Rachel Browne is a Philadelphia-based musician who spent her early years bl… Read Full Bio ↴Rachel Browne is a Philadelphia-based musician who spent her early years blasting music in the woods of New England before deciding to apply to music school. From early memories of riding in her mother's car listening to tapes of Talking Heads and The Clash to sitting around at her father's gigs as a little girl, from piano lessons to discovering punk rock, her life has had a strong foundation in music since the beginning. Her influences form a multicolored tapestry, ranging from My Bloody Valentine to Beck, from Leonard Cohen to The Breeders, from Joy Division to Elliott Smith.

Having always cringed at the term "singer-songwriter," Rachel begun collaborating early on. She started her first band 7 Hands Down at thirteen, and went on to play in the band Myna during college. Once composing and arranging songs began to take up all of her time, she decided to apply to music school and was accepted into the competitive Studio Composition program at SUNY Purchase. She has appeared on recordings with musicians such as Toby Goodshank, Arms and Legs, Kyle Gilbride, Apse, Kiss Kiss, and more. After graduating from the conservatory with a Bachelor of Music, her plans to record her first full-length record began to materialize. She is currently in the dream pop band Field Mouse, which she co-founded with guitarist and producer Andrew Futral. They are releasing their debut album Hold Still Life on July 22, 2014 through Topshelf Records.

The Badlands
Rachel Browne Lyrics

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He said don't come back without your will in writing

He said don't come back unless you're sure this time

And last night I pressed those numbers

And held tight to the cold, cold covers

And you're talking, and your voice is a memory

And all that you said to me

Is all I mean to you now

We used to watch them lose their minds

On the past and simpler parts of life

We drove fast to who we became

But it wasn't the same

And last night I pressed those numbers

And held tight to the cold, cold covers

And you're talking, and your voice is a memory

And all that you said to me

Is all I mean to you now

I stood at the center of the earth with you

And the sun was loving your face

I could have run away with you

I could have run away with you

I could have run away with you

I could have run away with you

If I could have just kept the pace

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Rachel Browne's song "The Badlands" are about a failed relationship and a sense of regret for not being able to keep up with what is expected in the relationship. The song opens with the line "He said don't come back without your will in writing" which suggests a sense of control in the relationship that the singer is not comfortable with. Following this, the singer reflects on the past and the way they used to drive fast and enjoy the simpler parts of life. The refrain repeats the lines "And last night I pressed those numbers / And held tight to the cold, cold covers / And you're talking, and your voice is a memory / And all that you said to me / Is all I mean to you now." This suggests a longing for the past and a sense of being disconnected from the present.

The bridge of the song reveals a moment of connection between the singer and their former partner. The imagery of standing at the center of the earth and the sun loving the partner's face is very evocative and suggests a deep emotional bond. However, the song ends with a sense of regret, as the singer sings "I could have run away with you / If I could have just kept the pace." This line suggests that the relationship ended because the singer was not able to keep up with the expectations placed upon them.

Overall, "The Badlands" is a song about looking back on a relationship with a sense of longing and regret. The singer is able to recall moments of connection and joy but ultimately feels that they were unable to keep up with what was expected of them in the relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

He said don't come back without your will in writing
He told me to make sure I had a clear plan before returning

He said don't come back unless you're sure this time
He warned me not to come back unless I was absolutely certain

And last night I pressed those numbers
I called you last night

And held tight to the cold, cold covers
I held onto the covers for comfort

And you're talking, and your voice is a memory
I'm reminiscing on the sound of your voice

And all that you said to me
I'm thinking about everything you told me

Is all I mean to you now
I feel like I'm insignificant to you now

We used to watch them lose their minds
We used to observe people going crazy

On the past and simpler parts of life
We reminisced on the simpler times

We drove fast to who we became
We quickly became who we are now

But it wasn't the same
Things changed and it's not the same anymore