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Despite the fact that she is extremely young, she has a swagger about her that suggests she is a lot older. The fact that she is this young links to Lolita.
This reveals that Carmen is effectively a child prostitute since she is so young – she’s not even legally allowed to have sex with adults!
Lyin' to herself 'cause her liquor's top shelf Lana Del Rey – Carmen
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Carmen has no shame in her game. She lies to herself and others about her promiscuity and prostitution because she is living a luxurious lifestyle.
Lana may also be alluding to the rumours questioning her authenticity. She mocked out her critics in a future work, “Fucked My Way Up to the Top.”
Also, Lana suffered from alcoholism at a young age, so this could be a reflection of her experience – she was from a rich family so she got top shelf liquor.
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What is this?
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What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
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The concept of this song seems to involve Lana expressing her feelings for two distinct lovers, alluding to the life and death of President John F. Kennedy and the love triangle in between.
Mr. Kennedy’s love for Hollywood starlet Marilyn Monroe was fun, crazy and passionate. This may have been charged even more so by the fact that it was an affair “behind closed doors” and one with one of the most sought after women in the world at the time.
However, on the other side there was the love he had for his wife, Jackie Kennedy. That was true and pure (at least publicly), he may have even taken it for granted. Jackie was his supporter and was his soul mate, pushing him towards success and greatness both as a man and in his career.
Marilyn was seemingly more sporadic, eccentric and glamorous; exactly the opposite of Jackie Kennedy. But to Mr. Kennedy they were both meaningful parts of his life and great lovers.
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What is this?
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Carmen has an oral fixation.
Being able to tie a cherry stem into a knot is a sign that one is a good kisser/is able to work their tongue well.
Notice the wordplay…instead of giving party favors, which is what hosts usually do, Carmen is doing party favors, which implies she is performing sexual acts with guests of the party (most likely for money).
“Party favors” can also refer to the drugs (ecstasy, cocaine) hosts give their guests. But given that “party favors” were originally an old Hollywood term for performing sexual acts with guests at a party (for a role, for money, etc), it’s more likely it’s the Hollywood-type reference.
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What is this?
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At the beginning of the music video a quote from JFK appears that says “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable”
Throughout the video a group of rebels on motorcycles are seen planting backpacks filled with explosives all over the city
At the end of the video the gang is seen at the top of a mountain/outskirts of town looking down at the city erupting in flames
This line is basically saying something similar to the belief of Karl Marx that eventually one day the proletariat will become so many in number and become so tired of the bourgeoisie that they will topple them and create a classless society
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Carmen laughs like a being who is completely happy with themselves – fooling everybody into thinking she is happy. It’s also a metaphor for her unattainability. In the eyes of others, she is perfect, godlike, impossible to truly own and have. And also alone, because, let’s face it, God is loved by all, but, at the same time and paradoxically, He’s also incredibly alone.
Her mind being like a diamond is a reference to two things:
First, this is a quote from Twin Peaks:
People have often drawn comparisons to Lana’s style and the creator of the show, David Lynch’s eerie, atmospheric style.
Second, it’s a reference to Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds Are Girls Best Friend” which preaches materialism. Carmen’s mind is solely focused on material things, as she has nothing else to focus on in life.
her mind is simply sharp! she’s witty.
501
“she laughs like god” also seems to invoke a short story from Denis Johnson’s collection Jesus' Son, where an underaged girl is propositioned by the narrator. Their exchange is very much in line with the song: