As reported by Rolling Stone, the song was inspired by Julien Baker’s near-drowning experience at a Malibu beach. Of the memory, she commented:

“I was like, ‘This is not the worst ever way to die.’ It’s not traumatic, lonely, some sort of weird violent end or a horrible disease. I was just having a great time on the beach with my friends. That’s like being smothered to death by puppies.”