In her notoriously nonchalant, California style, Lana Del Rey released a cover of Sublime’s “Doin’ Time,” which will be featured on her upcoming album, Norman Fucking Rockwell. Sublime was known for embodying the SoCal vibe – something Lana herself loves to exude – but tragically the band broke up after lead singer Bradley Nowell died of an overdose shortly before their third album’s release. The song explores a theme well known to Del Rey—domestic violence—and is slated to be featured on the upcoming documentary about the ska-punk band, titled Sublime.
Lana’s airy, dreamy vocals are a perfect match for the 1996 track. Had it not been released so late in the season, it would have been an easy contender for the song of the summer 2019. The song’s lyrics are violent, as they equate a man’s relationship with a cheating woman to life in a penitentiary. With lines like, “She spreads her lovin’ all over, and when she gets home there’s none left for me” and “The tension is getting hotter, I’d like to hold her head underwater,” the breeziness to this track offsets just how savage it truly is.
Del Rey has publicly stated she listens to at least one Sublime track each and every day. I don’t exactly picture Lana to be the biggest fan of third-wave ska, but apparently I’m wrong. Then again, both Sublime and Del Rey’s music have affinities for California, storytelling, and infusing reference upon reference into their work. So, in some ways, it kind of does make sense.
Lana’s constant tale of hopeless devotion to her significant other feels right at home on a track like “Doin’ Time.” In many ways, she approves upon the original, spinning Nowell’s rapping into a web of her signature blasé. Regardless, both versions of the song are undeniably great. But right now it’s Lana’s time to shine.
The grainy video she released for “Doin’ Time” shows a giant-sized Del Rey stomping around L.A. It was directed by Rich Lee, who has worked with the star on a number of other music videos, including “Love” and “Lust for Life.” Set at an old school, drive-in movie theater, Del Rey the Giant is on the big screen while a platinum blonde Lana is on a date.
Blonde Lana gets ditched when her date wanders off with another woman, but she catches him redhanded kissing this woman in a car. In her standard, DGAF fashion, she blows it off and walks away with a friend. But he’s not off the hook that easily, because now we have supersized Lana to save the day. Coming out of the screen and stepping into “real life,” Del Rey the Giant shows her support of women in shitty relationships by scaring the living daylights out of the cheating man (and his pick of the night). She lifts up the car they’re in and aggressively shakes it, moments before tossing it back down to the ground.
It’s an interesting message to send, especially considering how Lana has previously depicted her place with men and in relationships. In “Doin’ Time,” the woman comes out on top. 2019 Lana just flipped the script! Check out her music video for the cover below and share your thoughts in the comment section:
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