Her overnight success might not come as a surprise to all, as Rosinkranz has been writing songs since she was 8. Filling notebooks and iPads with lyrics, turns of phrase, and poems, the homeschooled artist would spend hours writing lyrics to songs that didn’t exist yet. Sometimes, she’d help her musician father, Ragnar, with melodies and lyrics for songs he’d been tasked to compose for TV shows and ad jingles.
Claire describes her style as alternative blues-pop, equally as inspired by early influences (like The Beatles’ Help!, Frank Ocean, and the Jack Johnson songs the family would listen to around the house) as it is by the singer-songwriter’s contemporaries, like Benee, Bruno Major, and Still Woozy.
Claire traffics in lo-fi songs with intricate yet totally relatable lyrics about friendship, crushes, family, and feelings. They plumb the depths of the human condition in very short bursts, exposing the songwriter’s remarkable emotional maturity and strong, singular grasp on her sound. Narratively, tracks like “Tough Guy” and “Seriouslaaay” follow Claire’s stories from start to finish while Ragnar’s clean, crisp production buoys his daughter’s crystal-clear vocals. “He totally captures my vision and if I don’t like something, I’m not afraid to say it,” Claire says of her dad. “Because we’re able to communicate so well, the process happens so quickly.”
The “star of the show,” Claire says of her catalogue, is “Backyard Boy,” the final song she wrote for the EP and one that grew legs of its own shortly after release, achieving massive viral success all on its own. “I was getting DMs from people telling me that ‘Backyard Boy’ was doing really well on TikTok,” she remembers. “Then, friends started texting me. Then more people were texting me. So I opened TikTok and I had 300,000 videos under the song and realized, “Oh, this is a thing!”
Signing to slowplay/Republic Records in 2020, Claire realized the work and dedication she’d been putting into music for half her life was coming to fruition. In August, she shot the “Backyard Boy” music video but kept things close to the family, as she’s done for years (it’s directed by her uncle, the first AD is her cousin, and close family friends star alongside her onscreen). “I think people are connecting to that song because it’s about a feeling you long for, especially during this time,” she says. “Everyone wants to have this experience but it’s something we can’t have right now because of COVID. But ‘Backyard Boy’ makes you feel like you can.”
Claire has spent a few years drilling down on her craft by refining her songwriting and learning to play instruments like the ukulele, the piano, and the jazz electric guitar (“that’s the one I absolutely enjoy the most,” she says), which have helped her turn her lyrics into fully imagined soundscapes. “I consider myself a writer first and foremost,” she’s quick to note. “I’m super fortunate to be able to sing all my songs, and I want to sing them, but writing is my favorite part of the entire process.”
Backyard Boy
Claire Rosinkranz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dance with me in my backyard, boy
Looking super fine in your corduroy
Drive me 'round the block
We can go in a loop
And we'll turn the volume up
On some good boy band tunes
Love to feel the fresh air
I can feel your eyes stare
And I'm not gonna lie
I get a little bit scared
My heart is on wings
I'm living in dreams
And at the top of our lungs we sing
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Everything is perfect
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
All our words were worth it
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Dancing around like a clown at the circus
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Backyard boy, you make me nervous
Dance with me in my backyard, boy
Looking super fine in your corduroy (five, six, seven, eight)
Roll the windows down
Let the bass drop low
And everybody's talking
But I don't wanna know
Feel the fresh air
I can feel your eyes stare
And I'm not gonna lie
I get a little bit scared
My heart is on wings
I'm living in dreams
And at the top of our lungs we sing
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Everything is perfect
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
All our words were worth it
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Dancing around like a clown at the circus
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Backyard boy, you make me nervous
Right now?
The song "Backyard Boy" by Claire Rosinkranz is about the excitement and nervousness that comes with spending time with a crush. The lyrics describe the joy of dancing with the person in the backyard and driving around listening to music together. The singer expresses her feelings of fear and being scared, but also reveals that her heart is full of hope and dreams. The chorus repeats the phrase "everything is perfect" and the singer feels like all that she has spoken about with her crush is worth the effort. The theme of the song is about being present in the moment and living life to the fullest, experiencing joy and butterflies when you're around the person you're crushing on.
Throughout the song, Rosinkranz uses images and metaphors to further express her emotions. She describes feeling as if she's "living in dreams" and that her "heart is on wings." These lines provide a whimsical and fantastical look at her emotions, painting her crush as a prince charming that has lifted her off the ground. The line "dancing around like a clown at the circus" serves as a metaphor for feeling foolish and ungraceful, laughing and having fun with the person she likes.
Overall, "Backyard Boy" by Claire Rosinkranz is a feel-good song that captures the vibe of young love and the thrill of spending time with a crush. The emotions expressed in the song are relatable and the lyrics are enchanting, making it a memorable performance.
Line by Line Meaning
Five, six, seven, eight
Let's start dancing to the music in the backyard.
Dance with me in my backyard, boy
Let's dance together under the open sky in my backyard.
Looking super fine in your corduroy
You look incredibly attractive in your corduroy outfit.
Drive me 'round the block
Let's take a small drive around the block to enjoy the ride.
We can go in a loop
We can keep going in circles and it'll be fun.
And we'll turn the volume up
Let's increase the volume of the music for a more enjoyable experience.
On some good boy band tunes
Let's listen to some great songs from popular boy bands.
Love to feel the fresh air
It feels great to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the moment.
I can feel your eyes stare
I sense the warmth of your gaze and it makes me happy.
And I'm not gonna lie
I am being honest about my feelings.
I get a little bit scared
My heart races with excitement and nervousness at the same time.
My heart is on wings
I am feeling euphoric and lighter than air.
I'm living in dreams
I am experiencing something that feels like a dream come true.
And at the top of our lungs we sing
We sing loudly and joyfully as if we're on top of the world.
Everything is perfect
The moment feels absolutely perfect and nothing could make it better.
All our words were worth it
The things we said to each other were meaningful and worth the effort.
Dancing around like a clown at the circus
We're dancing freely and joyfully like performers at a circus.
Backyard boy, you make me nervous
Your presence and attention make me feel nervous and excited at the same time.
Roll the windows down
Let's open the car windows and let in some fresh air.
Let the bass drop low
Lower the bass volume to feel the intensity and groove of the music.
And everybody's talking
People around us are talking, but we're too busy enjoying the moment to care.
But I don't wanna know
I don't want anything else to affect or distract us from the moment.
Right now?
Is there anything better than this moment we're sharing right now?
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Claire Rosinkranz, Jeremy Scott Zucker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Helixboi
Five, six, seven, eight
Dance with me in my backyard, boy
Looking super fine in your corduroy
Drive me 'round the block
We can go in a loop
And we'll turn the volume up on some
Good boy band tunes
I can feel the fresh air
I can feel your eyes stare
And I'm not gonna lie
I get a little bit scared
My heart is on wings
I'm living in dreams
And at the top of our lungs, we sing
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Everything is perfect
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
All our words were worth it
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Dancing around like a clown at the circus
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Backyard boy, you make me nervous
Dance with me in my backyard, boy
Looking super fine in your corduroy (five, six, seven, eight)
Roll the windows down
Let the base drop low
And everybody's talking
But I don't wanna know
Feel the fresh air
I can feel your eyes stare
And I'm not gonna lie
I get a little bit scared
And my heart is on wings
I'm living in dreams
And at the top of our lungs, we sing
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Everything is perfect
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
All our words were worth it
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Dancing around like a clown at the circus
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Backyard boy, you make me nervous