The Darkness of Love and Communication: Lana Del Rey’s ”Black Beauty”

“Black Beauty” is a song from Lana Del Rey’s album Ultraviolence. The song has a dark atmosphere and expresses despair about a complicated relationship with a man who seems to have little hope and is unhappy with his life. “Life is beautiful, but you don't have a clue,” Lana says to this man (Del Rey, n.d.). Her despair and frustration can be seen in this line. Everybody has their own way of building relationships with their partners. Some people experience different problems that make them unhappy. In this song, one partner's emotional state and perspective on life are recognized by the other partner, but she seems frustrated by her inability to change this situation. This may indicate that love is not always enough to solve every problem. If we consider the song more deeply, it could also be said that the partner's darkness affects Lana as well.

This relationship between Lana and her partner can be considered an example of emotional interdependence. Emotional interdependence describes the reciprocal influence that individuals in close relationships may have on each other's emotions (Kinkead & Salas Riquelme, 2022). This influence may not always be positive. Experiencing negative emotions in connection with one's partner can also be part of this dynamic. This idea is also related to emotional contagion, which occurs when people unconsciously adopt or share the emotions of others through social interaction (Campbell, 2024). In other words, unhappiness, just like happiness, can be shared between partners and may influence their emotional experiences. In “Black Beauty,” Lana says, “Darling, you can't let everything seem so dark blue” (Del Rey, n.d.). These lyrics suggest that Lana has a different perspective from her partner and wants him to find relief from his unhappiness. She seems to encourage him to see life in a less negative way. The lyrics “Sun and ocean blue, their magnificence, it don't make sense to you” (Del Rey, n.d.) highlight the partner's apparent inability to appreciate beautiful things and suggest that his emotional state may influence how he sees the world. The song suggests that even when someone tries to make a loved one happy, they may not be able to change that person's emotional state. This does not necessarily mean that they have failed. In some situations, love may not be enough to reach or change another person's inner world. Communication is also an important part of romantic relationships. However, understanding that someone is unhappy does not always mean that we understand the reasons behind their feelings. People may experience the same situation in different ways, and what makes one person feel better may not have the same effect on another. In this sense, trying to understand a partner is different from trying to change them. In “Black Beauty,” Lana seems to recognize her partner's unhappiness, but this does not necessarily mean that she can fully understand or change his emotional world. This may lead a partner to feel inadequate, but it should not always be explained by this reason alone. It is not always possible to guide people in the direction we want. Everyone has their own thoughts and patterns of behavior. Even when people listen to our advice or notice our emotions, these may not be enough to bring about a change. However, being unable to change someone's feelings does not mean that we have not tried hard enough. Sometimes, we do our best, but we cannot change how another person feels. This does not mean that we have failed.

In conclusion, “Black Beauty” illustrates how two partners can influence each other's emotional states. Even when they want different things from each other, they may not always be able to change each other's feelings. This does not necessarily mean that either person has failed, but may simply reflect their individual differences. Supporting someone does not always mean solving their problems or changing their feelings. Sometimes, understanding that people have different ways of seeing the world is also important. “Black Beauty” reminds us that love cannot change everything, but it can help us understand the emotional distance between two people.

Kaynakça

• Campbell, J. (2024). Emotional contagion. EBSCO Research Starters. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/psychology/emotional-contagion Del Rey, L. (n.d.). Black beauty. Genius. https://genius.com/Lana-del-rey-black-beauty-lyrics
• Kinkead, A., & Salas Riquelme, C. (2022). Emotional interdependence: The key to studying extrinsic emotion regulation. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 35, Article 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-022-00237-9