Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass

Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass is the upcoming debut book by American singer and songwriter Lana Del Rey. A poetry collection featuring "13 longer poems" and several short pieces, the collection will be Del Rey's first published work and will be independently released sometime in 2020. Del Rey has said on several occasions that she hopes to release the book for $1 (USD) as she finds her thoughts "priceless."

Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass
AuthorLana Del Rey
LanguageEnglish
Release number
1
GenrePoetry
Published2020
PublisherSimon and Schuster

In December 2019, Del Rey announced that an accompanying spoken word album will be released in January 2020 in anticipation of the book release. Half of the proceeds of the album will be used to benefit organizations dedicated to Native American land conservancy and rights protection for indigenous people in the United States. Following a delay due to personal problems, the album was supposed to be released in February through Interscope/Polydor, though the album was not published in February.

Background and development
Del Rey performing in 2017

Since her musical beginnings, Del Rey has expressed how she has been inspired by poetry, with Walt Whitman and Allen Ginsberg being instrumental to her songwriting.[1][2] Del Rey has written several poems which she has used as spoken monologues in her films and music videos, the most notable being the lengthier, melancholic pieces featured in the films Ride (2012) and Tropico (2013), the latter of which she also recited poems from Whitman's Leaves of Grass.

In 2018, Del Rey announced her intentions to release a book of poetry.[3] She explained how following some writer's block while beginning work on Norman Fucking Rockwell! (2019) in 2017,[4] she had begun writing poetry.[5] Shortly afterwards, Del Rey revealed she would be binding the book herself and be selling copies for as little as a dollar.[6] When asked why the book would be so inexpensive, Del Rey replied "because my thoughts are priceless."[7][8] The book will feature photographs taken primarily by Del Rey.

During her promotional cycle of Norman Fucking Rockwell!, Del Rey described the book as consisting of "thirteen long poems",[9] though she has teased shorter pieces on social media since, including "Never to Heaven",[10] "Happy", and "Quiet Waiter-Blue Forever," among other pieces.

Confirmed poems
  • "Never to Heaven"[11]
  • "All You Have to Do is Change Everything..." (stylized in title case)[12]
  • "It Comes In Waves" (stylized in title case)[12]
  • "The Land of 1000 Fires"[12]
  • "Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass"
  • "Quiet Waiter-Blue Forever"[13]
  • "Past the Bushes Cypress Thriving" (stylized in title case)[14]
  • "Happy" (stylized in title case)[15]

Album
Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass
Studio album by
Lana Del Rey
Released2020 (2020)
Recorded2019–2020
GenreSpoken word
Label
ProducerJack Antonoff[16]
Lana Del Rey chronology
Chemtrails Over the Country Club
(2020)		 Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass
(2020)

Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass is the upcoming spoken word album by American singer and songwriter Lana Del Rey. The album will be released in 2020 through Interscope and Polydor.

Background

Along with the book, Del Rey announced her intentions to release a spoken word album as well. Del Rey said in an Instagram livestream that the album would also be $1 in price and that 50 percent of proceeds would benefit charities supporting Native American land constancy and protecting indigenous rights in the United States, with the charities rotating every couple of years following the release of the record.[17][18]

Release

Del Rey originally intended to release the album on January 4, but delayed the release due to personal reasons. The next release date was for late-February, but was not met again due to unknown reasons. Around this time, Del Rey cancelled the rest of her tour due to losing her voice. She then reconfirmed the record during an interview at the red carpet for the Grammys.

While announcing the delay, Del Rey referred to the record solely as Violet. It was initially unknown whether or not this would be the new title of the record, but it was evidently revealed to still be titled Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass.[19]

References
  1. "Lana Del Rey hates personal critics". STV. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  2. Moore, Alex. "Here's Lana Del Rey's new Walt Whitman-referencing track, 'The Body Electric'". Death and Taxes. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  3. Hood, Bryan (January 2, 2019). "Lana Del Rey is a poet now".
  4. Kaplan, Ilana; Kaplan, Ilana (March 24, 2019). "See Lana Del Rey Perform 'Mariners Apartment Complex' for First Time".
  5. "Lana Del Rey's new album 'Norman Fucking Rockwell!' – everything we know so far". August 22, 2019.
  6. "Lana Del Rey is set to sell her new poetry book for $1". DIY.
  7. "Lana Del Rey says her new album is coming "in two months"". The FADER.
  8. "Lana Del Rey says she'll sell her new book of poetry for $1". The FADER.
  9. "Lana Del Rey's First Book of Poetry Is Forthcoming, and Expectations Are Mixed". June 19, 2019.
  10. "Lana Del Rey Releases New Poem". PAPER. April 12, 2019.
  11. https://www.papermag.com/lana-del-rey-poem-2634482035.html
  12. "Lana Del Rey teases poetry book with intriguing social media posts". NME.COM. 2019-04-24.
  13. https://www.instagram.com/p/BupT-ukjffF/?hl=en
  14. "Lana Del Rey on Instagram: "Past the bushes Cypress thriving"". Instagram.
  15. "Lana Del Rey on Instagram: "a poem from my book...."". Instagram.
  16. Lana Del Rey (@lanadelrey) (April 11, 2020). "'Violet bent backwards over the grass'". Instagram. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  17. "Lana Del Rey Announces New Spoken Word Album In 2020". December 26, 2019.
  18. Times, Christi Carras Los Angeles. "Music | Lana Del Rey makes spoken-word album as 'reparation' to Native Americans". The Columbus Dispatch.
  19. "Lana Del Rey Announces She's Pushing Back The Release Date Of Her Poetry Album". January 4, 2020.
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