Mariners Apartment Complex

Album: Norman F---ing Rockwell! (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this song, Lana Del Rey sings about giving a helping hand to a person who is going through a tough time.

    You lose your way, just take my hand
    You're lost at sea, then I'll command your boat to me again
    Don't look too far, right where you are, that's where I am
    I'm your man
  • The song was inspired by a late night walk Del Rey took with a boyfriend. The singer explained in an interview with BBC Radio 1's Annie Mac that they stopped in front of the titular apartment complex, "and he put his hand around my shoulder." He said that they were similar because "we're both really messed up."

    Del Rey thought it was the saddest thing she'd ever heard. She responded, "I'm not sad, I didn't know that's why you thought you were relating to me on that level, I'm actually doing pretty good."

    You took my sadness out of context
    At the Mariners Apartment Complex
    I ain't no candle in the wind


    The guy was upset by the mix-up, and Del Rey wrote this song about the many times she had to "step on that role where I was showing the way and I was sort of being the brighter light."
  • "Mariners" was produced by Jack Antonoff, the guitarist for fun and frontman for Bleachers. This marked the first time Del Rey had worked with Antonoff, who has previously helmed hit tunes for Lorde ("Green Light") and Taylor Swift ("Look What You Made Me Do").
  • The video was filmed by Del Rey's photographer sister Chuck Grant.
  • Lana Del Rey performed the song live for the first time ever during her March 22, 2019 Buku Music + Art Project show at Mardi Gras World in New Orleans.
  • Describing the making of "Mariners Apartment Complex," Jack Antonoff recalled how he was amazed by Lana Del Rey's songwriting process. He witnessed her crafting the song's chorus live in the recording booth.

    "She just got behind the mic, she just sang that part," he recalled to Apple Music's Zane Lowe. "She heard it, I heard it. And if anyone didn't hear how brilliant it was, they're a moron."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.

Bible Lyrics

Bible LyricsMusic Quiz

Rockers, rappers and pop stars have been known to quote the Bible in their songs. See if you match the artist to the biblical lyric.

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.

Gary Numan

Gary NumanSongwriter Interviews

An Electronic music pioneer with Asperger's Syndrome. This could be interesting.

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust

Lajon Witherspoon of SevendustSongwriter Interviews

The Sevendust frontman talks about the group's songwriting process, and how trips to the Murder Bar helped forge their latest album.

Tim McIlrath of Rise Against

Tim McIlrath of Rise AgainstSongwriter Interviews

Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath explains the meanings behind some of their biggest songs and names the sci-fi books that have influenced him.