Lana Del Rey's 'Norman Fucking Rockwell' Video Is Light On Story And Heavy On Aesthetics

Lana Del Rey's dropped the highly-anticipated video for "Norman F***king Rockwell" also it clocks in at just over fourteen minutes long. It's a lot of video. Partly because it covers "Norman F***king Rockwell," "Bartender," and "Happiness Is A Butterfly," yet also because there's both a lot happening and not that much going on at the same time. That doesn't make a ton of sense, does it? Although just check it out and you'll see.


In Lana's timeless version of Los Angeles (that she recently stomped around in her video for "Doin' Time"), we find her calmly playing the piano at her residence and singing "Norman F***king Rockwell." For now, so good. Subsequently, she walks outdoors and puts her shades on and lays in a hammock.


It's worth it to note that while these events are pretty run of the mill, her gigantic shades continuously change images, from seagulls to flamingos, to other unidentifiable sights. It's just weird enough to prepare you a tad bit unsettled.


That indescribable feeling grows as, once the song changes, we visualize explosions followed by a couple embracing each other. Inexplicably, the scene again shifts, this time finding Lana and her companions soothing on a canyon while cartoon deer that looks a lot like Bambi investigates the land around them. We then visualize more explosions. Cops who happen to be nearby and are taking a breather outdoor of their squad vehicle are oblivious to mushroom clouds around them.


Before you could dwell also long on the importance of those firestorms, Lana shifts us to the last leg of the video that takes place next to a busy highway where she has some fun playing with butterflies. Two of her companions sing "Happiness Is A Butterfly" for her once she argues on the phone with a partner. The video ends Lana smiling along with a butterfly on her face.


We never learn about the explosions, the cartoon deer, or the argument. Nevertheless that's Lana's appeal; she doesn't have to tell us anything. She shows us the pieces and lets us connect them in any way that we visualize fit.


Lana released her sixth studio album Norman F**king Rockwell in August and revealed that she's already working on its follow-up, White Hot Fever. Before that drops though, Lana has revealed that she's dropping a spoken word album on January 4.


Take a look at Lana's "Norman F**king Rockwell" video up above.