Kintsugi (2023) – Lana Del Rey

I dig how Lana caresses this song with her voice, letting it drift like a breeze through open windows. Kintsugi is a deeply heartfelt lament on death and the aching path of grief. As Lana put it ‘the idea of falling apart and rebuilding one’s life back‘. In Kintsugi, Lana sings about family members of hers who’ve passed away and how their deaths affected her and how she was able to work through her grief.

It speaks to the acceptance that, at times, you must delve deep into your broken heart and discover that the very cracks may be the conduit through which light enters. And the chorus here ‘That’s how the light shines in’ seems to be a homage to Leonard Cohen’s – Anthem where he sings – There is a crack in everything / That’s how the light gets in.

Kintsugi is about finding peace in the acceptance that life outside the cocoon of death and inner turmoil carries on as usual – even as you navigate the grief and the haunting memories of witnessing someone in their final hours. Yet, despite the pain of losing a loved one, you must carry on, holding onto the quiet knowledge that there is always a light to guide you out of the quagmire of sorrow.

Lana refers to this light as Kintsugi:

Brought by the sunlight of the spirit to pour into me
There’s a name for it in Japanese, it’s “Kintsugi”

Kintsugi is literally the Japanese art of repairing broking pottery without trying to disguise that the fact that the pottery was broken. It dates all the way back to the 15th century and it treats cracks and breakages in pottery by filling them with liquid gold, silver or platinum. 

Speaking to Rolling Stone UK, Lana said: “‘Kintsugi’ I started writing naturally when my sister and my dad and I were at my great uncle Dick’s hospice in Manhattan Beach with all 50 of the Grant members.” She then added: “Almost don’t need to explain that metaphor to the idea of falling apart and rebuilding one’s life back even more beautifully.“

Then you have her reference to the old English-language folk song “Froggie Came A-Courtin'” which made its first appearance in Scotland in 1549. You can find Dylan’s version here. This folk song must have been revived in the 40’s as Lana sings – They sang folk songs from the ’40s which her relatives must have sang in her youth and she still sings. And Lana ponders – I don’t know anyone left who knows songs that I sing.

Kintsugi is from Lana Del Rey’s 9th studio album – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. Commercially, the album topped the record charts in eight countries and reached the top-five in over 20 countries, including the United States, where it peaked at number three on the US Billboard. It is described as an Americana and alt-pop album. More songs will be presented here from this album. Thanks for reading.  

[Verse 1]
There’s a certain point the body can’t come back from
In one year, we’ve learned the turn of the mouth
The depth that the chest cavity takes
Chucky was there for three out of three
I was there for the third ’cause I couldn’t be
There for the one who was closest to me
But I can’t say I run when things get hard
It’s just that I don’t trust myself with my heart
But I’ve had to let it break a little more
‘Cause they say that’s what it’s for

[Chorus]
That’s how the light shines in
That’s how the light shines in
That’s how the light gets in (Mm-mm)

[Verse 2]
So everyone was there, they were standin’, laughin’
And I’m on the side with my tears streamin’ down
There’s somethin’ about the clutch of the wrist
He thought mine was his to cough into his mouth
We’ve only got hours
And I just can’t stop cryin’ ’cause all of the ways
When you see someone dyin’
The sea of your days flash in front of you
And you think about who would be with you
And then there’s Donoghue

[Bridge 1]
Daddy, I miss them
I’m in the mountains
I’m probably runnin’ away from the feelings I get
When I think all the things about them
Daddy, I miss them
I’m at the Roadrunner Café
I’m probably runnin’ away from the thoughts in the day
That have things to do with them, but they say

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
Think by the third of March, I was cracked open
Finally, the ground was cold, they wouldn’t open
Brought by the sunlight of the spirit to pour into me
There’s a name for it in Japanese, it’s “Kintsugi”
They sang folk songs from the ’40s
Even the fourteen-year-old knew “Froggie Came A-Courtin'”
How do my blood relatives know all of these songs?
I don’t know anyone left who knows songs that I sing

[Chorus]

[Bridge 2]
But, Daddy, I miss them
I’m at the Roadrunner Café
Probably runnin’ away from the feelings today
In the snow-capped mountains of the desert
Daddy, I miss them
I’m in the mountains
Probably runnin’ away, I’ve been meaning to say
That there’s nothing to do except know that this is

[Outro]
How the light gets in
By cracking, the light gets in
It’s how the light gets in
That’s how the light gets in
That’s how the light gets in
Then you’re golden, ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah, ah-ah
Just another folk song, but anyway
I try so hard, but that’s okay
It’s how the light gets in
It’s how the light gets in
It’s how the light gets in

References:
1. Lana Del Rey explains the emotional meaning behind her Kintsugi lyrics – Capital FM
2. Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd – Wikipedia