{{Short description|2023 single by Lana Del Rey}} {{Use American English|date=March 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox song | name = The Grants | type = single | artist = Lana Del Rey | album = Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd | released = {{Start date|2023|03|14}} | recorded = | studio = | genre = Gospel | length = 4:55 | label = * Interscope * Polydor | writer = * Lana Del Rey * Mike Hermosa | producer = * Lana Del Rey * Drew Erickson * Zach Dawes | prev_title = A&W | prev_year = 2023 | next_title = Say Yes to Heaven | next_year = 2023 | misc = {{External music video|header=Audio video|{{YouTube|ZegtK54DC4c|"The Grants"}}}} }}
"'''The Grants'''" is a song written by Lana Del Rey and Mike Hermosa, and recorded by Del Rey for her ninth studio album, ''Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd'' (2023). Del Rey served as one of the song's producers, along with Drew Erickson and Zach Dawes. It was released through Interscope and Polydor Records on March 14, 2023 as the third single from the album. The song debuted on BBC Radio 1's Future Sounds with Clara Amfo as Radio 1's Hottest Record.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001jr12 | title=BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Future Sounds, Lana del Rey Hottest Record }}</ref>
==Background and release== On December 7, 2022, American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey said her ninth studio album, ''Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd'', was due for release sometime in early 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Alex |date=December 7, 2022 |title=Lana Del Rey Announces New Album ''Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd'' |url=https://consequence.net/2022/12/lana-del-rey-did-you-know-that-theres-a-tunnel-under-ocean-blvd/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214232222/https://consequence.net/2022/12/lana-del-rey-did-you-know-that-theres-a-tunnel-under-ocean-blvd/ |archive-date=February 14, 2023 |access-date=March 14, 2023 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}}</ref> To accompany the announcement, she made the album available for preorder and released its title track, "Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd", as a single.<ref name="Variety">{{cite web |last=Garcia |first=Thania |date=December 7, 2022 |title=Lana Del Rey Announces New Album with Surprise Single Drop |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/lana-del-rey-new-album-tunnel-under-ocean-blvd-1235452967/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214083044/https://variety.com/2022/music/news/lana-del-rey-new-album-tunnel-under-ocean-blvd-1235452967/ |archive-date=December 14, 2022 |access-date=March 15, 2023 |website=Variety}}</ref>
Del Rey announced the album's cover art and list of songs the following month. Apart from the title track, which is the second on the list, a song named "A&W" appears as the fourth track and "The Grants" as the opener.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Curto |first=Justin |date=January 13, 2023 |title=Did You Know That There's a Lana Del Rey Album Coming This March? |url=https://www.vulture.com/2023/01/lana-del-rey-new-album-release-date-ocean-blvd.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312063731/https://www.vulture.com/2023/01/lana-del-rey-new-album-release-date-ocean-blvd.html |archive-date=March 12, 2023 |access-date=March 14, 2023 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}</ref> "A&W" was the next single from the album, released on February 14, 2023,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Strauss |first=Matthew |date=February 14, 2023 |title=Lana Del Rey Shares New Song 'A&W' |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/lana-del-rey-shares-new-song-a-and-w-listen/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311142555/https://pitchfork.com/news/lana-del-rey-shares-new-song-a-and-w-listen/ |archive-date=March 11, 2023 |access-date=March 15, 2023 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref> and "The Grants" was the first promotional single.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Duncan |first=Charlie |date=2023-03-15 |title=Heartbreaking meaning behind Lana Del Rey's new song 'The Grants', explained |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/03/15/lana-del-rey-the-grants-lyrics-meaning/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=PinkNews }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Read All The Lyrics To Lana Del Rey's New Album 'Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd' |url=https://genius.com/a/read-all-the-lyrics-to-lana-del-reys-new-album-did-you-know-that-theres-a-tunnel-under-ocean-blvd |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Genius |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Neill |first=Claire |title=Lana Del Rey's drops her enthralling ninth album |url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/lana-del-reys-drops-her-enthralling-ninth-album-22958993 |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Hotpress}}</ref> Del Rey released it on March 14.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Strauss |first=Matthew |date=March 14, 2023 |title=Listen to Lana Del Rey's New Song 'The Grants' |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/listen-to-lana-del-rey-new-song-the-grants/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314214839/https://pitchfork.com/news/listen-to-lana-del-rey-new-song-the-grants/ |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |access-date=March 14, 2023 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Music and lyrics ==
"The Grants" was written by Del Rey alongside Mike Hermosa.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Will |date=March 14, 2023 |title=Listen to Lana Del Rey's Sweeping New Song 'The Grants' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/listen-to-lana-del-reys-sweeping-new-song-the-grants-3413537 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314214855/https://www.nme.com/news/music/listen-to-lana-del-reys-sweeping-new-song-the-grants-3413537 |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |access-date=March 14, 2023 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref> The gospel song is built around soft piano chords alongside harmonizing background vocals.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Bell |first=Sadie |date=March 14, 2023 |title=Hear Lana Del Rey's Stunning, Surprise Single About Her Family, 'The Grants' |url=https://www.altpress.com/lana-del-rey-the-grants-listen/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230314215511/https://www.altpress.com/lana-del-rey-the-grants-listen/ |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |access-date=March 14, 2023 |website=Alternative Press |language=en}}</ref><ref name="UnderTheRadar">{{cite web |last1=Small |first1=Sam |title=Lana Del Rey: Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd {Interscope} - Review |url=https://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/did_you_know_that_theres_a_tunnel_under_ocean_blvd_lana_del_rey |website=Under The Radar |access-date=14 December 2023}}</ref> Melodye Perry, Pattie Howard, and Shikena Jones provide the background vocals, all of whom appeared in ''20 Feet from Stardom'', a 2013 documentary that focused on the lives of background vocalists.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 14, 2023 |title=Lana Del Rey Shares New Track 'The Grants' |url=https://diymag.com/news/lana-del-rey-new-track-the-grants-listen |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314215337/https://diymag.com/news/lana-del-rey-new-track-the-grants-listen |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |access-date=March 14, 2023 |website=DIY |language=en}}</ref> The song begins with their attempts to sing the chorus, with some instruction among one of them: "One more time, you ready?"<ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine |last=Mier |first=Tomás |date=March 14, 2023 |title=Lana Del Rey Embraces the Sweet Memories on Surprise Single 'The Grants' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lana-del-rey-drops-the-grants-1234696496/ |url-status=live |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314210514/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lana-del-rey-drops-the-grants-1234696496/ |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |access-date=March 14, 2023 |url-access=limited}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Curto |first=Justin |date=March 14, 2023 |title=Lana Del Rey Takes It to Church on 'The Grants' |url=https://www.vulture.com/2023/03/lana-del-rey-the-grants.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314212331/https://www.vulture.com/2023/03/lana-del-rey-the-grants.html |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |access-date=March 14, 2023 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}</ref>
In "The Grants", Del Rey reinforces the gospel-influenced composition through the lyrics. She uses religious imagery to address either a lover or a family member who might disappear from her life soon and says she will always remember her memories of them.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
{{blockquote|Do you think about Heaven? Do you think about me? My pastor told me, 'When you leave, all you take is your memories.' And I'm gonna take mine of you with me.}}
Del Rey spoke to ''Billboard'' that much of her album revolves around her family affairs;<ref name=":1" /> "The Grants" derives the name after the family of Del Rey, whose real name is Elizabeth Grant.<ref name=":0" /> It references her uncle who died during a climb to the Rocky Mountains through the lyrics "Like 'Rocky Mountain High' / The way John Denver sings".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fu |first=Eddie |date=March 14, 2023 |title=Lana Del Rey Gets Sentimental About Family on New Song 'The Grants' |url=https://consequence.net/2023/03/lana-del-rey-the-grants-stream/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314194527/https://consequence.net/2023/03/lana-del-rey-the-grants-stream/ |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |access-date=March 14, 2023 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}}</ref> An ode to her other family members can be found in the bridge:<ref name=":2" />
{{blockquote|My sister's first-born child, I'm gonna take that too with me. My grandmother's last smile, I'm gonna take that too with me. It's a beautiful life. Remember that too for me.}}
==Reception== ''Billboard'' ranked "The Grants" as the album's second-best track, praising its gospel-tinged sound and reflection on legacy over religion. Del Rey's lyrics, they noted, frame personal and artistic effort as a tribute to family past and future.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Lipshutz |first1=Jason |title=Lana Del Rey's 'Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd': All 16 Tracks Ranked |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/lana-del-rey-ocean-blvd-review-songs-ranked/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=February 3, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241110053905/https://www.billboard.com/lists/lana-del-rey-ocean-blvd-review-songs-ranked/ |archive-date=November 10, 2024 |date=March 24, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Charts== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for "The Grants" ! scope="col"| Chart (2023) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/hot-singles/2023-03-17|title=NZ Hot Singles Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=March 20, 2023|access-date=March 18, 2023}}</ref> | 35 |- {{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|31|artist=Lana Del Rey|rowheader=true|access-date=April 4, 2023}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Lana Del Rey songs}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grants}} Category:2023 songs Category:2023 singles Category:Interscope Records singles Category:Lana Del Rey songs Category:Polydor Records singles Category:Song recordings produced by Lana Del Rey Category:Songs written by Lana Del Rey