Lana Del Rey’s Tribute to Lolita and Heart Shaped Sunglasses
Lana Del Rey is known for creating music with a cinematic quality while exploring tragic romance, glamour, and melancholia. She frequently references pop culture, especially 1950s-1970s Americana. Her musical references to Vladimir Nabokov’s book Lolita and her interest in heart-shaped sunglasses align with the juxtaposition of meek innocence and seductive lyrics that make up much of her albums.
Del Rey released a song, “Lolita,” as part of her 2012 Born to Die album, but she referenced heart-shaped sunglasses and Lolita-inspired lyrics long before that.
In part, the Born to Die album is a tribute to heart sunglasses and the book and film Lolita from the 1950s and 1960s. On a more personal note, Del Rey has “Nabokov” tattooed on her right arm; one of her favorite authors, she says. Whether you agree or disagree with how she represents the content of Nabokov’s book is up to you. There are countless critics and proponents of her Lolita “obsession.”
Heart Shaped Sunglasses That Lana Del Rey Loves
Funny enough, while Lana Del Rey celebrates and adores heart sunglasses, she hasn’t stuck to a specific model or color. Lana has been seen wearing pink heart sunglasses (hot pink, too), red ones, rockabilly, retro heart-shaped sunglasses, white heart sunglasses, oversized heart sunglasses, and metal-rimmed heart-shaped sunglasses. If you were to choose a pair, though, I bet she would stay true to the Lolita aesthetic of cherry-red cat-eye retro heart-shaped sunglasses.
Here are just a few of the styles and colors that she has worn over the years – or that she’s worn from an adorning fan from the audience.
Browse these beauties and double-click on your LDR lookalike glasses to learn their price.
The Meaning of “He Loves My Heart Shaped Sunglasses” Lyric
“He loves my heart shaped sunglasses” is an obvious nod to the 1962 Stanley Kubrick movie Lolita. It’s this movie poster that catapulted heart-shaped sunglasses to fame. The movie poster, photographed by Bert Sterns, shows a girl in cherry-red cat-eye heart-shaped sunglasses suggestively sucking on a lollipop. Lolita is peering over her heart-shaped sunglasses, adding to her allure.
If you’re unfamiliar with the book or movie, it’s just a provocative movie poster, like any other. What sets Lolita apart is that the story is about a 12-year-old girl. And it’s a 12-year-old girl that’s being sexualized on the poster. The book is about her stepfather abducting her, after her mother dies, and repeatedly being raped by her stepfather while traveling cross-country.
The story is told from the rapist’s perspective, which has skewed the point of the book. Both movie adaptations have shown Lolita as a nymphette temptress, which couldn’t be further from the book’s truth. She is a child sexual abuse victim, and her stepfather is a rapist with hebephilia.
What “a Lolita” implies has changed over the decades. “Lolita Syndrome” in the 1950s and 1960s meant a sexually appealing girl who is sexually devious and alluring.
According to Jamie Loftus, of the Lolita Podcast, the implications of what a Lolita means has changed over the decades. “Lolita Syndrome” in the 1950s and 1960s meant a sexually appealing girl who is sexually devious and alluring. I would say that Lana Del Rey’s Born to Die album, and lyrics since, channel this dynamic. What do you think?
Nabokov is one of Del Rey’s favorite authors, which would lead one to believe that she knows the book’s truth and the miscalculations in the movie adaptations. Some have speculated about how Del Rey may relate to the girl Dolores “Lolita” Haze. The heart sunglasses could reference relationships with older men, and it’s unlikely that their influence is mere aesthetics. Regardless, LDR idolizes heart-shaped sunglasses and uses the “he loves my heart-shaped sunglasses” lyric and Lolita themes throughout her Born to Die album.
Lana Del Rey Heart Shaped Sunglasses Lyrics in Three Songs
You don’t need to look hard for other songs with a Lolita theme. “Off To The Races,” from the Born to Die album, begins with “Light of my life, fire of my loins, be a good baby, do what I want.” “Put Me in a Movie,” from Lana’s debut album, features the lyrics “Come on, you know you like little girls, you can be my daddy.” You could call 2010-2012 Lana’s “Lolita Era,” although her music continues to be influenced.
The lyrics “He loves my heart-shaped sunglasses” are featured in “Every Man Gets His Wish.” But heart-shaped sunglasses were mentioned in “Heart-shaped Chevrolet,” and the unleaked “Diet Mountain Dew.”
14 Years of Slowly Leaking “Every Man Gets His Wish”
“Every Man Gets His Wish” has never been officially released; however, it has been slowly leaked to the public since 2009. It’s hard to believe it took seven years to get the full version and 14 years for the unedited song.
In 2008, Del Rey tweeted the song “Every Man Gets His Wish,” but the music was never released. Instead, it was leaked in September 2012, and a portion of a subsequent second version in July 2016. A fully edited version was revealed on December 25, 2016 (nice Christmas present). Everyone likely thought that was the end of the story for “Every Man Gets His Wish.” Instead, the unedited song leaked on December 21, 2023. And a Lana Del Rey Fandom site states that an acoustic version of the song is rumored to exist. LDR fans will have to continue to wait and see.
“Every Man Gets His Wish” Lyrics
As part of the bridge in “Every Man Gets His Wish,” Lana sings:
“I said, ‘He loves my heart shaped sunglasses.
He loves the heart shape my ass is.
Cristal, crystal champagne glasses.”
Leaked “Heart-shaped Chevrolet”
“Heart-shaped Chevrolet” was self-produced in 2009, similar to “Every Man Gets His Wish.” The song was leaked in July 2013. Here, heart-shaped sunglasses are mentioned the most out of any song Del Rey produced, and she is directly referencing the promotional posters from the 1962 film Lolita.
“Heart-shaped Chevrolet” Lyrics
In Verse 3 of “Heartshape Chevrolet,” Lana sings:
“You love my heart-shaped sunglasses.
Love my heart-shaped sunglasses.
Love my heart-shaped sunglasses.
Spin me ‘round, kiss me in your Chevrolet.
Top down, heaven like you’re crazy.
You let me drive, I’ll let you go all the way.
I’ll never, ever, ever, ever let you get away, away.”
“Diet Mountain Dew” From the Born to Die Album
“Diet Mountain Dew” was originally written and produced in 2008, and a cut of the song was uploaded to YouTube in June 2011. It was later reworked and released as part of the Born to Die album in November 2012.
“Diet Mountain Dew” Lyrics
As part of Verse 1 in “Diet Mountain Dew,” Del Rey sings:
“Baby, put on heart-shaped sunglasses.
Cause we gonna take a ride.
I’m not gonna listen to what the past says.
I been waitin’ up all night.
Take another drag, turn me to ashes.
Ready for another lie?
Says he’s gonna teach me just what fast is.
Say it’s gonna be alright.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, “Every Man Gets His Wish” is an unreleased track by Lana Del Rey. While it hasn’t been officially released on any album, it’s one of the many songs that have leaked or circulated online among fans. The song showcases Lana’s signature style, weaving themes of desire, ambition, and the complexities of relationships, making it a favorite among her dedicated fanbase.
