Therapist Reacts To: Ultraviolence by LDR *trigger warning: domestic violence*

[@logan4231]

“He hit me and it felt like a kiss, Jim brought me back, reminding me of when we were kids” also reminds me of the way kids are taught that when a boy hits you it means he has a crush on you. It’s instilled in us from a young age to accept that behavior.

[@logan4231]

Also her song writing here is just genius. “I can hear sirens” with the double entendre of alarm/emergency and the mythological creature that lures you in to be killed with sweet sounds and charm. Then “I can hear violins” being used as a homophone for violence. The sounds becoming muddled in her brain because love and violence are inseparable to her. Then “Crying tears of gold like lemonade” as in ‘when life gives you lemons, make lemonade’. She’s just accepted this as part of life and she doesn’t even consider escape an option. She just has to make the best of the cards dealt.

[@marihaf]

this is so true, i hate when people normalise kids hitting other kids

[@DarkParadise__]

I`ve never heard of that lol

[@marihaf]

@@DarkParadise__ lucky you then

[@Sparkleanais]

Ive never thought about this! Really interesting pov! when I was a kid, everytime a boy mistreated a girl, people would say it's because he's into her.

[@scanman97]

You’re absolutely right about the Jim Jones mass suicide reference..Where the followers were brainwashed to drink cyanide laced Kool-Aid. The footage for her “Freak” music video was originally meant for “Ultraviolence”.. it features a Charles Manson-like cult, and Lana drinks Kool-Aid in the video. She also talked in interviews about how she herself used to be in a cult which she was lucky enough to escape from. She said the leader had an abusive “break you down in order to build you up” mentality. That inspired this song. A dark, tragic, poetic lens into the mind of a submissive woman brainwashed and blinded by a toxic love. Features many extreme symptoms of someone who might have Dependent Personality Disorder.

[@dogukan7406]

exactly. I do not understand why people try so hard to soften things up, tying everything solely to alcohol.

[@user-jb1ze6bb8q]

Omg the freak Music video was soo good. Would have been better for UV tho. More conceptual and the scented make sense with the instruments

[@computerb0y]

yesss

[@asherhiacyntpiotrowski951]

wait, the leader? cult leader, unreleased song from untraviolence 💀💀 i just cant believe how these spots are connected

[@cherrydelrey1949]

Thank you for this insight. I had heard that the "Freak" video was meant for a different song, but I didn't know it was "Ultraviolence".

[@ashleydigrado245]

“he hit me and it felt like a kiss” is a song by The Crystals from like the 60s, and was written by a woman who was being abused by her husband.

[@motucker44]

Yes she is most definitely references that song. Great song! Heavy and fucked up but great.

[@whyarentyoubetter]

That song was written in part by Carole King and produced by Phil Spector btw. LDR is absolutely aware of this. It's part of our twisted and shared Americana.

[@_beatngu_]

Lana has many “controversial” lyrics, some even more so than this song. I’ve never understood the accusations that she’s glamorizing these subjects. Her music is her art & I feel like she has the right to sing about experiences she’s had whether they’re good or bad. I’ve always got the impression that she writes her music for herself first & foremost then she chooses to share it with us, thankfully. I can see how it could potentially be therapeutic & healing for her. But I can also see how it could make some people uncomfortable regardless of her intentions. None of my comment is directed specifically at you or your reaction btw, just some general thoughts I’ve had regarding this song for a few years now. Loving all of your Lana videos! ❤

[@k.d.5603]

You're right, she's said in interviews that she makes music she wants to listen to, music she enjoys and she refuses to compromise when it comes to her vision for her art. Lana makes music first for herself and then for us, her fans.

[@MariSashaV]

If I may add, I do think the lyrics could also help other people facing violence. When it is just a fictive story, you can identity yourself and see how twisted the relationship (with someone or something) can be. If it was for glamourising, the title won't be ultraviolence but "tough love" or something... She insists on the word violence rather than the word love.

[@sroymoeun]

I grew up listening to Lana’s music 99% of all the songs I listen to and so can say that her song is what keeps me hopeful of life and also heals me. I was in an abuse when I was 13 by a 19 and then again in a toxic relationship when I was 17 with a 19. Her songs I don’t know about anyone else but her songs makes me fee hopeful of life.

[@liacastrobugliossi8792]

Thank you!

[@odonvargas9527]

I love you message

[@DandelionScribe]

I hate it when people think mentioning something = glorification, okay novels would literally not EXIST

[@kayya3043]

victims of abuse should be allowed to talk about it without fear of judgment and without fear of making others uncomfortable, so that they can understand what they are going through and get out of that situation. Great video 😊🧡

[@andresvega9417]

THIS ✨✨✨✨

[@mendwithmere]

Yes! I totally agree

[@katherineauber]

This song in my opinion is in the Stockholm system mindset. I went through it. With a guy I loved since we were kids. A lot of people get mad and say that she’s glamorizing abuse in the song but I don’t see it that way . I see it in a therapeutic way of talking about it and that was the mindset of how she thought of things at that time which I relate to. When she came out with this song it helped me get out of the 7+ years of it that I dealt with. This song helped me leave. I instantly knew how she meant this song the first time I heard it.

[@mendwithmere]

Wow, that’s absolutely incredible. I’m so glad it helped you to leave. I was considering cutting the part out where I was kind of frustrated that she was talking about it. Then I realized through talking about it that it is a really helpful song and would make people feel less alone. I’m also aware that my frustration could be that it’s shining a light on an area that hits really close to home bc most of the time, we react when it’s something we know.

[@oki__]

People always say they want to talk about these topics until it gets realistic. Then it’s glamorisation or controversial

[@katherineauber]

@@mendwithmere I agree, when it hits home it’s hard to hear. Glad you kept it in the video. She saved my life twice by talking about these hard topics. The first was this song , the second was heroin. I am over 6 years clean and when I was going into treatment ,the day before she released the song love. Just hearing the “don’t worry baby” helped me. it gave me strength that everything will be ok. When I came out of rehab the album was out and when I heard heroin it had so many relatable lines that It was so healing for me. Reminded me why staying clean was so important and again so therapeutic. I’ve heard that song a thousand times and I cry every time.

[@MarS-dc2qx]

No she wasn’t glamorizing she was writing her story and what she went through it’s her life she’s telling her story through music! She’s grown so much and knows this isn’t good

[@katherineauber]

@@MarS-dc2qx I agree. I never got that from this song

[@ksksksksksksjdjdjdjjd]

she wasn’t singing about how she wants the abuse she’s singing about her trauma and how he manipulated her❤

[@Onceuponatime006]

Thisss…✨ I don’t know why it’s so hard to grasp for some people.. she isn’t romanticising anything here.. it’s her own experience, how she went through all of it and how she felt.!!😢

[@DandelionScribe]

@@Onceuponatime006 literally art would not exist if just mentioning something bad means glamorization

[@hippie.chesboy]

No ones ask u, shut up

[@CatnapWhisper]

"I could have died right then because he was right beside me." Is the most intense lyric in this song for me To me she is saying she's so happy with him she could die because he's by her side But also that her life is in danger because of abuse and that she could die at any moment should he go even further.

[@walkingtheline1729]

Man you upload so often i am impressed at the amount and quality. Good job, please dont burn yourself out.

[@mendwithmere]

I appreciate you thinking of me! I am doing too much and feel run down today so thank you for being so caring ❤

[@braynerramirez6351]

@@mendwithmere your very beautiful 😮of you were a Lana del Rey song you would be bel air because of how beautiful and heavenly it sounds also because the meaning is basically seeing heaven in situations that are so exotic

[@ruinswithin]

I read somewhere that Jim is Jim beam... apparently she said that in an interview. She has referred to Jim in more than one song, "jimmy jimmy coco puff" ... Also, "Jim raised me up" She was sent to a boarding school as a teen for alcoholism.

[@stellar_jay]

💯

[@____thisguyhere________]

Yup

[@shadesofcool3332]

Yes 👍

[@Camir0215]

Yes this whole song can be a metaphor for alcoholism and not about a person at all

[@mendwithmere]

Damn. Thank you guys for this info❤

[@m_li_ma]

"he hit me and it felt like a kiss" is not a way to romanticize abuse. I don't understand why so many people see this line so literal. She's talking about how it gets easy for someone to see things that way once you are stuck in an abusive relationship. There's this constant build up and break down that many abusers do, that's one of the reasons why it's so hard to get out of these situations because we're being manipulated.

[@heavenboulevard]

I never got the people who blame her for “glamorization of abuse”. I think she captures it as it is, an experience like any other. It’s shocking to others because they haven’t experienced it or been in that state of mind. Sometimes even if you are in the depths of an abusive relationship, it can feel like you are deeply entwined with the other person (or thing). Sometimes that entwinement even feels comforting or it feels like you deserve it, no matter how toxic and hurtful and unhealthy having that point of view is. That is a nuanced and paradoxical situation to be in which she captures perfectly. Even the unhealthy and dark parts of human experience deserve to be captured and expressed. That can even be a cathartic process and it could even be the thing that convinces you to break free from the abuse (seeing your art reflecting back this gruesome experience which is all kinds of twisted). What matters is that she got over this.

[@pn1188]

Agreed, I've been through it and she describes the state of mind the abused person has accurately

[@covers8736]

This is exactly what Lana's "Question For The Culture" post was criticizing. Mainstream girls like Rihanna and Beyonce have multiple songs about violence in a relationship, assault, etc. For example Beyonce's Drunk In Love lyric "Eat the cake, Anna Mae" Yes it wasn't sang by Beyonce but it was still on her song, if she had a problem she could've done something about it. Or when Rihanna said, "Just gonna stand there and watch me burn? Well, that's alright, because I like the way it hurts" What's the difference between that and Lana saying "give me all of that ultraviolence" or perhaps "he hit me and it felt like a kiss" which was actually a song by a woman who was being abused in the 1960's. Nobody undertsands how hard it is to leave someone you have known or been close with for a while regardless of what they put you through, that is why she sings about it the way she does. Many times when a long term relationship gets abusive, many people go into a stage of denial as you mentioned in this video. "I can hear violins" or "It felt like a kiss" is her trying to convince herself that everything is alright. No victim should have to be shamed and criticized for speaking up about there experience, people do it all the time and are praised for it, many mainstream artists sing about it yet for some reason it's only a problem when it comes to Lana.

[@sofiapaladino5172]

👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻 thisssssss

[@gabrielealbertini1543]

As to me the strongest lyrics is 'Jim told me that', it gives me chills every time. It makes think about how we could completely entrust ourselves to people who embody all our insecurities and past traumas

[@laikuwu3901]

im glad you also picked up on how ultraviolence is the violence being done to her that isn't seen! i heard someone once talk about how it's like ultraviolet light, unable to be seen by the human eye. your take on the song being about her alcoholism is also really interesting to me. people have speculated that "Jim" could reference jim beam, jim jones, and also jim morrison, who she mentions in another song, "gods and monsters"

[@mendwithmere]

Thank you! I can’t stop thinking about it

[@planetmars456]

omg yeah. When I heard the word "ultraviolence" my mind always went to "ultraviolet" but I didn't really think of the significance.

[@angelic..9906]

@@planetmars456 thats the point

[@sonibhalla5453]

He Hit Me and It Felt Like a Kiss is also undoubtedly a reference to the song of the same name by The Crystals, which also hints at the toxic and abusive relationship between Phil and Ronnie Spector, a lot of disturbing music history there as well. I also find that in light of her music video for candy necklaces , I'm so stunned at Lana's ability to look at her lineage, whether it be her family or the women / history in music and Hollywood that inform her context today, she is constantly creating new meaning and juxtaposing the past with her present.

[@-chenlanying5818]

I felt like the romanticsm in ultraviolence was such a powerful depiction of how blinded you can be to abuse and dysfunction when your so desperate for love and affection.

[@beardpandaa]

I will be honest I resonated a lot with ultraviolence the song because it really mirrored how my mindset was when I was in an abusive situation. It is like vent song for me because I needed to be able to explain why I stayed in that cycle of abuse and trauma bonding. "He lift me up" then he'd take me down low. I thought I was such crap and being hurt was what I felt like I deserved. And he made me feel like I deserved it. So I felt like him hurting me was what I needed and that was what was going to help me repent for my sins because I saw him as my everything. I put him above me. Abuse is hard and some abuse survivors don't make it out. Luckily I did. I don't see this song as glamorizing the violence. I see it as an expression that is accurate. Sometimes the truth is uncomfortable. Some ask " why do abuse victims stay"? This is why. It's ugly and awful and warped

[@samanthaswade7053]

I have never been in an abusive relationship but my friend was and she kept going back to him when he'd trest her like you said. This song fits everything you said so well imo. Agreed its not glamorize it just analyzing this kind of toxic relationship. I honestly see it as a satire. So far gone, you think abuse feels like a kiss.

[@beardpandaa]

@@samanthaswade7053 codependency is like an illness and addiction

[@Whitehotforever1_]

Lana has some “controversial lyrics” but you can’t help but appreciate the bravery of writing down and creating music out of your own experiences

[@deluluismyalterego]

RIGHT !!! we need to give her more props to that because she could make the most horrible experiences into beautiful songs. which sounds horrible but in a way that’s kinda hope cause she made it out and was able to heal and move past it to make songs that are so deep and have so much meaning and share it to the world

[@lilviv_o.O]

Lana's songwriting is unmatched.

[@CatnapWhisper]

DV survivor here❤ love this song and the confusion and despair it captures.

[@joaopedrovianinidepaula5950]

You DEFINITELY should do Pretty When You Cry, it's from that same album and it's the final point in this relationship.

[@chimeradreyfus]

“I can hear violins, violins” = “I can hear violence, violence” “I can hear sirens, sirens” = sirens (her melancholic way of singing) or sirens (the sound of police and ambulance sirens) her wordplay is…..ruefully beautiful.

[@csmmurphy425]

Tbh coming from a family of domestic violence, chaos, addiction all these types of songs from her did was help me get through it as a tween & teen - i think a lot of people talking about how its being glamorized aren't in those situations

[@oOcitizenOo]

UV is Lana's darkest and the most rock-sounding album. Yes, some lyrics may trigger some people and make them say Lana is glamorizing domestic abuse (of course she isn't doing that), but the overall style of the album, its sound design, rock elements along with retro/vintage vibes make this album stand out of her other works in a good way

[@Jana-ui7pg]

Whenever she talks about Jim (which she does in a lot of her songs) she is talking about alcohol, she said it herself in one interview

[@mendwithmere]

Oh wow. So good to know this!

[@zvckvry]

Do you know which interview by chance? I’m curious because I’ve always seen Jimmy as a faux name for a real recurrent partner in her past!

[@renna4216]

Yes, she's referring to Jim Beam.

[@lounyx2902]

She never acknowledge this. It's her ex, Jimmy Gnecco, who said that because fan were coming at him

[@okmotobabi]

​@@zvckvryIt is

[@gevieouttaluck]

Lyrics on the whole uv album seem shocking at first (not just this song) but it's a perfect expression of the conflicting emotions, when being drawn to bad things and people, trying to convince yourself you deserve better. For me it's comforting to face those feelings in form of art and learn that it's not my fault that my mind cannot just want what's best for me.

[@sol_badano]

I've always thought Jim is alcohol so I'm happy you get the same conclusion. And love the production sooo much. Also love your Lana's reactions because they help me to understand the lyrics and also my own thoughts and troubles, is exciting listening to you every time

[@mendwithmere]

Awww thank you! 🤍

[@user-qf5kl6cv2y]

She admitted to having been sent to boarding school when she was younger for being addicted to alcohol

[@shilohgoes5544]

Jim is the leader of an AA spin off that is a cult, that Lana was in. So she went from getting off of alcohol to being in the abusive relationship with Jim. That’s why they’re connected

[@After3am]

The impression faces she makes have me rolling. This is how one would expect anyone to react, but those who are used to these lyrics, don't usually think how strong those lyrics are, and watching her face and her explanations is a hit back to reality and rawness of that message

[@lanadeldamsel]

You’re my new comfort channel

[@mendwithmere]

That means so much🤍

[@hg3xg]

Like Mere, I started listening to Lana through her later work, (NFR for me) and then went back to her earlier albums. Her journey from codependent abusive relationships to a place where she seems like she is starting to heal and be in a better place is what makes her discography so beautiful and resonant to me. Like in real life, her growth is not linear, and that also is relatable, inspiring and gives hope. To me BTD and P are the beginning of the journey, everything is focused and centered in the objects of her relationships. UV in particular feels like hitting rock bottom, Honeymoon feels like a complete disassociate period, with a little bit of insight (“I never bought into your bullshit”). LFL feels like things starting to turn around, finding joy in yourself (“13 beaches”) and with others (the collabs), and “Get Free” being a relative high point of awareness and change. By NFR! the power dynamics have mostly changed, her lover is a boring man-child, she’s in charge, looking beyond herself as well to climate change, etc, but still regressing at times or feeling despair (😊🦋). Chemtrails is escapism but into a healthier normality. BB and Ocean Blvd are the intense therapy sessions, doing the hard work to heal her trauma and connect with the healthy members of her family and her friends. In this light, UV does not seem glamorizing to me, whether it be about DV or alcohol, it’s a low point in the journey, but hitting rock bottom is necessary to start to heal. She’s amazing, and so are you, I learn so much from all your content ❤

[@adelaciz]

The parts where he calls her poison - Abusers will blame the victim for their actions being all like: you made me do this, you are insane, etc. (He tells her she is poisoning him and this is why he abuses her) As for the cult leader part - Cult leaders are charismatic, as abusers often are, and it's hard to leave a cult just like an abusive relationship. I had no idea about Jim waking people up, that makes so much sense for abusers as they tend to do the same. Maybe alcohol makes more sense but the song could definitely be about both alcohol and domestic violence. It's always a pleasure watching your videos. Even as a big Lana fan I always learn some new, valuable information and see things from a different POV. ❤

[@AlexCamden-ue4nk]

Ngl you fully turned me around on this song with your idea of this being a narrative for alcohol abuse. Within that lens this song really takes an entirely different turn and I’m thankful for this revisit to one of the more divisive but still captivating songs in Lana’s catalogue

[@NotTheVibe]

I would like to say that most people are also not a fan of abusive relationships-- yet they happen and Lana singing about it makes me feel not alone

[@Conifer_Cons]

I "like" the idea of showing how someone can have a toxic relationship with alcohol, something that brings you up at first and then drops you down into a cycle of drinking everyday (he HIT me and it felt like a KISS)

[@dnn6939]

i think another interesting interpretation of the song and album as a whole that i havent seen many people touch up on is that the title ultraviolence to me really sounds / reminds me of ultraviolet. i rmbr when my friends first introduced me to lana i genuinely thought the album was called ultraviolet. but watching this video and listening to u talk about how the title could be about extra or excessive violence make me realise. ultraviolet is a wavelength outside of our visible spectrum meaning we cant see it. ultraviolence could be a nod to that (especially with the themes of domestic abuse and abusive relationships that are more prone to be covered up or be denied by the victim) where it could mean violence or trauma that is not always visible to people from first glance or at all from just looking at the outside. it could also make sense because this album is known by ldr fans to be one of her most emotional almost having not been released due to personal reasons if it wasnt for her label forcing her to release it. hope you guys understood that 😊

[@zvckvry]

This is just a general statement; I just need to say I think it is so, so, soooo interesting to hear your take on this song, and all of your other Lana-reactions. I appreciate it immensely. I have listened to and sang along to UV for YEARS and it’s nice to be reminded of the meaning.. I am so fascinated by psychology and how the mind works and I’ve learned so much about that through your professional knowledge and explanation of the deeper representation of lyrics. It really helps us to get to know the artist better, too. 💕

[@notsurebutwillbe]

Highly recommend song "Get Free" so we could see where's her state of mind from 2014 to 2017

[@darioan1676]

Theres a lot of theories about the song. A singer, friend of Lana, said that 'Jim' its a reference to the alcohol 'Jim Beam' so this song would be about her past with alcoholism. Lana herself has said she were on a Cult for a while but when she realised the lider was really a bad person, she left. That would match perfect wirh the "Im your jazz singer, and you are my cult leader" And well, this also could be a straight foward song, but not glamorazing abuse but showing the perspective of a person that the only 'love' they know its abuse.

[@mjb78]

Ultraviolence is also referencing the movie Clockwork Orange. Not sure if you’re familiar with it, but the term is referenced multiple times and there are awful things that happen in that film. Sometimes I think Lana is being literal, and I believe she’s using many inspirations for this one. This is the title track to the album, so there must be some layers to it ✌️

[@MaryVaughnMusic]

In the original book, the term is more well defined, and yeah it's violent for sure! I like your take on this song too

[@Forlfir]

I remember this interview she did in which she said she liked the word and wanted to use it in her music, not sure there's any other reference to the movie though

[@0ddMacabre]

The phrase "He hit me (and it felt like a kiss) is an original song by The Crystals from 1962. Those are not Lana's original lyrics....kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGOTgK1vjteSidE

[@maxibau_]

Throughout her albums lana talks about the relationship that she has with men, addictions and also with the idea that people have of her. In her fist albums she puts her lover/addiction on top of everything whereas from "lust for life" onwards she "realizes" about how abusive it was and starts to dismantle the idea that people had about her. Or at least that's what I perceive. I love your videos and your your analysis ❤

[@jigsawfeeling]

so many lana videos lately, thank you! i love hearing your explanations, and i just love your overall calming aura.

[@alexh5619]

Enjoyed watching this reaction, despite the heavy content. I cringe with every listen to this song as my lana playlist continues to loop. I feel like I can listen with a little less distress now, but whew. It’s a doozy! Love that you pointed out the cardinal! ❤

[@barbudan]

lana said in an interview that her first love was alcohol, and a lot of her songs are about that... i think you're right!

[@dannvint]

I think there should be more attention implemented on her saying “I can hear the violins violins.” is that she somehow knew that the violence was coming.

[@bluelightvisions]

I know the character of Jim has been said to be many things - a specific person, a character of sorts to represent different relationships, alcohol, etc. With this song and as someone who has had a relationship of sorts with alcohol, I do like to listen to the song this way and I love the way you described it. I have also read that Lana was inspired by what Lana describes as "an underground sect which was reigned by a guru. He surrounded himself with young girls. He thought that he had to break people first to build them up again." She was apparently part of this group. I read that this has something to do with AA where there is a New York group led by a man named Jim. Which would be interesting to think about since escaping alcoholism and falling victims to a cult of sorts is such a troubling scenario and the fact that Jim has been referred to as both these things, I just find that very interesting. With the cult theme in mind, an obvious potential reference is Jim Jones. If I remember correctly, the original music video for Ultraviolence ended up being used for the song 'Freak' which had a specific cult theme like that of Jim Jones. I would like to think it is all of the above. I think many of her songs intertwine these different stories and themes and it is much bigger than one defining moment, at least in my perception of her art. On the topic of abuse explored in this song, I do also want to quote what Lana has said in response to criticism she has received for what people say is romanticizing abuse: "I'm fed up with female writers and alt singers saying that I glamorize abuse when in reality I'm just a glamorous person singing about the realities of what we are all now seeing are very prevalent emotionally abusive relationships all around the world." "I’ve been honest and optimistic about the challenging relationships I’ve had. That’s just how it is for many women. And that was sadly my experience up until the point that those records were made." "I also feel it really paved the way for other women to stop ‘ putting on a happy face’ and just be able to say whatever the hell they wanted to in their music" I'm not personally saying one thing or another -- I like things being up to interpretation and it depends on the listener and how they personally connect and feel about the music and sentiments made. I just wanted to share the information I do know as a bit of potential context! :-)

[@myopia2020]

Several people have mentioned that Lana references The Crystals song "He Hit Me And It Felt Like A Kiss". The term "Ultraviolence" itself may have come from Stanly Kubrick's early 70s film "A Clockwork Orange". (and there's also the harmful yet invisible ultraviolet rays). I've never really understood the accusation that Lana is glamorizing violence (or, for that matter, The Crystals song way back when. I'm pretty sure it was banned from the radio). It's great to see so many insightful and intelligent comments here.😊 I learn more about Lana each day (I had no idea she was part of a cult herself My god! U guess that explains why she has an unreleased song called "Cult Leader") What an artist!

[@theotherwomen8248]

ULTRAVIOLENCE, MY MOST FAVORITE AND STREAMED SONG OF 2022 PRODCUTION, LYRICSISM, POETRY JUST A CLASSIC LANA BOP, LOVE YOU REACTING TO THIS 🖤 P.S MY MOM WAS ABUSIVE AND NOW ABSENT.....THAT'S WHY THE MOST STREAMED SONG

[@kylewade9005]

This song is not about physical abuse, but her past addiction to alcohol, specifically Jim Beam. She actually had to go to rehab when she was really young because it was so bad.

[@fathima737]

I think it is about Jim Jones as the ‘Freak’ MV was originally for ‘Ultraviolence’ which represented Jim Jones.

[@edgeworthontop4eva]

i think the progression and growth from still identifying as having some desire for toxic relationships like this can be seen more as her discography grew, she demonstrates a lot more overt awareness about what she deserves and needs in her later albums, and the mindset is more actively positive, especially in some of the songs you have listened to, her earlier work is her giving herself the space to process and voice her own trauma and her newer work is moreso about healing

[@mendwithmere]

Absolutely!

[@ptrckhnghn7676]

9:09 I’ve been a fan of Lana for years and never made this connection for some reason! She has a lot of songs that reference cults, and clearly has an interest in true crime. Another song ‘heroin’ references Charles Manson throughout, I highly recommend it, it’s probably my favourite

[@GriffinPearson]

The song has like three layers of meaning and it’s absolutely beautiful. I can’t get enough. Great reaction

[@pearlandamy1]

You uploaded this six minutes ago. Thank you. Thank you. Here we go…(and I see Paper Bag below.) Please keep sharing your reactions. I’m grateful to have found your channel. I’d love to hear your reaction on the entire NFR album.

[@Reed5016]

I always saw jim as whiskey (Jim Beam is a whiskey brand). She drinks to cope with her abuse (or the person the song’s perspective is from). Also, the violins line definitely makes me think of horror movies. Especially the Shining (a horror movie that is quite literally about domestic abuse), which is probably my favorite horror movie. It showed me just how toxic my environment was as growing up (albeit, there wasn’t physical abuse in my home, but basically every other kind).

[@Reed5016]

Another song I like that references alcoholism and mentions Jim Beam is Say It Aint So by Weezer “…wrestle with jimmy… this bottle of Steven’s awakens ancient feelings… father, your son is drowning in the flood.”

[@claraazevedo1826]

ultraviolence is my favorite album of any artist of all time, everything in it comes together and the art is so beautiful the songs are great by themselves but you have to listen to them in context

[@savsonnet]

I’ve been waiting for this one! Didn’t disappoint, i love your videos so much💗

[@JamesFluker]

I think there's so many layers and references here. There's her alcohol dependence. There's a violent relationship. There's the darkness of her childhood which apparently involved a cult. Ultraviolence itself is a reference to A Clockwork Orange. He hit me and it felt like a kiss is a reference to a song about domestic violence from the 60s. I think this song is a mix of all of these things. Lana is a poet - she often works in layers and layers of metaphor and I think you have to take that into account when interpreting her music and lyrics. Very rarely is she going to tell you how it should be heard.

[@oAk4ralho]

A BIG HUG FROM BRAZIL 💜💜💜 I'm so in love with your videos, I really appreciate your way to see those elements in Lana's musics.. 💜💜

[@kadinmay]

Been waiting for this! I do think the name Jim is an amalgamation of Jim beam, Jim jones, maybe somebody she knew. She was “allegedly” in an aa group that’s widely known for its sketchy, abusive and cult like behavior. Google AA cult and its right there. There was/is a man named Jim that runs one of these group she attended. He has some less than savory stories about him out there. In an old interview, she says this: “ I used to be a member of an underground sect which was reigned by a guru. He surrounded himself with young girls. He thought that he had to break people first to build them up again. At the end I quit the sect.” So you’re right, Jim could be referring to Jim jones, Jim Morrison, Jim beam, perhaps even this Jim that runs part of the ag leg of aa. It could be all those things, one, or none. You’ve done a great job at dissecting her music.

[@stellar_jay]

I agree with your analysis about the song being about alcohol dependency. Either way the song is very dark and I appreciate you reacting to Lana!

[@augustleone225]

Thank you for giving more context to the song, I don't think anyone truly knows her perspective when she was writing it but it's powerful no matter how you look at it.

[@sakusaku9190]

Thank you for the video, I really love watching your reactions to Lana's songs and listening to your opinion as a therapist. Also thank you for seeing our tips about listening to songs. In this song, Lana sings about the times when she was in a sect called Atlantic Group, of which Jimm was the head. This sect disguises itself as a group of alcoholics Anonymous, which is why Lana was there. The head of the group, Jimm, believed that a person could be "saved" only by completely destroying him. Analyzing old tweets where people wrote about Lizzie (Lana in 2007-2008), we can say that AG arranged some shows where girls were beaten, abused, and so on... But drugs and alcohol were still used inside this community, which is why Lana sings "I can hear violins", "I can hear sirens" - sirens as a reference to ambulance sirens, and the sounds of violins as hallucinations during intoxication. Not in all songs Lana sings exactly about the same Jim, since in some cases she uses his name as a collective image. In the song "Cruel World", which I also advise you to listen to, you can hear most of the references to one Jimm and that she was in a sect. I also advise you to listen to the album "AKA Lizzie Grant" - in it lana sings about the rather dark and creepy times of her life, not all of them are related to Jim, but almost every one terrified me and brought me to tears - such songs include "Raise me Up", "Kill Kill", "Pawn Shop Blues", "Yayo" and "For K pt 1-2". Thanks again for the video

[@GRAZIoficial]

I always feel like i'm in the head of someone who is in love with an abuser when i hear this song.

[@soniaiboyako4023]

5:10 to me "Give me all that ultraviolence" echoes the "He hit me and it felt like a kiss/he hurt me and it felt like true love" lyrics - as in she's asking for all of his love and as the lyrics indicate she's been conditioned to experience the abuse as an expression of love etc. like the two are blurred bc of his "teachings" but the *only* thing she's asking for here is *love*

[@marselpolito8642]

Yeah jim bourbon 🥃 She also say it in cruel world “Get a little bit of Bourbon in ya”

[@dannyg1440]

I love your content. This song has always provoked such strong feelings from people because of its lyrics. I never thought she meant “hit me and it felt like a kiss” literally. I didn’t hear it that way even when I listened to it. I took as when something “hits” you or strikes you; shocks you. Of course she always has lyrics that have multiple meanings. She’s painting a picture. Another thing not many people mention when reviewing or critiquing this song is that Ultraviolence is a reference from A Clockwork Orange. The main character goes around with his gang robbing people, beating up homeless people and SA’ing people; committing what he calls “a little good old ultraviolence.” He’s sent to a mental hospital and they try to rehabilitate him. I think Lana is definitely trying to describe some of her dark past. Jim/Jimmy is a stand in she uses a lot for a love interest in a song or to refer to booze or own alter ego. She has said sometimes she’s Jimmy.

[@AnaCarolina-vl4cr]

I used to sing this all the time, when I was a teenager. I had no idea how dark these lyrics are.

[@SoCalFreak]

I can hear sirens means that she’s in the ambulance & i can hear violins means the violins are being played at her funeral

[@hugobuenrostro6056]

The feeling of wanting to die is so bad when i see someone else smile is a mix of glad for the person, jealous of their happiness, and it makes me wanna die even more

[@adelinecoelho2166]

This is nice about Lana's songs, you can interpretate the lyrics as you wish, it could be about alcoholism, domestic violence, cults, Clockwork Orange and as the things she says are unfortunately common in a lot of dynamics it fits perfectly, her art is gold. Sorry for my English, i'm latina

[@nonamesgangsister]

He used to call me DN That stood for deadly nightshade 'Cause I was filled with poison But blessed with beauty and rage Jim told me that He hit me and it felt like a kiss Jim brought me back Reminded me of when we were kids With his ultraviolence Ultraviolence Ultraviolence Ultraviolence I can hear sirens, sirens He hit me and it felt like a kiss I can hear violins, violins Give me all of that ultraviolence He used to call me poison Like I was poison ivy I could've died right then 'Cause he was right beside me Jim raised me up He hurt me but it felt like true love Jim taught me that Loving him was never enough With his ultraviolence Ultraviolence Ultraviolence Ultraviolence I can hear sirens, sirens He hit me and it felt like a kiss I can hear violins, violins Give me all of that ultraviolence We can go back to New York Loving you was really hard We could go back to Woodstock Where they don't know who we are Heaven is on earth I will do anything for you, babe Blessed is this union Crying tears of gold, like lemonade I love you the first time I love you the last time Yo soy la princesa, comprende mis white lines 'Cause I'm your jazz singer And you're my cult leader I love you forever I love you forever With his ultraviolence Ultraviolence Ultraviolence Ultraviolence I can hear sirens, sirens He hit me and it felt like a kiss I can hear violins, violins Give me all of that ultraviolence

[@la9979]

She was addicted to alcohol , some believe she's talking about alcohol, ex-boyfriend who was violent toward her at the same time and used the cult leader as a symbolism to her love

[@kamikaze1276]

Jim is a reference to Jim beam and her past drinking problem. People who actually know Lana’s personal history knows this.

[@scorpiosun4]

A lot of ppl think “comprende mis white lines” is abt drugs but I’m pretty sure she’s talking abt self harm scars. When they’re in the process of healing they turn white. So she’s saying understand the pain she went thru. I definitely agree this could be about her past alcohol addiction

[@chargingyellow]

one of my favourite songs from her but definitely my favourite album. along with black beauty also from the UV album. seen someone in the comments say that this was her darkest album and i think that’s what it makes it majorly relatable. the line between triggering and comforting is so fine🤍🙏🏻

[@McScreenName]

Now you should do a video about the song she is referring to: “He Hit Me” by the Crystals! It’s also very haunting and basically about the same subject.

[@lianasharonova5595]

She doesn't glamourize it, I'd rather say she that explains how we victims see the act of abuse. It's when we are in love with the abuser and try to find proofs of his love in anything even in such things as hitting us or worse. This is the reason why healthy people don't get why would someone stay in such a relationship. But the way that a victim see things is different and unhealthy due to her past traumas and especially childhood abuse.

[@che_blasey]

Can I recommend a song ❤ black beauty is genuinely my fav song from lana it just makes me feel so 😭😭 not to spoil it 4 u but its abt how she wants someone who's suffering from depression to see the world in all its colour and beauty but they can't and don't want to see it or feel that way so this song I feel like is her showing them how they could be or feel

[@mendwithmere]

Oh shit, this is right up my alley! I’ll do it!

[@che_blasey]

@@mendwithmere thank you so much!!! You have no idea how much this means to me 🙂

[@nono-wz6ou]

Ultraviolence could also be the words ultraviolet and violence put together, ultrviolet being a very energetic and damaging type of radiation no one is able to see. Lana could also be talking about an abusive relationship no one sees

[@jacknguyen1062]

That's what I've always thought too!

[@xij3505]

That’s really interesting, I never thought of that!

[@emilyb.8219]

Ultraviolence was a term coined in the fcked up and very graphic book A Clockwork Orange, so it's very possible she borrowed it from that

[@pedroweh7130]

I loved the interpretation related to alcohol. Interesting because when she was in the AA sessions, the leader of the meetings was called Jim and he had like a huge secret cult where he would manipulate vulnerable women to get in.

[@-chenlanying5818]

also in ultravoilence she says that he reminds her of when we kids which kind of means that since she was abused in her childhood but told that it was love, she feels that again with jim and it gives her comfort. and that is why she has turned a blind eye ro his voilence and just felt it as love

[@Blostblue]

I love this song, because I felt every emotion she pours (not only on this one but on the whole album) and it helped to make me feel understood through tough times. Hope you react and give us your thoughts of the album.

[@Moonsong_]

I absolutely love your way of seeing things, you’ve made me discover so many new point of views of this song, and I love it. About the glamorization of violence, I’m pretty sure, as a Lana fan, she would never ever do it, even if it’s what it seems. She sang about this “Jim” in her last album on the song “A&W”, so it seems like she’s been in an abusive relationship, so maybe writing that was just a way to cope.

[@Moonsong_]

Oop you did already hear A&W, didn’t see that part of the video while writing the comment

[@senju451]

This and the A&W reaction is my favorite from you!

[@brsixtn]

Mere thank you so much for spend your time doing this reaction. Your videos are amazing

[@templeofsound5326]

Great video! Did you notice how she inserts a line from “fucked my way up to the top” at the end? You may not have realised if you haven’t heard that track yet ( also on UV). It’s the “lay me down…linen and curls “ part. Now that we are seeing more how she refers back to things to link songs (this was one of earliest example of this) we can see that she might be alluding to what she may have encountered on her rise to fame …

[@mehhhhhhhhhhh]

I believe that “jim” is also a metaphor for liquor

[@nashwagemakers]

Terrence Loves You would be lovely, its a more emotional song and very beautifull❤

[@mendwithmere]

On the list! :)

[@nashwagemakers]

@@mendwithmere Yesss!! :D Its my alltime favourite ♡

[@brooklynbaby05]

omg i was not expecting another video so soon, for some reason i didn’t get a notification😭 but slayyyy!!

[@mendwithmere]

I’ve been inspired 🥰

[@-chenlanying5818]

The line in Ultraviolence "he hit me and it felt like a kiss" is a reference to the song by the 60's group The Crystals "He hit me (it felt like a kiss)" and it will always reminds me of that interview with Amy Winehouse where she says "The Crystals had a song called 'He hit me and it felt like a kiss', like thats messed up, theres only a certain percentage of people that would understand what thats about, most people would be like... 'How dare you promote domestic violence'... but to me I'm like - I know what you mean, I knew exactly what you mean". and Lana actually commented on a post on Instagram that reposted this interview saying "I know exactly what you mean, I knew exactly what you mean". I think its also a big reason to why this song is be seen as controversial, but of course it is, because only a small number of people who have gone through that would understand what that feeling is like.

[@emilycanon9716]

I grew up witnessing domestic violence for years, and the first few times I bawled my eyes out listening to this song (and I still do sometimes) because it captures so well what it feels like to be the victim. I don’t get people who think she’s romanticising it, I think she’s doing quite the opposite

[@soph1a.444_]

in an interview with a magazine, she stated that she "used to be a member of an underground sect which was reigned by a guru. He surrounded himself with young girls. He thought that he had to break people first to build them up again. In the end, I quit the sect."

[@NotTheVibe]

the mental gymnastics to avoid the subject matter that she was abused and enjoyed the chaos

[@urielsalazar9746]

I never would’ve equated this song to alcohol addiction I’m so beyond impressed with ur deduction ❤️ plz keep doing more Lana del Rey I’m so invested in the meanings others may have on them ❤️❤️❤️

[@theeidlerwheel]

I've been watching your videos on lana lately and I love them so much. I love your worl and thank your for uploading so often ❤

[@mendwithmere]

Welcome!!

[@yourboykaster]

loving your videos mere, thank you so much.

[@superfreaky.lonesomekitty]

i feel this song like a grieve, a grieve about something you went through, when you loved something or someone that wasn't good for you, that's the feeling you had before you realize that you need to get out of that bad thing, listening to a song that we can relate, that we can understand what she is talking about, and a song that make you feel understood, like she knows what you been through, and idk, in my case i like to hear that song because of that meaning.