In the quickly rising new-school class of ‘alt-R&B’, Jarell Perry is paving… Read Full Bio ↴In the quickly rising new-school class of ‘alt-R&B’, Jarell Perry is paving his own lane. His critically-acclaimed LP Simple Things and follow-up White EP, which mix flavors of electronic-soul, indie-blues, and pop, have already drawn comparisons to cross-over heavyweights like Miguel and Frank Ocean. But as URB Magazine puts it, “what sets him apart from this new breed of talents is a much fuller and developed vocal quality…sublime perfection…”

Braindead
Jarell Perry Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Verse:]
You caught me on and off baby
Caught me in the worst way
I don’t know how to do right by you

It should’ve been a sadder day
I know what you want
Just what you want

[Pre-Chorus:]
Go, still it matters to me, the one
Go, still it matters to me
You just stay right there
You can run, it doesn’t matter to me
Run, it don’t matter to me
And you say it’s not fair

[Chorus:]
Maybe I’m braindead
Baby I’m brain, baby I’m braindead
Baby I’m brain, baby I’m brain…
Oh I wanna do it to you
The way you let go
My heart has split in two
But baby I’m brain, baby I’m braindead
Brain…

[Verse:]
Caught me like a back ache
Caught me in the worst way
I don’t know how to say right by you

If it was another day
I’d know what you want
Just what you want

[Pre-Chorus:]
Go, still it matters to me, the one
Go, still it matters to me
You just stay right there
You can run, it doesn’t matter to me
Run, it don’t matter to me
And you say it’s not fair

[Chorus:]
Maybe I’m braindead
Baby I’m brain, baby I’m braindead
Baby I’m brain, baby I’m brain…
Oh I wanna do it to you
The way you let go
My heart has split in two

But baby I’m brain, baby I’m braindead
Brain…

Overall Meaning

The song "Braindead" by Jarell Perry is about the confusion and lack of direction in a relationship. The lyrics in the first verse, "You caught me on and off baby, Caught me in the worst way, I don’t know how to do right by you" suggest that the singer is inconsistent and unsure of how to please his partner. He feels caught between wanting to do what's right and not knowing how to go about it. The pre-chorus and chorus suggest that the singer is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the relationship going, even if it means letting his partner run away or feeling braindead.

The lyrics "Maybe I'm braindead, Baby I'm brain, Baby I'm braindead" in the chorus reflect the confusion in the relationship. The singer acknowledges that he might not be thinking clearly, possibly because he is too focused on trying to please his partner. He seems to be saying "I want to do what you want, but I don't even know what that is anymore. I'm confused and I feel braindead."

In summary, "Braindead" is a song about the confusion and lack of direction that can come with a relationship. It portrays the hurt that comes with trying to do what is right without knowing how to, and how that confusion can leave one feeling braindead and unable to make decisions.

Line by Line Meaning

You caught me on and off baby
You have my attention, but not consistently

Caught me in the worst way
I'm not treating you the way I should be

I don’t know how to do right by you
I'm unsure of how to be a good partner to you

It should’ve been a sadder day
I should feel worse for how I'm treating you

I know what you want
I understand your desires

Just what you want
Exactly what you want

Go, still it matters to me, the one
Even if you leave, you are still important to me

Go, still it matters to me
I care about your decisions, even if they hurt me

You just stay right there
I'm possessive of you, even if I'm not treating you well

You can run, it doesn’t matter to me
Even if you leave me, I won't change my behavior

Run, it don’t matter to me
I won't chase after you if you leave