Backseat

## **Backseat***feat. Carly Rae Jepsen*

**Backseat** is the first track on English singer-songwriter Charli XCX's fourth mixtape, Pop 2 (2017), featuring Carly Rae Jepsen. It was released on December 15th 2017 through Vroom Vroom and Asylum Records.

## **Lyrics**

**Verse 1** :Charli XCX

I can't escape all the voices, and so, I turn it up

I go to parties with strangers, so I can figure it out

Run through a city at midnight to feel like a star

I want it all, even if it's fake

**Pre-Chorus**: Charli XCX

Breakin' your heart, split it in half

Told you it all *(told you it all)*

Year and a half, are we in love?

I'll never know *(I'll never know)*

I know I'm wrong, what a mistake

I'll never change *(I'll never change)*

I can't escape all the voices, and so, I turn it up

**Chorus**: Charli XCX

In the backseat

Your song, so loud

Drivin' so fast

I'm better off alone

**Post-Chorus**: Charli XCX

All alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

**Verse 2**: Carly Rae Jepsen

I'm wide awake, lyin' next to him, and feel it all

I got a thirst for distraction that I can't take back

My fingers run through his hair

I'm grippin' at regrets

I put my mouth on his lips to taste

**Pre-Chorus**: Carly Rae Jepsen

Breakin' your heart, split it in half

Told you it all *(told you it all)*

Year and a half, are we in love?

I'll never know *(I'll never know)*

All that went wrong, what a mistake

I'll never change *(I'll never change)*

I can't escape all the voices, and so I turn it up

**Chorus**: Carly Rae Jepsen

In the backseat

Your song, so loud

Drivin' so fast

I'm better off alone

**Post-Chorus**: Charli XCX & Carly Rae Jepsen

All alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

**Bridge:**: Carly Rae Jepsen

'Wake lyin' next

I'm wide awake lyin' next

I'm wide awake lyin' next

I'm wide awake lyin' next

Take back, I gotta take back

I gotta take back, I gotta take back, I gotta

*(In the)*

My fingers run through his hair

My fingers run through his hair

*(You're so)*

My fingers run through his hair

My fingers run through his hair

*(Drivin')* In the *(in the)*

I gotta take back

All alone, all alone, all alone

**Breakdown**: Charli XCX & Carly Rae Jepsen

All alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone, all alone

All alone, all alone, all alone

**Outro**: Charli XCX

It's Charli, baby

It's Charli, baby

## **Song credits**

#### **Writing and production**

* **Written by:** Charli XCX • Carly Rae Jepsen • EASYFUN • A. G. Cook
* **Produced by:** EASYFUN • A. G. Cook

#### **Additional credits**

* **Mixing:** Geoff Swan
* **Mastering:** Stuart Hawkes
* **Programming:** EASYFUN • A. G. Cook

#### **Publishing info**

* **Published by:** EMI Music Publishing Group • Stellar Songs • BMG Universal Music Group • Jepsen Music Publishing • PolyGram & BMG Platinum Songs

## **Background**

Backseat is the first collaboration between Jepsen and Charli XCX, released in December 2017. The pair first began talks of collaborating together on a song after an image of them alongside New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde was posted to social media in January 2017 - Charli explained, 'We spoke about this tweet that had gone viral of a picture of me, her, and Lorde; our fans wanted us to make a song together, then we got drunk and spoke about all these ideas we had about making a whole album together.'

Later in 2017, during the development of Dedicated, Jepsen was in the studio in Los Angeles with producers Justin Raisen and Patrik Berger and was visited by Charli, who stated they had a 'jam session' and partied together. Jepsen described that she and Charli got along well and 'knew that something would happen eventually' in reference to a collaboration.

## **Writing and development**

Charli XCX's Pop 2 mixtape would begin development just a few months prior to its release in December 2017, with the recording process beginning in September that year. During this time, Backseat had been written sometime prior and Charli would reach out to Jepsen to ask to collaborate and she agreed.

Jepsen explained Charli had called her, played the song, to which she thought was 'incredible', and had been asked to write a second verse. Jepsen states she spent the morning writing her ideas for the song and recorded a voice memo to send to Charli, who invited her down to the studio to record it. Jepsen stated that just a week later, the song was released, and described it as a 'really rushed, but exciting' project.

## **References**

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lockett, Dee "Charli XCX Isn't Sure She'll Release Another Album" Vulture, December 15th 2017. Retrieved October 24th 2021.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Nelson, Jeff "Carly Rae Jepsen Talks Her Next Album, 'Creative Crush' Charli XCX & Being a 'Cat Lady'" People, April 6th 2018. Retrieved October 24th 2021.
3. ↑ Taylor, Trey "Carly Rae Jepsen Hits The Studio With Charli XCX" iHeart Radio, March 16th 2017. Retrieved October 24th 2021.