5) Ultraviolence Contains Another Killer Cover
While Del Rey writes the vast majority of her own material, she also excels at re-conceptualising vintage ballads and making them her own. The singers interpretation of Blue Velvet is a beautifully restrained take on the classic song and her version of the Disney track Once Upon A Dream sounds like it could have actually been written for her.
To close the standard edition of Ultraviolence, Del Rey chose to record a track called The Other Woman, which was made famous by Nina Simone back in the late 1950’s. Ultraviolence tells a number of stories throughout its running time and each uses the public persona of Del Rey as a mouthpiece, glamorizing the dangers of excess, but this closing number acts as the perfect kiss-off, warning women that such pursuits rarely lead to happiness.
The mournful lyrics paint the picture of a woman always on the sidelines, acting as the third wheel to the rich and powerful men who she clings to. Del Rey’s vocals quiver with pain throughout and the bluesy saxophone encourages the listener to sympathize with the young starlet, even though she brought her woes on herself.
