Dark Paradise

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"Dark Paradise"
Single by Lana Del Rey
from the album Born to Die
Released March 1, 2013 (2013-03-01)
Format CD single, download
Genre Pop,[1] trip hop[2]
Length 4:03
Label Interscope
Writer(s) Lana Del Rey, Rick Nowels
Producer(s) Emile Haynie, Rick Nowels
Lana Del Rey singles chronology

"Ride"
(2012)		 "Dark Paradise"
(2013)		 "Burning Desire"
(2013)

"Dark Paradise" is a song by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey, taken from her second studio album, Born to Die (2012). It was written by Del Rey and Rick Nowels, with production handled by the latter and Emile Haynie. The song was released as a single on March 1, 2013 through Interscope Records, serving as the album's fifth offering in Austria and Germany, and the sixth single in Switzerland.

The song received mainly mixed reviews from critics, many criticizing her melodramatic performance, also with the repetition of production and lyrical content. However, many believed the attraction of the criticism proved it as a highlight. Noticeably less successfully than other singles from the album, "Dark Paradise" managed to gain some commercial success in Eastern Europe, becoming a top five hit on Polish airplay. It was also featured in an episode of The Originals, a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries.

Background and release

In an interview in June 2012, Del Rey said she would not release the song as a single but did plan to release a music video in September 2012.[3] However, no music video was released, and on January 29, 2013, an official radio edit of "Dark Paradise" was serviced to German radio stations. On the same day, it was announced that the song would serve as the fifth single in Austria and Germany, and the sixth single in Switzerland.[4] It was released as a digital download in the three countries on March 1, 2013. A CD Single was released in Germany on March 1, 2013.

Lyrics and composition

Billboard said about the song's lyrics: "Del Rey once again declares her undying love for her bad-boy lover", adding that the song's melody "recalls late-'80s Madonna".[5]

Critical reception

The song garnered mixed reviews from critics. Most critical reviews came from the melodramatic tone of the song, along with the lyrical content and repetitive production. Billboard gave the song a negative review, stating that "Even if "Blue Jeans" or "Video Games" never existed, this would be a subpar ballad for Del Rey."[5] Jaime Gill from BBC Music used the song as an example as why "Born to Die" isn't perfect, saying "[...]it slumps slightly towards the end, and the glossy trip-hop production grows wearying on lesser [G]othic melodramas like Dark Paradise."[2] David Edwards from Drowned in Sound said along with "Carmen" that they weren't the best tracks on the album, saying "The dreary fallen angel whimsy of ‘Carmen’ sums up precisely the unfocused drift that critics often use to malign her and on songs such as ‘Dark Paradise’, the caricature extends beyond our empathy."[6]

On the other hand, many critics believed that the criticism towards the song attracted it as a standout towards the album. Los Angeles Times named it among the best tracks on the album along with "Video Games" and "Summertime Sadness".[7] MuuMuse highlighted the album as a standout, saying "Yet beneath the song’s gothic exterior lies an deeply romantic sentiment, suggesting that love trumps all circumstances–even death [...]"[8] CCN.com highlighted "Dark Paradise" and "Million Dollar Man" as album standouts, calling the songs "stormy" and "industrial-cabaret shimmy."[9]

Track listing

Digital download, CD single[10]
  1. "Dark Paradise" (Radio Mix) – 3:52
  2. "Dark Paradise" (Album Version) – 4:03
Remix single[11]
  1. "Dark Paradise" (Parov Stelar Remix) – 4:21

Charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[ 1] 42
Germany (Media Control AG)[ 1] 45
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 20)[ 1] 5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[ 1] 48

Release history

Country Date Format
Germany January 29, 2013 Airplay - radio edit
Austria March 1, 2013 Digital download
Germany
Switzerland
Germany March 1, 2013 CD single
Belgium[12] May 10, 2013 Digital download - Parov Stellar remix
Germany[13]
Austria[14]
Switzerland[15]
Sweden[16]
Spain[17]
Portugal[18]
Norway[19]
New Zealand[20]
Netherlands[21]
Luxembourg[22]
Japan[23]
Italy[24]
Greece[25]
Finland[26]
Denmark[27]
Australia[28]

References

  1. ↑ "Dark Paradise (2-Track) 5 Zoll Single CD (2-Track) SGL-CD". Media Control Charts (in German). Retrieved 16 February 2013. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 BBC - Music - Review of Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
  3. ↑ Cotton, Fearne. "Lana Del Rey - Interview with Fearne Cotton on Radio 1 (June 21st 2012)". Radio 1. SoundCloud. Retrieved 15 February 2013. 
  4. ↑ Lana Del Rey choisit "Dark Paradise" comme nouvel extrait de l'album "Born to Die"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 OutBrain (25 January 2012). "Lana Del Rey's 'Born To Die': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 15 February 2013. 
  6. ↑ Lana Del Rey - Born to Die - The Paradise Edition / Releases / Releases // Drowned In Sound
  7. ↑ Roberts, Randall (27 January 2012). "Album review: Lana Del Rey's 'Born to Die'". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 15 February 2013. 
  8. ↑ Lana Del Rey: Born To Die (Album Review) | MuuMuse
  9. ↑ Review: Lana Del Rey's 'Born to Die' - CNN.com
  10. ↑ Jpc.de (2013-02-14). "Lana Del Rey: Dark Paradise". jpc.de. Retrieved 2013-02-10. 
  11. ↑ Jpc.de (2013-02-14). "Lana Del Rey: Dark Paradise Remix". amazon.de. Retrieved 2013-02-10. 
  12. ↑ iTunes - Music - Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single by Lana Del Rey
  13. ↑ Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix... (2013) | Lana Del Rey | MP3 Musikdownloads 7digital Deutschland
  14. ↑ iTunes - Musik – „Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single“ von Lana Del Rey
  15. ↑ iTunes - Musik – „Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single“ von Lana Del Rey
  16. ↑ iTunes - Musik - Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single av Lana Del Rey
  17. ↑ iTunes - Música - Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single de Lana Del Rey
  18. ↑ iTunes - Music - Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single by Lana Del Rey
  19. ↑ iTunes - Music - Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single by Lana Del Rey
  20. ↑ iTunes - Music - Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single by Lana Del Rey
  21. ↑ iTunes - Muziek - 'Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single' van Lana Del Rey
  22. ↑ iTunes - Music - Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single by Lana Del Rey
  23. ↑ iTunes - ミュージック - ラナ・デル・レイ「Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single」
  24. ↑ iTunes - Musica - Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single di Lana Del Rey
  25. ↑ iTunes - Music - Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single by Lana Del Rey
  26. ↑ iTunes - Music - Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single by Lana Del Rey
  27. ↑ iTunes - Music - Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single by Lana Del Rey
  28. ↑ iTunes - Music - Dark Paradise (Parov Stelar Remix) - Single by Lana Del Rey

External links

Lana Del Rey
Studio albums
Extended plays
Unreleased albums
  • From the End
  • Quiet Now
  • Sirens
Related articles
  • Book
  • Category

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