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.
Brittle Boned
Julien Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Static snow, in the lobby
No TV, magazines
Waiting skin hides me
From the sting, paper sheath
Blood warm in the IV
The worry in the sheets
All the nurses reassure me
I'm not gonna feel a thing
Lying, say it will be alright
Like a baby falling asleep
Cause I'm so good at hurting myself
Pulse is slow
Faint metronome on my left side
Beneath my protruding spine
You can hardly hear the knife
Lying flat, blind on
Covering my sunken eyes
And the line rightful
Aimed at my sick mind
Cause I'm so good at hurting myself
The song Brittle Boned by Julien Baker is a hauntingly beautiful portrayal of a person's struggle with self-harm. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the singer's experience at a hospital, waiting for a procedure to numb the pain that seems to be so familiar to them. The opening lines, "Alone, electric glow, static snow in the lobby, no TV, magazines," suggest a cold, sterile environment that is devoid of any warmth or comfort. The singer is waiting for the procedure to begin and their skin hides them from the sting of the paper sheath that covers them. The blood is warm in the IV, and the worry is in the sheets, but the nurses are reassuring and promise that it will be quick and easy.
The singer's experience is one of numbness and detachment from their own body, despite the physical pain that they are enduring. They lie, saying that everything will be alright, "like a baby falling asleep." The line "cause I'm so good at hurting myself" is repeated throughout the song, and is a stark reminder of the singer's struggle with self-harm.
The second verse of the song describes the procedure itself, with the singer lying flat and blind, covering their sunken eyes. The knife is hardly audible, and the line is rightful, aimed at their sick mind. The slow pulse is likened to a faint metronome, and the protruding spine is a testament to the physical toll that the singer has inflicted upon themselves. The song ends on the haunting repetition of the line "cause I'm so good at hurting myself," leaving the listener with a sense of the singer's struggle and the weight of their pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Alone, electric glow
The isolation and emptiness of the hospital room are accentuated by the humming of the electronic devices.
Static snow, in the lobby
The snowy static on the television in the waiting room reflects the lack of clarity or certainty in the situation.
No TV, magazines
The barrenness of the waiting room is indicative of the bleakness of the situation at hand.
Waiting skin hides me
The gown that the artist is wearing as a hospital patient serves as a barrier between herself and the outside world.
From the sting, paper sheath
The thin hospital bed sheet provides little comfort or protection from the cold and sterile environment of the hospital.
Blood warm in the IV
The IV drip that is attached to the singer provides a physical connection to life and blood that is ironically contrasted with the sterile nature of the hospital room.
The worry in the sheets
The anxiety and tension of the situation is palpable, even in the very fabric of the hospital linens.
All the nurses reassure me
The nurses' attempts to offer comfort and support in this difficult time are noticed and appreciated by the artist.
It will be quick and easy
Despite the calm assurances of the medical staff, the artist is aware that the procedure to come will not be easy or painless.
I'm not gonna feel a thing
The artist is aware that the pain to come is inevitable, despite the false reassurances of the medical staff.
Lying, say it will be alright
Although they know that the medical procedure will be painful and difficult, the medical staff still try to offer false comfort to the patient.
Like a baby falling asleep
In the midst of the pain and confusion of the medical procedure, the artist is lulled into a sense of peace and calm by the anesthesia.
Cause I'm so good at hurting myself
The singer's experience with self-harm and emotional pain makes them well-equipped to deal with physical pain.
Pulse is slow
The singer's heartbeat slows as the anesthesia takes effect, which is a calming reminder that they will soon be unconscious and unaware of the medical procedure.
Faint metronome on my left side
The singer's heartbeat acts as a rhythmical beat or cadence that is the only sound they can focus on during this difficult time.
Beneath my protruding spine
The artist's physical vulnerability and sense of weakness is heightened by their awareness of their own spine, a symbol of their bodily strength and support.
You can hardly hear the knife
The knife that will be used in the medical procedure seems almost silent or invisible in the midst of the other sounds and sensations of the hospital room.
Lying flat, blind on
The singer lies down flat and immobile, completely vulnerable to the medical staff's ministrations and the procedure to come.
Covering my sunken eyes
The singer's eyes, weakened and hollowed out by the stress and exhaustion of the medical experience, are protected and hidden by the hospital linen covering their face.
And the line rightful
The accuracy and precision of the surgical line that will be made on the artist's body is true and necessary despite the pain and difficulty of the procedure.
Aimed at my sick mind
The procedure that the artist is undergoing is just as much psychological as it is physical, as they struggle to cope with the pain and fear of the unknown future ahead.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sébastien LEROUX
I love how no one dislike this. Every song on her record his emotional and powerful, but this one is the most.
Ed Gepixel
7 thumb-downs out of over a thousand is a damn good approval rate.
danman6669
It's up to six people with no taste in music now.
TheNatural1
Now you have 2 assholes who disliked it because they're either jealous or don't appreciate talent.
drew k
Seeing her play this live changed me. It was like a religious experience.
Greenalex89
JB songs that get me EVERY time: Brittle Boned, Something, Funeral Pyre, Go Home, Claws in your back..
Umbra YDN
julien has one of my favorite voices ever. she is so amazing.
Mishaela Meadows
I get teary eyed every time I hear this song..her lyrics and voice. So powerful and relatable. Keep creating magic. ❤️💛💚💙💜
david57strat
Pristine, beautiful, texture-filled
guitar tones and lovely voice. Love it all :-)!
Keylonnie Boatwright
I'm so glad I've discovered this artist, she's great! I hope she gets discovered soon!