Tough Lyrics

Info List

• Song: Tough
• Artists: Quavo & Lana Del Rey
• Album: Lasso
• Release Date: July 3,
• Producers: Cirkut & watt
Genres: Country Rap, Country Pop, Trap
• Labels: Quality Control & Motown Records

Notes and Meaning

The song "Tough," featuring Quavo and Lana Del Rey, has country and trap influences and relates to strength and unity in tackling adversities. Therein, with Lana Del Rey leading the chorus, the theme of toughness is hammered through via the line's stark imagery—old leather boots, a blue-collar attitude, and a brass .38, symbolizing the endurance and permanence of strength. Quavo then describes personal struggles in his verses and the journey to success, family, and perseverance. This is an exciting collaboration for Lana Del Rey, where she gets deeper into the westerns, like on references to red dirt (which is a reference to Oklahoma soil, not to mention its musical genre) and getting a .38, which is common in most cases for western cowboys. That said, the country's aesthetics are not lost in contemporary features due to the trap beats.

Technical Information and Analysis

• Producers: Cirkut and watt create an ultra-clean production to marry the country and trap influences.
• Instrumentation: The instrumentation on this song contains traditional country instruments mixed with the modern inclusion of trap beats and 808s to give it a different kind of sonic texture.
• Lyrics: Filled with imagery and cultural allusions, the lyrics show strength and resilience in multiple metaphors.

Lyrics Breakdown

Chorus: The Lana Del Rey chorus has set her challenging with the metaphors of being toughness, comparing her to scuffed leather boots and a .38. It is all symbolic of durability and resilience, as in "grandpa's glass.". Verse 1: Quavo reflects on struggles and triumphs, painting a picture of perseverance through hardship. His mention of 808s is only an allusion to that journey—from crawling through the mud to shining like a diamond—from difficult beginnings. Verse 2: Lana Del Rey deepens the song by lyrically referencing music's authenticity and life's hardness. Her lines refer to a Gibson guitar and the kind of truth-telling held within songs sung by a person's mother. She stresses that one is toughened from birth through what is heard and seen in childhood. Bridge: The bridge continues to assure that tough things in life are unavoidable and have to be faced with bravery. It shows a universal struggle and strength.

Historical and Cultural Context

There is chock-full of cultural imagery from the West and the South regarding the red dirt, a subgenre of country music based in the red soil of Oklahoma and Texas, and even the mention of the .38-caliber gun.

Themes of Social and Political

"Tough" talks of being resilient and united, of the strength within oneself and with the neighboring in handling adversities. With perhaps a very clever way about family or society expectations, the song was suggesting that being tough is not an attribute one person should possess, but all.

Key Performances and Media Usage

The music video for "Tough" premiered on Quavo's YouTube. The single is a hard-core mixture of country and trap in a reminiscent anthem; hence, it should probably be the centerpiece of any media, from film to commercials, looking for themes of resilience or strength.