The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Not even they can stop me now
Boy, I'll be flying overhead
Their heavy words can't bring me down
Boy, I've been raised from the dead
No one even knows how hard life was
I don't even think about it now because
I finally found you
Oh, sing it to me
Now my life is sweet like cinnamon
Like a fucking dream I'm living in
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Pick me up and take me like a vitamin
'Cause my body's sweet like sugar venom, oh yeah
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
'Merican dreams came true somehow
I swore I'd chase until I was dead
I heard the streets were paved with gold
That's what my father said
No one even knows what life was like
Now I'm in LA and it's paradise
I finally found you
Oh, sing it to me
Now my life is sweet like cinnamon
Like a fucking dream I'm living in
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Pick me up and take me like a vitamin
'Cause my body's sweet like sugar venom, oh yeah
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Sweet like cinnamon
Like a fucking dream I'm living in
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Sweet like cinnamon
Like a fucking dream I'm living in
I've finally found you
(Oh, sing it to me)
Now my life is sweet like cinnamon
Like a fucking dream I'm living in
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Pick me up and take me like a vitamin
'Cause my body's sweet like sugar venom, oh yeah
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Oh, sing it to me
Now my life is sweet like cinnamon
Like a fucking dream I'm living in
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Pick me up and take me like a vitamin
'Cause my body's sweet like sugar venom, oh yeah
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Boy, I'll be flying overhead
Their heavy words can't bring me down
Boy, I've been raised from the dead
No one even knows how hard life was
I don't even think about it now because
I finally found you
Oh, sing it to me
Now my life is sweet like cinnamon
Like a fucking dream I'm living in
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Pick me up and take me like a vitamin
'Cause my body's sweet like sugar venom, oh yeah
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
'Merican dreams came true somehow
I swore I'd chase until I was dead
I heard the streets were paved with gold
That's what my father said
No one even knows what life was like
Now I'm in LA and it's paradise
I finally found you
Oh, sing it to me
Now my life is sweet like cinnamon
Like a fucking dream I'm living in
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Pick me up and take me like a vitamin
'Cause my body's sweet like sugar venom, oh yeah
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Sweet like cinnamon
Like a fucking dream I'm living in
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Sweet like cinnamon
Like a fucking dream I'm living in
I've finally found you
(Oh, sing it to me)
Now my life is sweet like cinnamon
Like a fucking dream I'm living in
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Pick me up and take me like a vitamin
'Cause my body's sweet like sugar venom, oh yeah
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Oh, sing it to me
Now my life is sweet like cinnamon
Like a fucking dream I'm living in
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Pick me up and take me like a vitamin
'Cause my body's sweet like sugar venom, oh yeah
Baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio
(How do you like me now?)
Lyrics submitted by dustybreeze, edited by ClumzyB16, friendlymancub, inadaaze, lucia77, fionare, codyiscute, Zeoc, Eurous, Alisha0411
Radio Lyrics as written by Elizabeth Woolridge Grant Justin Parker
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I feel like this song might be a (for lack of a better phrase) big fuck you to everyone in the music industry that rejected her before now.
"now my life is sweet like cinnamon" Cinnamon is obviously not sweet, making this a bittersweet phrase, sweet because people are now listening to her music, however, she is now successful in an industry that is incredibly superficial (as Lana managed to prove herself) which is obviously a bad thing.
"Lick me up and take me like a vitamin Cause my body's sweet like sugar venom o yeah bay luv me cause i'm playin on the radio" - this is the "fuck you" to people who have rejected her music in the past. She is now successful, and her music is played everywhere so people will have no choice but listen to her (love me cause i'm playing on the radio) . She is sweet like sugar venom because some people obviously now like her music, and people who have rejected her in the past will be kicking themselves, making her sugar venom.
I don't know, this interpretation is a little vague though haha. Anyone agree with these points?
Now who's the frumpy grumpy one:)
I completely agree. I think though she is also reflecting on how she got to this point in her life and it is bittersweet that so many people didn't believe in her but now she has the F you :) very valid points
Agreeing with everyone above on interpretation, and lovelove the tune/production, but I just saw the writers of the song (just after the lyrics, above): Talay Riley, Jamaal Fyffe, Peter Parker, Kyle James, Jody Connor. <br /> <br /> The song does seem to sit very well with the way Lana tells her story (except the "finally find you" part, possibly). It's a theme everybody can relate to, as well, overcoming "them". My guess would be: the music, and the singer, guided the lyrics writing :).
Oops, it seems the proper credits are: Del Rey, Parker... indicating that she wrote the lyrics, Parker the music, if I got that right ... hm.
Anyone noticed that Cinnamon isn't actually sweet? Think it has a meaning?
cinnamon can be plenty sweet
When I was little, I thought ground cinnamon smelled SO sweet and delicious, so I ate a huge spoonful and was shocked at how bitter it was. Maybe she means her life appears sweet in small doses but can be really bitter and unhappy.
i think pretty much all her songs have a double meaning... except lucky ones, which is only on the deluxe. :{
I think that's kinda the point she's making, life can never be truly sweet, The Verve called it a "Bittersweet Symphony"
not even they can stop me now boy i'll be flying overhead their heavy words can’t bring me down boy i've been raised from the dead
i dont even notice how hard life was i don't even think about it now because i've finally found you now sing it to me
now my life is sweet like cinnamon like a fucking dream i'm living in baby love me cause i'm playing on the radio (how do you like me now?)
lick me up and take me like vitamin 'cause my body's sweet like sugar venom oh yeah baby love me cause i'm playing on the radio (how do you like me now?)
'merican dreams came true somehow i swore i'd chase until i was dead i heard the streets were paved with gold that's what my father said
i don't even notice what life was like now i'm in la and it's paradise i finally found you now sing it to me
now my life is sweet like cinnamon like a fucking dream i'm living in baby love me cause i'm playing on the radio (how do you like me now?)
lick me up and take me like a vitamin
'cause my body's sweet like sugar venom and oh yeah baby love me cause i'm playing on the radio (how do you like me now?)
on the radio, on the radio sweet like cinnamon like a fucking dream i'm living in baby love me cause i'm playing on the radio (how do you like me now?) on the radio, on the radio sweet like cinnamon like a fucking dream i'm living in i finally found you now sing it to me
now my life is sweet like cinnamon like a fucking dream i'm living in baby love me cause i'm playing on the radio (how do you like me now?)
lick me up and take me like vitamin 'cause my body's sweet like sugar venom and oh yeah baby love me cause i'm playing on the radio (how do you like me now?)
now sing it to me
now my life is sweet like cinnamon like a fucking dream i'm living in baby love me cause i'm playing on the radio (how do you like me now?)
lick me up and take me like vitamin 'cause my body's sweet like sugar venom and oh yeah baby love me cause i'm playing on the radio (how do you like me now?)
minus the ands after venom...
"lick me up!?" no, I think it's "PICK me up and take me like a vitamin." I don't recall ever licking my vitamins before I took them...
sry it is lick. she's not saying you lick vitamins, that's why the word AND exists.
taking "her" like a vitamin means daily, duh...
taking "her" like a vitamin means daily, duh...
Just because you don't lick your vitamins before taking them, does not mean that is not what she says. She DID say "Lick me up and take me like a vitamin, because my body is sweet like sugar venom"
Love this song! especially the first paragraph: Not even they can stop me now boy i be flying over head your heavy words cant bring me down boy ive been raised from the dead
okay so i know this might sound weird but the way i see it i actually think that lana del rey is talking abt her fame when she says "ive finally found you" To me, she is singing this song about her experience as she became famous. she does say "now life is sweet like cinnamon" THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT! cinnamon is not sweeet! -contradictory language- but then she goes on to saying "like a fucking dream" anyways i think this song is about how happy she feels now that shes famous.
After editing the lyrics, Lana is definitely contradicting her happiness of becoming successful and I get a sense of sarcasm from her.
Lana describes her success with the opening verse.
Not even they can stop me now Boy I'd be flying overhead Their heavy words can't bring me down Boy I've been raised from the dead
Lana is on cloud nine because she's finally made it and not even the tough critics can bring her down, but by using the term "boy," it just seems that her optimism is fake and phony.
This might be to literal, but I think Lana is actually singing to her actual success... Weird, I know, but I take it as a more artisitc approach. I get this impression because she says:
No one even knows how hard life was I don't even think about it now because I've finally found you Now sing it to me
With this verse, I feel like Lana is saying, "No one will ever understand how hard my life was, but I'm ok now because I finally found success." Also, Lana doesn't think about her past because her she is so consumed by her success. She doesn't even have the time to actually reflect on her past.
The following lyrics below are where the song begins to express contradiction. Like many musicians, they sing about wanting to become successful and have their "big break," but often remind their listeners to be careful of what you wish for. Once a muscian gains their success after striving for it for so long, they almost just want their normal life back. I think that Lana's lyrics below express this.
Now my life is sweet like cinnamon Like a fucking dream I'm living in Baby love me cause I'm playing on the radio (How do you like me now?)
Pick me up and take me like vitamin 'Cause my body's sweet like sugar venom Oh yeah Baby love me cause I'm playing on the radio (How do you like me now?)
First of all, cinnamon is bitter. Secondly, who ever said venom was sweet like sugar? Thirdly, people don't really enjoy taking vitamins. Lana is obviously saying that her life isn't great and she doesn't feel as beautiful as she is being portrayed through the music industry. Now that she has her fame and fortune, she is having trouble knowing who is really there for her and she is also having trouble knowing who really loves her - "Baby love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio. How do you like me now?" I feel like Lana is blantly saying, "After all these years, you finally love me just because I'm finally famous." In addition, when Lana says, "Like a fucking dream, I'm living in," I get the sense that Lana is being very sarcastic and comes off as frustrated by the fame.
No one even knows what life was like Now I'm in LA and it's paradise I finally found you Now sing it to me
Above, I just feel like she is continuing to be sarcastic.
My interpretation is obviously not accurate, but I hope it gave some sort of insight :o) Thanks for reading!
I just added what I think the 2nd verse is
Not even rain and stormy nights Boy I'd be flying overhead Your heavy words can bring me down Boy I've been raised from the dead
No one even knows how hard I've lost I don't even care about it now because I've finally found you Oh, sing it to me
Now my life is sweet like cinnamon It's a fucking dream I'm living in Baby that's because I'm playing on the radio
Pick me up and take me like a real man And my body's sweet like sugar in the morning yeah Baby that's because I'm playing on the radio
And even dreams came true somehow I thought I'd chase them til I was dead I heard the street was paved with gold That's what my father said
No one even knows what life is like Now I'm in LA and it's paradise Because I finally found you
Now my life is sweet like cinnamon It's a fucking dream I'm living in Baby that's because I'm playing on the radio
Pick me up and take me like a real man And my body's sweet like sugar in the morning yeah Baby that's because I'm playing on the radio
Thanks! I'm completely unsure about the second part of the chorus that I have up there but it'll do for now.
I think this is actually really good, but this is not what she said in the song, sorry, lmao!
Lana sung about her personal career uprising. I think its talking about how her life was bad at first and now that she's famous its sweet. And now that she's famous a lot of people love her now, and she's saying go on ahead now that I'm famous listen to my songs all you want.
That's exactly the same that I get<br /> Also when she say "pick me up and take me like a vitamin" its like carryin you phone and listening to her on the daily basis.<br /> She reefers to herself and how she enjoy to be loved by everybody that listens to her.
I think the general meaning of the song isn't too deep, but I just wanted to say, "pick me up and take me like a vitamin" is one of the best lines ever.
Here's my interpretation of the song, it might be going a bit far, but this is how I feel it.
I think this song is about opportunism. She is talking about a guy she was in love with for a long time and who didn't really pay attention to her. But then she became famous and she started to have her songs played on the radio. This is how it starts. Throughout the song she is talking to this guy, who is finally dating her. But, and that's where I think this song is brilliant because it's picturing a complex and tortured relationship (which clearly goes in the same direction as the rest of the album does), she realises that this guy doesn't love her for who she is but only because she's famous, and she suffers from that but in the mean time, even though she understands, she prefers to tell herself that everything is fine and that she's happy. If you only look at the lyrics, they seem to be quite happy, but when you hear the song, you can definitely hear from the melancholic melody that it hides something deeper (which is I think a typical thing in most of Lana del Rey's songs, "Video Games" being a perfect example). Let's look at the lyrics a bit more in details:
"Not even they can stop me now, Boy, I'll be flying overhead Their heavy words can't bring me down Boy I've been raised from the dead"
"Don't even notice what life was like, I don't even think about it now because I finally found you"
"(Now sing it to me) Now my life is sweet like cinnamon Like a fucking dream I'm livin in Baby loves me 'cause I'm playin on the radio (How do you like me now?)"
"Pick me up and take me like a vitamin 'Cause my body's sweet as sugar venom oh yeah, Baby loves me 'cause I'm playing on the radio (How do you like me now?)" Here we find a metaphor about poison, reminding the previous references to death in the song. She seems to be a vitamin, but in the mean time her body’s «sweet like sugar venom». She speaks about a sweet poison, something deadly hidden behind a sweet candy. This might refer to the fact that, as she knows in the depth of her mind, even if she’s lying to herself, that all of this is just an illusion, and therefore, she might have this bitterness and sadness growing inside her, that could lead her to hurt or do something bad to her so called boyfriend. This is clearly emphasised by the word «sugar» being associated with «venom». I think it’s also a reference to the whole relationship as it seems to be pleasant (sugar) but it’s actually destroying her as she doesn’t want to face the truth (venom). We come back to the deadly relationships theme, with the likely fact that she could finally face it all and hurt the guy she’s with.
" American dreams came true somehow I swore I chase’em ‘till I was dead I heard the streets were paved with gold That’s what my father said» The reference to the American dream is perfectly brilliant, as it can be construed as a symbol of a broken dream. So many people believe in it, but with the time passing by, they realise it will never come true. Or if it does, it’s something artificial, that doesn’t bring happiness, only fame and money. This is again picturing her one-way relationship and her trend to fool herself. Again, she’s talking about «a dream», and an amazing one, the kind of dream you’re into all your life, until you realise you can be one of the people who won’t access it or who will but will realise it’s not as heavenly as it seems. Another clear evidence is the use of «somehow». She says that because it’s only true in part. At first sight they’re together so we can think it’s cool for her, but as he doesn’t love her and she knows it even though she doesn’t want to face it, this dream didn’t really came true. This sentence is for me perfect to express my thesis as it uses strong images that might not be noticed at first listening, but when you pay attention a bit more, you can hear the hidden meaning and the distress behind the apparently perfect situation depicted.
The next verse goes in this way too: she uses the word «swore», so she almost put on herself an obligation to achieve a great relationship with the guy she’s with, so that might explain that when he came to her, she forgot about the past when she was desperately waiting for him to come at her. Because of this weight she put on herself, it was not possible for her to say no. Moreover, she had this goal to have this guy by her side and she wanted it so strongly that no matter why he was coming at her, the mere fact he showed her interest was sufficient to her. Again we find a reference to death with «until I was dead», showing how strong she loved and still love this guy, and how much she wanted to be with her. The third verse is also really interesting as she doesn’t say something she’s sure of, she sings «I heard» which clearly shows she’s not even convinced herself that streets are paved with gold, once again showing us that she’s living a lie. The correlation with the «that’s what my father said» makes this feeling even stronger as she seems to draw a reference to the kind of story parents say to their child to make them dream or keep hope in life, even though it might be true. It’s like her father was telling her «don’t worry, streets are paved with gold, life is cool» without even believing it himself but he was trying to reassure her when she was a child. It could be seen as her trying to make her feel safer, even though she doesn’t even trust in what she’s saying.
«No one even notice what life was like, Now I’m in L.A. and it’s paradise
I finally found you» Last, but not least, the «no one» term, encompassing everyone around her, is showing she is completely ignoring the others and fooling herself, as for her no one is aware of how terrible her life was, she’s completely forgetting the ones warning her she referred to in the first couple of sentences of the song. She is completely occulting the rest of the world, mistaking herself until the end. The reference to L.A is not innocent either. A lot of people say Hollywood is the place where you can find superficiality, stars and many persons wanting to show off, to picture something they’re not; a place with its bunch of fake tans, fake people, fake lives, is used as a reference to a kingdom of lies, which is perfect for her, as it conciliates fame and illusion, the situation she’s living. Saying it’s paradise puts even more emphasis on her illusions and on the fact she feels great in LA where she can be surrounded with fake things and people living fake lives.
Here it is guys, here’s my interpretation, I know it’s a bit long, it’s just that I’m really obsessed with this song. For me it’s the best of «Born To Die» and one of the best songs of 2012. It’s perfectly written, with loads of metaphors and references, and as such a powerful meaning to me. It makes me almost cry each time I listen to it. The lyrics are so strong and the melody is beautiful, it expresses so much emotions. For me this song is so sad, it talks about someone being so unhappy with her life as she seems to have everything, but it’s just an illusion, inside she feels broken and doesn’t want to face it. This awful situation depicted where this guy pretends to love her only to take advantage from her. Once again, Lana del Rey depict a tormented and destructive relationship with its inherent pains and struggles. Brilliant!!!!!!!!
Hey, it´s a great interpretation, this is exactly how I feel about this song! By the way Lana told a bit about how she wrote this song, look at <br /> facebook.com/photo.php<br /> at 1:45 min, I´m sure, it will be interesting for you! and then could you maybe tell me what do you think about it?
once again, I love your interpretation!!! :)