“Bad Dream Baby” sees Jake Luppen talk about the death of his childhood dog, divorce, religion, and paternal relationships in Hippo Campus first release in two years. Along with writing credits from his bandmates, Jake’s girlfriend Raffaella played a part in the song’s formation, with Jake sharing that they “wrote this one in bed.”

Prior to its release, the band performed the track during several virtual performances including one for Manhattan College on April 3, 2021.