Raynes Beg to Be Let Go in Emotional New Single ‘Tie Me Up’

British-American trio Raynes are making a mark with their emotional lyricism and bold folk-pop sound, and their latest release, "Tie Me Up" is especially poignant.

Inspired by the real-life experience of singer Mark Race, the song is about knowing you have to leave someone behind to pursue your dream, and wishing there was a way to do it without entirely breaking their heart. The song has an upbeat sound, yet its lyrics are a melancholic plea to be let go. We've never heard anything quite like it, which was why we had take the opportunity to chat with the band and learn firsthand what the song and its lyrics are all about.

The Story Behind 'Tie Me Up'

Raynes: We wrote "Tie Me Up" in Los Angeles about three years ago. We had a session with platinum-selling producer Dan Book, who has worked with artists such as 5 Seconds of Summer, Shania Twain and Britney Spears. It was our first time meeting him, and we hit it off right away. Joe asked Dan if he had coffee and proceeded to have six cups; everyone was high-energy and connected right away. Sometimes things just fit, and that day things just fit. Dan had a cajon and started playing a beat, Mat added some mandolin, and we built the skeleton of the song straight away. Dan recorded a chord progression on his keyboard that we loved, so we kept looping it while Mark hit on the topline for the chorus melody. When you hear the right melody, you know it, and we all felt that lightning bolt immediately. Mat paced around on the balcony for a few hours writing the lyrics. We were all living together in a garage at the time, and we went back together at the end of the day and recorded the harmony vocals and violin in Mat's makeshift garage studio.

The song was inspired by Mark's current situation at the time, as he left someone in the U.K. to pursue working with the band in Los Angeles. Spending so much time in close quarters (i.e., a garage), the three of us would talk until we fell asleep, and Mark shared where his heart was. "I often struggle with expressing what I really want and mean to say, but somehow Mat has the ability to put what's really in my heart into a song," says Mark. At its core, the song is from the point of view of someone whose partner is asking for some sort of commitment, but who knows that they cannot offer the stability or dedication that the other person needs.

Also read about: CC Clarke Shares the 'Unconditional Love' That Inspired New Single 'Nothing I Won't Do'

What 'Tie Me Up' Means

Raynes: As a band, a lot of our emotional struggles come from knowing that the dream we're chasing is not conducive to a stable life. We can never offer that (or at least, we sure can't right now). But at the same time, we can't stand the idea of breaking anyone's heart—the first line of the chorus, and maybe the emotional nucleus of the song itself, is just a plea to be given permission to leave.

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The Band's Favorite Lyric

Raynes: "Treat me like a habit that you have to break." This lyric frames the romantic relationship at the heart of the song in terms of a habit or an addiction, and a lot of people feel that way when they are in relationships. The narrator is asking the other person to make the decision to end the relationship for both of them.

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