Lana Del Rey

Looking for “Summertime Sadness” chords or want to learn how to play “Doin’ Time” or “Young and Beautiful”? We’ve got all the Lana Del Rey chords you need.

Elizabeth Woolridge Grant was born on June 21, 1985, in New York City. Before her breakthrough, she was known by her former stage names May Jailer and Lizzy Grant. In 2010, Lana Del Ray (yes, with an a) released her self-titled debut album. After changing her name again to Lana Del Rey, she stormed the international stage in 2011, with her self-made YouTube music video “Video Games.” The huge online success paved the way to a record deal with Interscope Records, releasing her second album Born to Die in January 2012. From that moment on, Lana Del Rey was well on her way to becoming the queen of a sad generation; represented by happy celluloid pictures that dwell on melancholic pop songs with a retro Americana feel.

Nina Simone and Billie Holiday tattoo

Lana Del Rey’s tempting voice and tragic lyrics about “sad girl and bad boy” love affairs take us back to 1950s Hollywood grandeur and smoky night clubs. Nostalgic pop culture is more than just a theme for Del Rey’s songs, it’s an intricate part of her image. For example, her name is a combination of Hollywood star Lana Turner and the name of a car called Ford Del Rey. Also, she has a tattoo on her chest that says “Nina Billie,” referring to singers Nina Simone and Billie Holiday. She got the ink done to make her feel less alone on the road while being on tour. With her neatly constructed image, Del Rey became the female embodiment of sad pop, adding a cinematic diva feel to the alternative pop genre.

Lana Del Rey live

Her on-stage reputation might not be as fierce as her online success. Her performance at Saturday Night Live in January 2012 was highly criticized but also helped to spark her fame. Her stage fright didn’t stop her from touring. Performing at Coachella, Glastonbury and Lollapalooza, she stole the hearts of many due to her fragile, and therefore authentic, style.

Play along with Lana Del Rey

The best Lana Del Rey chords to learn for guitar, piano or ukulele, are probably those of “Summertime Sadness.” The basis consists of only four chords and the pattern repeats itself throughout the song. The chords for “Young and Beautiful” are also worth practicing. Or try the Sublime cover “Doin’ Time,” which also refers to Gershwin's “Summertime” that was written in 1934 for the musical “Porgy and Bess.” Almost all her songs are quite slow, which make it easy to remember the chords and play along. Happy jamming!