Cohen meets Lana

Three days ago Lana Del Rey posted a new video on her YouTube channel, and simply tweeted “new video.” No cigarette ban in this simplistic video, nor in Lana’s life. The song is a cover of of Leonard Cohen’s Chelsea Hotel No. 2, a song which appeared on Cohen’s 1974 album New Skin for the Old Ceremony. It reflects a fling with Janis Joplin in the famous New York joint The Hotel Chelsea, also known as the Chelsea Hotel, or simply the Chelsea. The Manhattan hotel has always attracted numerous actors, musicians, writers and other artists, such as Iggy Pop, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and Cohen.
As there has been no further press release, it’s not clear whether the song is a one-off remake or if it announces a new full length album. Del Rey now residing in the UK has been busy writing new material in Santa Monica, working with the same producers that worked on Born to Die. The singer told BBC Radio 1 the new tracks are “a little more stripped down but still cinematic and dark, and lyrically more spiritual.” The record has come quite together already but needs finishing up. Summer would be a good time, don’t you agree. For now, here’s the new video.