"West Coast" is a melancholy love song that explores the tension between romantic connection and personal ambition. It's also a dedication to the West Coast of the United States, envisioned by Lana Del Rey as more psychological than geographical. The song's shifting tempo and structure were intentionally crafted to reflect the artist's mental state during its writing, giving it a distinct, unconventional feel. Originally produced by Del Rey herself on guitar, it later incorporated a looser production style with jazz undertones, influenced by "West Coast fusion" and a 1970s Laurel Canyon-type revival. Playing this song means channeling that push and pull between desire and destiny, set against a hazy, dreamlike backdrop.