Wiki
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Length
4:00
"Grandfather Please Stand on the Shoulders of My Father While He's Deep-Sea Fishing" (stylized in sentence case) expresses a desire for guidance from her grandfather and God while reflecting on her own identity and artistic creation. She dismisses the idea that her beauty or talent came from a team of people behind the scenes and asserts that she was made to be beautiful without anyone else's influence. The three white butterflies she seeks serve as a sign of her grandfather's presence and God's guidance.
Del Rey acknowledges that as a white woman, she has inherent privilege and recognizes the need to prove her good intentions despite this. She describes herself as a "fallible deity wrapped up in white" and declares that her music incorporates a diverse range of genres. However, despite any good intentions she may have, she still seeks the wisdom and insight of her grandfather and God.
The chorus, with its imagery of a father deep-sea fishing and wishing for things, suggests that Del Rey seeks to honor the hard work of those who came before her and their aspirations for the future. The post-chorus presents a counterpoint to the idea that others made her beautiful, insisting that she was intended to be so from the start. The song ultimately speaks to the need for guidance and connection to one's roots and traditions, even as one seeks to move forward creatively.
The song features French pianist Riopy's instrumental track "Flo".
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