Darling, darling, doesn't have a problem
Lying to herself cause her liquor's top shelf
It's alarming honestly how charming she can be
Fooling everyone, telling how she's having fun

She says you don't want to be like me
Don't wanna see all the things I've seen
I'm dying, I'm dying
She says you don't want to get this way
Famous, and dumb, and no age
My, I'm dying

The boys, the girls, they all like Carmen
She gives them butterflies, but too coconize
She laughs like god, her mind's like a diamond
Buy her tonight, she's still shining
Like lightning, light, like lightning

Carmen, carmen, staying up til morning
Only seventeen, but she walks the streets so mean
It's alarming truly how disarming you can be
Eating soft ice cream, Coney Island queen
She says you don't want to be like me
Looking for fun, get me high for free
I'm dying, I'm dying
She says you don't want to get this way
Street walking at night, and a star by day

It's tiring, tiring

The boys, the girls, they all like Carmen
She gives them butterflies, but too coconize
She laughs like god, her mind's like a diamond
Buy her tonight, she's still shining
Like lightning, light, like lightning

Baby's all dressed up, with nowhere to go
That's the little story of the girl you know
Relying on the kindness of strangers
Time and cherry marks while doing party favours
Put your red dress on, put your lipstick on
Sing your song, song, now, the camera's on
And you're alive again

Mon amour, je sais que tu m'aimes aussi

The boys, the girls, they all like carmen
She gives them butterflies, but too coconize
She laughs like god, her mind's like a diamond
Buy her tonight, she's still shining
Like lightning, light, like lightning

Like lightning, light, like lightning

Darling, darling, doesn't have a problem
Lying to herself cause her liquour's top shelf



Lyrics submitted by dustybreeze, edited by aislington, Simbaaaa, lovegoods, Makemeover

Track duration: 04:09

"Carmen" as written by Elizabeth Grant, Justin Parker

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Carmen song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:The music video to this song is full of drug images; such as Meth

    Maybe it's about her teenage years, getting into drugs and alcohol whilst trying to make it in the music industry?
    Flag jdowse94on January 26, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Okay, Okay. Most of you are saying that Carmen was a prostitute.
    But,..
    How I see this song, is that Carmen is this beautiful, rich, popular girl that everyone looks ups to. They put a ton of pressure on her, telling her to...
    "Baby's all dressed up, with nowhere to go" - she cant really rely on anyone, she'll get all dressed up for a boy to come and stand her up.
    "Relying on the kindness of strangers" Every one's opion on her decides her entire life. if they decide she's out, she's out. She must rely on their kindness and affection to move on.
    "Tying cherry knots" Kissing boys, falling in love,
    "Smiling. doing party favours" She's forced to smile, and please everyone.
    This represents the fact that everyone puts pressure on her to be this perfect, beautiful popular girl. Imagine a girl with people piling weight on her shoulders, slowly frowning... then in tears.. and then-
    "Put your red dress on! Put your lipstick on! Sing your song song song.." This means they're all trying to make her look perfect, like nothings wrong, like no one can tell she's upset.
    "NOW THE CAMERAS ON." Now everyone can see her, now it's back to pleasing people with her fake smile and her tears.
    "And you're alive again..." Now she's back to being perfect, like a beautiful girl. Like nothings wrong, now imagine that weight just pour into a smile, her in the red dress while everyone adores her.
    ..
    I think this song might be a hidden cry for help from lana. or something telling us that she is upset, or stressed, or maybe this is her teenage years - or worse - her life now!

    big lana fan! -mel
    Flag maybay2000on January 16, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:I think that this song does have allusions to Nabokov's Lolita, but when I listen to it, I see a woman who is literally a star by day and a prostitute by night. Possibly a woman who is famous and adored, but turns to prostitution at night whether it be for the money or the thrill. Possibly this is what Lizzy's life was like when she was younger--basking in the starlight by being her father's daughter, and selling her body at night to keep up with her lifestyle.
    Flag daisychain26on December 29, 2012   Link
  • +1
    Lyric Correction:French part:
    "Mon amour, je sais que tu m'aimes aussi
    Tu as besoin de moi
    Tu m'as besoin dans ta vie
    Tu ne peux vivre sans moi
    Et je mourrais sans toi
    Je tuerais pour toi"

    Translation:
    "My love, I know that you love me also
    You need me
    You need me in your life
    You can't live without me
    And I would die without you
    I would kill for you"
    Flag Jane85on September 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:"The song about Carmen is not about a woman who is a prostitute.

    "Carmen" is about a woman with an alcohol problem who is constantly attempting to convince herself the she truly has no problem at all and is truly just fine. "Doesn't have a problem. Lying to herself, cuz her liquor's top shelf". This line states that Carmen, who, truly, is Lana Del Rey in her teenage years, is crazy and an alcoholic but is convinced that she has no problem. She is lying to herself cuz her liquor is too high to reach or is high class and safe to drink.

    "She's still shining like lightning..."
    This line, however, does refer to a sort of prostitutional issue that she once had. Although she has screwed up millions of times, she still has potential to be a good person and is shining...

    It's all about Lana Del Rey as a teenager. Lana, in an interview, said that all the songs on the album reflect off of her troubled past, where she was making crazy decisions and living the life of a runaway drug addict. But it took her awhile to admit to herself that she needed help. But once she admitted to herself she had a problem, she got help and now is LIKE LIGHTNING!"

    found on lyricinterpretations, not mine
    Flag damuser234on July 25, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I thought it would be inspired by "My Carmen" in Lolita as well, in fact many of Lana's song are allusions to Nabokov's novel. But I can't help but get "A Streetcar Named Desire" allusion in this song.

    "Lying to herself cos her liqueurs top shelf"

    This reminds me of when Blanche and Stanley are discussing drinking and she says she doesn't drink (even though she already admitted to drinking to release her problems) and Stanley says that some people don't touch the stuff but it touches them. So this line is an exact description of that scene

    "Relying on the kindness of strangers"

    Blanche's last lines and a large theme in the play

    Talking about fooling abd being charming with dressing up is an exact depiction of Blanche. I find that Lana alludes to many literature works in her songs!
    Flag lolitaisdeadon May 31, 2012   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning:I'm thinking this is Lana's way of taking Carmen (the opera) and turning it into a 21st century adaptation.
    Flag khiac72on May 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Does anybody else think these lyrics are associated this with the song Dolores Haze is listening to when Humbert Humber is observing his nymphet in the beginning of Lolita?
    Flag Lho411on March 31, 2012   Link
  • -4
    My Interpretation:This song is about two versions of a girl. 17 years old and 25 years old. They are both analysing and advising each other. They don't know whether they'd prefer a fast living, faux-glamorous life style. Or to settle down, sober up and live a steady life. They dont dislike each other in fact they secretly at times wish they had the others position and they know that the other feels this way. In reality she decides to clean up, write music and become lana del rey. But she could just as easily have became carmen. And be living (or dying) as a beautifully functioning alcoholic hiding White Lightning on the top shelf from those that enjoy her services.

    It is truly alarming how disarming a girl can be eating soft ice cream.
    Flag InfidelityWeTruston February 20, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:The French is translated to, "My love, I know that you love me also." :)
    Flag daisychain26on February 16, 2012   Link

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