BADLANDS [halsey] // Lyric Analysis

3. New Americana

Zane Lowe spun it twice in a row because he thought it was that good! It became the in the first month of the radio station's existence. "New Americana" as "a social commentary on pop culture", before the song in Philadelphia in June of 2015, she said "it's , but rather about a generation that is unafraid of diversity."

In an interview with Last.fm, she made some remarks about the track: "It's about America's tendencies to latch onto diversity and how pop culture has shaped us as a nation. Music is a universal language, and what music has done for our current generation is diversified it, because the music that you grew up on in stills a lot of morals and a lot of beliefs in you because, you know, music is the greatest teacher."

VERSE 1:

"Cigarettes and tiny liquor bottles, /
Just what you'd expect inside her new Balenciaga /
Vile romance, turned dreams into an empire /
Self-made success now she rolls with Rockefellers"

Balenciaga is an European brand, high in the ranks of fashion with Margiela and Dior, that create expensive designer handbags; and she isn't surprised to find cigarettes and liquor inside of it, as a symbol of power.

The entirety of this first verse paints an image of a powerful, independent woman. She's created success for herself, and proved many people they were wrong. Halsey uses this as an example of the changes of the American culture, presenting an empowered generation of women rising to achieve their own empire through their self-sufficiency.

Things like this in the new generation are normal – they break away from the previous misconceptions regarding women as weaker than men, incapable of accomplishing as much or making more money than them.

PRE-CHORUS:

"Survival of the richest, the city's ours until the fall. /
They're Monaco and Hamptons bound, /
But we don't feel like outsiders at all"

A twist on Herbert Spencer's Darwin-inspired quote, which asserts the strong survive and the weak die. "New Americana" 's (and the world as a whole) strength is now represented by money. The richer you are, the easier life is.

Typically in the summertime, New York's preppy young professionals travel to the Hamptons on the weekend, and its financial elite to go on European vacations (e.g., Monaco) with their families. The wealthy are basically gone until the fall, and the city belongs to the less fortunate.

However, "until the fall" also serves as a definitive statement about the inevitable crash of this wealth-based society. Regardless of the manner in which the upper, wealthier class appears to rule their wretched society, Halsey and the generation she stands for, does't feel as if there wasn't a place for them to belong.

"But we don't feel like outsiders at all" could be in reference to how involved social media is. Anyone can watch and keep up with the life of this elites who go to the Hamptons, as if they were a part of it as well.

CHORUS:

"We are the new Americana, /
High on legal marijuana, /
Raised on Biggie and Nirvana, /
We are the new Americana"

In her with , Halsey dismissed the immediate response about these lyrics seeming to be "fun party lyrics, something people would scream drunk at a bar": "When you dig a little bit deeper, it's about how since we've grown up in a generation where there's open-format music, where I was nine years old listening to my dad's records and my mom's records [...] I was exposed to different cultures, different walks of life, different ideas [...] so the older I got, the less scared me. And the less shocked me, appalled me, and the more open to diversity I was. [...] I think that music has instilled this ideology in this generation."

As of mid-2015, four states legalized the recreational use of marijuana, with many others allowing it with medicinal purposes only. Halsey brings this up to push on the advancing and present changes in the preconceived notions of American culture as we know it, especially because the legality of weed is a controversial topic across the country.

VERSE 2:

"Young James Dean, some say he looks just like his father, /
But he could never love somebody's daughter."

James Dean was the American Hollywood heartthrob of the 50s. He was an exquisitely handsome actor, but died in a car accident when he was only 24 years old.

The use of Dean isn't specifically geared to give a face to a character, but rather give a similar story to the actual character in this verse. Although this person was a young, attractive –every teenage girl's dream– he was not interested in heterosexual relationships. His homosexuality would be considered taboo during Dean's time, but the New Americana culture doesn't, and even celebrates it.

It's worth noting that James Dean's sexuality was for many years. He was also a symbol of teenage rebellion. He starred in the film The Giant, which further expresses the ambitious and embracing this new lifestyle.

"Football team loved more than just the game /
So he vowed to be his husband at the altar"

This wasn't only in love with the game of football, but also with another team member. Evidently, he wasn't the only player in the team with an interest for the same gender.

Males playing American Football are often subjected to the ideals of machismo and heterosexuality, in which they repress their true desires in order to conform. When the game is over, they will still have each other, contrary to America's deeply-engrained morals that would tell them their love is unacceptable.

The transition from finding someone to full fill with, to finally becoming engaged, suggests that this person has manifested his happiness in discovering and expressing his sexuality, promising to marry the man he loves.

BRIDGE:

"We know very well who we are, /
So we hold it down when summer starts"

A play off the chorus from Biggie's song "Juicy": "You know very well who you are / Don't let 'em hold you down, reach for the stars".

It's a homenage to his statement of self-potential, but also a response. Seeing as we are now ahead of his time, Halsey speaks up for the youth of today's world and proclaims that they recognize their power and position in society.

Halsey constantly mentions having grown up listening to the likes of Biggie and due to her racially mixed family, which she says is a testament to living a life that is accepting and embracing of diversity rather than discouraging.

"What kind of dough have you been spending? /
What kind of bubblegum have you been blowing lately?"

"Bubble gum" is a marijuana strain known for its sweetness. Wether you have money or not, there's always some way to have fun and enjoy life.

Old Americana includes the national sport baseball, which is often associated with . Bubblegum marijuana signifies the transition from old Americana culture to the modern behaviour, such as the common consumption of marijuana.

This could also be alluding to the "Bubblegum Pop" found in today's society, it being so popular and providing images to teenagers of what they should think, what they should be. "What kind of bubblegum have you been blowing lately?" Could be hinting at following the norms of this bubblegum pop, sticking to the status quo established in the modern world.

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in what aspects do you feel reflected in Halsey's music?

in the music she has created I kinda find my space when melody and lyrics connect, don't you ever feel there are such strong moments where she has made it to make the sound and the words meet? isn't it beautiful?