Released: 2024
Features: Beck
“Death Valley High” by Orville Peck, featuring Beck, dives deep into the wild, untamed life of Las Vegas’s underbelly, blending the thrill of risk with the allure of the unknown. Through its vivid imagery, the song paints a picture of a night of indulgence, rebellion, and escapism in the city that never sleeps.
The song opens with a scene that sets the mood for a night of revelry in Las Vegas, often nicknamed “Sin City.” Peck sings about the “devils” who start their night with a cold 45 (a reference to a malt liquor), setting the stage for a night out cruising and gambling, indicated by the phrases “take a walk and a cruise to spend the night” and “Sin City lights.” The mention of a “question in your eyes” hints at the uncertainty and the thrill of what the night might bring.
The chorus, “Spin the wheel around and roll the dice, Death Valley high,” evokes the gambling nature of Vegas, using gambling as a metaphor for taking chances in life. “Death Valley high” symbolizes the extreme highs experienced in this risk-taking, almost as if chasing the high is akin to running “like the devil’s son.”
Further into the song, Peck delves into more specific imagery that captures the essence of Las Vegas. The lyrics mention a “grown man, ruby red” getting high and betting on snake eyes (a risky bet in dice games), signifying the high stakes and the allure of danger. The “cigarettes burn on my black Levies” line paints a picture of a carefree, yet self-destructive night out, underscored by the dream of seeing one’s “name at the lights” – a common dream of fame and recognition in Vegas.
Peck also narrates scenes right out of a late-night Vegas movie, mentioning “zombies in a two-way mirror,” a “branch manager hanging from a chandelier,” and a “Blackjack coup.” These images, alongside references to an “Oakley blades” wearing character on a “velvet waterbed” and indulging in “alligator wings,” depict a surreal, almost detached from reality experience that Vegas offers, where excess and extravagance meet.
The song culminates with the repetition of the chorus, reinforcing the theme of embracing the high stakes, the thrill of risk, and the seductive danger of Sin City’s nightlife. The imagery of “ninja stars at a birthday balloon” and “drinking whiskey at the Peppermill on a Monday afternoon” captures the quintessential essence of indulgence and rebellion that defines Vegas, wrapping up the song’s journey into the night with a nod to the never-ending party that is Las Vegas.
Overall, “Death china Valley High” by Orville Peck, featuring Beck, is a tribute to the hedonistic, thrill-seeking lifestyle that Las Vegas embodies, seen through a night of gamble, risk, and excess. It captures the spirit of the city with vivid imagery and metaphors that immerse the listener in the experience of chasing the ultimate high.
