Baker's stark and soulful music is said to evoke names like Bon Iver, Daughter, and Natalie Prass. Her first album, Sprained Ankle, was released in 2015, followed by the 2017 release of Turn Out The Lights. Her third album, Little Oblivions, was released in 2021.
Baker honed her music skills while playing in her high school band, Forrister, with whom she continued to perform while attending college. After writing a batch of songs that didn't seem to fit the group's more rock-oriented vibe, Baker headed to Matthew E. White's Spacebomb Studios in Richmond, Virginia to begin recording what would eventually become her solo debut, 2015's Sprained Ankle. Originally released by Smith 7 in 2014, it was reissued by 6131 Records in 2015, it reached number 23 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and led to an invitation to join the Matador Records roster. With a more expansive sound and equally intimate lyrics, the self-produced follow-up, 2017's Turn Out the Lights, was recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis. It landed on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 78.
She then joined fellow indie singer/songwriters Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus in the trio Boygenius. Together they issued their eponymous EP in late 2018, also on Matador. Bridgers and Dacus appear on the track, "Favor," from Baker's third solo set, 2021's Little Oblivions that was self-produced and recorded in Memphis.
In 2023, boygenius announced their reformation and their upcoming debut album, ‘the record,’ which Baker and the band wrote and co-produced.
Me & My Dog
Julien Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Even though we forgot to eat
And you had a bad dream
Then we got more sleep
'Cause we were kissing
I had a fever
Until I met you
Now you make me cool
But sometimes I still do
Something embarrassing
I never said I'd be all right
Just thought I can hold myself together
But I couldn't breathe, I went outside
Don't know why I thought it'd be any better
I'm fine now, it doesn't matter
I didn't wanna be this guy
I cried at your show with the teenagers
Tell your friend I'll be all right
In the morning it won't matter
I wanna be emaciated
I wanna hear one song without thinking of you
I wish I was on a spaceship
Just me and my dog and an impossible view
I dream about it
And I wake up falling
The lyrics to Julien Baker's song Me & My Dog tell a story of a relationship, its ups and downs, and the singer's desires for escape. The first verse opens with a description of a great day with her partner, but they forget to eat. The second line tells us that the partner had a bad dream, but together they get more sleep, and they share a kiss. The line "I had a fever until I met you" could be interpreted as the singer finding love and metaphorically finding a cure or relief. However, she admits that sometimes she still does something embarrassing, indicating that she's not perfect and struggles to maintain control or composure.
The next verse shows the singer struggling with mental health as she admits that she never said she would be alright and thought that she could hold herself together, but couldn't breathe and had to leave. The line "I cried at your show with the teenagers" suggests that the singer is quite young, and the show may have been a concert or performance where she felt overwhelmed with emotion. She reassures her partner's friend that she will be okay, but also notes that she wishes to escape and be alone with her dog on a spaceship with an impossible view. The last line of the second verse, "I dream about it, and I wake up falling," suggests that the singer is trying to find a way to escape her problems, but realizes that this may not be possible.
Overall, the lyrics are emotional and introspective, highlighting the struggles of mental health issues, the desire for escape, and the complexities of love and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
We had a great day
Despite missing out on meals, we were in a great mood all day long
Even though we forgot to eat
Our good mood persisted regardless of the fact that we forgot to eat
And you had a bad dream
You had an unfortunate and unsettling dream
Then we got more sleep
We managed to get some more sleep after the bad dream
'Cause we were kissing
Our affectionate behavior allowed us to overcome any negative feelings and sleep better
I had a fever
I was in a state of intense emotion before I met you
Until I met you
My feelings towards you have helped me calm down and regulate my emotions
Now you make me cool
Your presence in my life makes me feel at ease and composed
But sometimes I still do
Despite feeling better, I still occasionally have emotional outbursts
Something embarrassing
These outbursts are often embarrassing and difficult to control
I never said I'd be all right
I never promised to be okay or to have my emotions under control
Just thought I can hold myself together
I believed that I could handle my emotions and persevere through difficult times
But I couldn't breathe, I went outside
My emotions became overwhelming and I had to step outside to take a break
Don't know why I thought it'd be any better
I was uncertain why I thought that leaving the situation would make me feel better
I'm fine now, it doesn't matter
Despite my temporary breakdown, I am now okay and the incident is no longer significant
I didn't wanna be this guy
I didn't want to be the type of person who cries in front of others
I cried at your show with the teenagers
Despite my reluctance, I found myself becoming emotional during your performance
Tell your friend I'll be all right
Assure your friend that I'm okay and won't have another emotional outburst
In the morning it won't matter
By the next day, the incident will no longer have any lasting impact
I wanna be emaciated
I desire to be physically and emotionally empty, as if nothing can hurt me anymore
I wanna hear one song without thinking of you
I wish to be able to listen to music without it reminding me of you and our relationship
I wish I was on a spaceship
I wish to escape from my current reality and all of its complications
Just me and my dog and an impossible view
I dream of being alone with my loyal companion (my dog) and experiencing a breathtaking sight
I dream about it
The notion of escaping reality and finding peace is a recurring thought and desire
And I wake up falling
The realization that it's only a dream is jarring and disheartening, making me feel like I'm falling back into reality
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind