Lana Del Rey, the post 2010’s American icon of pop culture and music Americana is back again with a fantastic new single – Henry, Come On. Released on Friday, April 11, it has nearly broken the Internet with views and discussion as millions of fans await her new album – The Right Person Will Stay. The album is believed to be a romantic, country album. Her 2021 album Chemtrails over the Country Club (which has about the coolest album cover I have ever seen) was also steeped in country folk and music Americana; see Wild at Heart and Yosemite. In keeping with her repertoire of romantic melancholy and mythologized Americana, Henry, come on is a break-up lament wrapped in the ‘country – western’ imagery like – cowboys and cowgirls and soft leather and blue jeans.
In Henry, Lana is the eternal dreamer and doomed damsel, who reckons with a man who “plays with fire”. Her invocation of God warning her that she’s “dangerous” adds a twist of fated tragedy, as if the cosmos itself cautioned her against loving a man too wild to hold. The song also references the archetype of the rambling musician – possibly her former beau – who is more enamoured with the road than the woman waiting at home. Then there’s the resignation in her voice, yet also a plea: “Henry, come on”. I love the stillness here and the lethargic rhythm which matches watching a relationship unravel in slow motion. Del Rey’s vocals, as usual are mournful and seductive, like she’s caught between holding on and letting go.
Henry, Come On is the lead single without prior promotion of her tenth studio album – The Right Person Will Stay. If this magnificent tease single and her follow – up gem Bluebird is anything to go by, then we will be in for a real treat come album release time, thought to be May 21, 2025. Coincidentally it is now the third time, one of my favourite female artists post 2000’s has released a song titled Bluebird. The other two were from Kasey Chambers and Christina Perri whose respective Bluebirds have already been presented here.
Lana just performed as the headline act on April 25th at the Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California. Do yourself a favour and check out her elaborate country set from her concert here. Later in June, Lana will embark on her stadium tour in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Oh and if she was performing somewhere near me, I wouldn’t hesitate securing tickets for my family and I to see her – such is my high regard for her music and immense talent.
[Verse 1]
I mean, Henry, come on
Do you think I’d really choose it?
All this off and on
Henry, come on
I mean, baby, come on
Do you think I’d really lose it on ya
If you did nothing wrong?
Henry, come on
[Pre-Chorus]
Last call, ”Hey, y’all”
Hang his hat up on the wall
Tell him that his cowgirl is gone
Go on and giddy up
Soft leather, blue jeans
Call us into void’s dreams
Return it but say it was fun
[Chorus]
And it’s not because of you
That I turned out so dangerous
Yesterday, I heard God say, “It’s in your blood”
And it struck me just like lightning
I’ve been fighting, I’ve been striving
Yesterday, I heard God say, “You were born to be the one
To hold thе hand of the man
Who flies too close to thе sun”
[Verse 2]
I’ll still be nice to your mom
It’s not her fault you’re leaving
Some people come and they’re gone
They just fly away
Take your ass to the house
Don’t even bother explaining
There’s no working it out
No way
[Pre-Chorus]
It’s last call, “Hey, y’all”
Hang his hat up on the wall
Tell him that his cowgirl is gone
Come on and giddy up
Soft leather, blue jeans
Don’t you get it? That’s the thing
You can’t chase a ghost when it’s gone
[Bridge]
All these country singers
And their lonely rides to Houston
Doesn’t really make for the best
You know, settle-down type
References:
1. Henry, Come On – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
I like both upfront singles, “Henry, Come On” and “Bluebird” and have earmarked Lana Del Ray’s new album for my May 24 new music review.
It’s strange because the first time I heard ‘Bluebird’ I thought it was a bit of a Joni Mitchell rip-off with the bizarre key changes and tone, but the next day when I heard it again, I just loved it like I’d never heard it before. Still Chambers and Perri’s own unique versions of ‘Bluebird’ are exemplary and one day I would like to try to distil, if at all possible, and anoint based on my meagre interpretation which is the ‘Bluebird’ of all Bluebirds.
That’s wonderful you will focus on Lana’s new album for your music review. Can I point to you one song (and excuse me if I’ve sent this to you previously) by Lana which achieved more ‘likes’ than any other song I wrote about last year. It’s called Arcadia and put simply you can’t get more contemporary Americana than this song in my humble opinion. It’s a modern masterpiece:
Thanks, “Arcadia” sounds great as well! Looks like I should take a closer look at Lana Del Rey.
To me ‘greatness’ musically speaking always comes back to my stumped response, ‘I don’t know how they did that’. I don’t know how Lana wrote those words and the melody is to die for. It leaves me perplexed, but in adoration.