Cola (song)
| "Cola" | |
|---|---|
| song by Lana Del Rey from the album Paradise | |
| Genre | Indie pop |
| Language | English |
| Length | 4:20 |
| Label | Interscope, Polydor, Universal Music |
| Writer | Elizabeth Grant, Rick Nowels |
| Producer | Nowels |
"Cola" is a song by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey from the Paradise Edition of Del Rey's debut album Born to Die (2012), and her third extended play (EP), Paradise. "Cola" first appeared in a teaser trailer posted to her official YouTube account as a snippet. The lyrics were considered controversial, causing major media outlets to respond. It was lined up as the second single from Paradise following "Ride", however, no release date has been announced.
Background and lyrics
 |
"Cola"
 The controversial lyrics in "Cola" occur within the first few seconds of the song and say, "My pussy tastes like Pepsi Cola", igniting controversy and critical acclaim.
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"Cola" was at one stage referred to under the title of "Pussy" according to registrations at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and Harry Fox Agency.[1][2] Following the release of "Ride" on September 25, 2012, Del Rey uploaded a trailer containing snippets of the songs from the new Paradise EP and Paradise Edition of Born to Die.[3] In the clip, she sings, "My pussy tastes like Pepsi Cola/My eyes are wide like cherry pie."[4][5][6] In the trailer and first edition of the new track listing, "Cola" is referred to under is alternative title of "Pussy".[7] Yet on the final versions of the Paradise EP and Born to Die - Paradise Edition it is listed as only "Cola".[3][4] On November 14, 2012, Digital Spy announced that Del Rey would be releasing the song as the EP's second single.[8] When asked about the origin of the lyrics, Del Rey said: "I have a Scottish boyfriend, and that's just what he says!" Defending the track, she said that her record label had reservations about releasing it.[9]
Critical reception
"Cola" received polarized reviews. "Fresh" and "is-she-serious?" have been some of the reactions to the lyrics included on "Cola".[10] Hindustan Times criticized the song snippet, saying it proved she was running out of ideas and that the song sounded strangely similar to the other album tracks.[11] Robert Copsey of Digital Spy noted that the hooks on "Cola" were polished, but did not compromise Del Rey's bold image.[12] Noticing how the other tracks on Paradise sound rhythmically similar, Slant Magazine said: "Cola" is the opposite, pushing Del Rey's pop-art take on signifier-addled femme fatality too far into the realm of cheekiness, but also shattering a persona that already exists inside a hall of mirrors."[13]
Commercial performance
The song first charted in Ireland, landing at number 99 before the single's official release date was even announced.[14] The song debuted on the United Kingdom singles chart at number 120 on the week ending in 18 November 2012.[15] With the debut of Paradise, various tracks on the EP charted on Billboard's Top Rock Songs chart, among them was "Cola", ranking at 22 -- her highest performance on that chart to date. Just below "Cola" was "American" at 29 and "Ride" at 30.[16]
Weekly charts
| Chart (2012) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| France (SNEP)[ 1] | 71 | |
| Ireland (IRMA)[ 1] | 99 | |
| UK Singles (UK Singles Chart)[15] | 120 | |
| US Rock Songs (Billboard)[16] | 22 |
References
- ↑ "Work ID: 884495151/ISWC: T9128180687". ASCAP. 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
- ↑ "HFA Song Code: P72741". Harry Fox Agency. 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kaufman, Gil. "Lana Del Rey's Paradise Edition Of Debut Features Eight New Songs". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lipshutz, Jason. "Lana Del Rey Releases 'Ride' Single From 'Born To Die' Deluxe Edition". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
- ↑ "Lana Del Rey 'The Paradise Edition' Sampler: 6 Lyrics From Singer's New Disc". The Huffington Post. AOL. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
- ↑ Battan, Carrie. "Listen to a New Lana Del Rey Song, "Ride"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
- ↑ "Lana Del Rey debuts new single 'Ride'". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
- ↑ Corner, Lewis. "Lana Del Rey confirms new single 'Cola' - listen". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
- ↑ Copsey, Robert. "Lana Del Rey defends controversial 'p**sy Cola' lyric". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- ↑ Rosen, Genevieve. "Lana Del Rey releases afterthought". Stuff. Haymarket Publishing. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
- ↑ "Lana Del Rey floats latest album sampler". Hindustan Times. HT Media. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
- ↑ Copsey, Robert. "Lana Del Rey: 'Paradise' - EP review". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
- ↑ Cataldo, Jesse. "Lana Del Rey Paradise". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ↑ "Top 100 Singles - Week Ending 15th November 2012". IRMA. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Zobbel.de: CLUK Update 24.11.2012 (wk46)". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Lana Del Rey - Chart History - Rock Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
External links
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