's our curse
Don't cry about it, don't cry about it
This is what makes us girls
We don't stick together 'cause we put our love first
Don't cry about him, don't cry about him
It's all gonna happen
"They were the only friends I ever had
We got into trouble and when stuff got bad
I got sent away, I was waving on the train platform
Crying 'cause I know I'm never comin' back."
They may have really been the only friends she ever had. Lana has mentioned that she doesn't have many friends. So this song is probably about the happy and fun times she had :)
In essence, she's resisting the transition to adulthood and saying "this is what make's us girls".