God Bless America - and All the Beautiful Women in It

Album: Lust For Life (2017)
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Songfacts®:

  • Lana Del Rey pays tribute to her fellow lady Americans on this grandiose female anthem. The track was inspired by the singer's relationship and love for the women of her life.

    "This song is a little shoutout to the women and anyone else who doesn't always feel safe walking down the street late at night," she told Pitchfork. "That's what I was thinking of when I wrote, 'Even when I'm alone I'm not lonely. I feel your arms around me.' It's not always how I feel when I'm walking down the street, but sometimes in my music I try to write about a place that I'm going to get to."
  • The song was inspired by discussions with Del Rey's female friends regarding their concerns about the lack of political leaders who represent them. Del Rey told Elle:

    "It would be weird to be making a record during the past 18 months and not comment on how [the political landscape] was making me or the people I know feel, which is not good.

    I wrote God Bless America before the Women's Marches, but I could tell they were going to happen… I realized a lot of women were nervous about some of the bills that might get passed that would directly affect them. So yes, it's a direct response in anticipation of what I thought would happen, and what did happen."
  • Del Rey riffs during the song on the Americana she's explored throughout her career. Here, she uses the imagery of the Statue of Liberty to empower American women.

    God bless America, and all the beautiful people in it
    May they stand proud and strong like Lady Liberty shining all night long.


    Two gun shots sound after the word "America". There's criticism amidst the empowerment.

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