This week, I’ve had Lana Del Rey’s “Once Upon a Dream” #OnRepeat. I just recently came across this recording and can’t get enough of Lana’s haunting interpretation of this Disney classic.
Lana Del Rey (born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant)is a model, singer, and songwriter from New York state who got her start performing in underground night clubs in New York City. Her music blends Pop, Psychedelic Rock, Hip-Hop, Indie Rock, Country, and Electronic music. Some of her most well-known songs are “Video Games,” “Ride,” “Young and Beautiful,” and “I Can Fly.”
“Once Upon a Dream” is a song written in 1959 for the animated Disney movie, Sleeping Beauty, used during the scene in the film where Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip dance together for the first time. Lana Del Rey’s version of this song was released for the 2014 Disney film, Maleficent, a re-telling of the Sleeping Beauty story from a different perspective. Del Rey’s use of the lower part of her range, her full, raspy timbre, and the use of piano and radio effects definitely give this version of “Once Upon a Dream” a darker feel. The waltz-like feel is still apparent in this arrangement, adding to the song’s eccentric, yet lullaby-like quality.
Take a listen below:
Do you have any cover songs you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!