Exclusive: Lost Dog Street Band’s Benjamin Tod Breaks Down the Band’s New Single “If You Leave Me Now”

Lost Dog Street Band released their last album, Glory in January 2022. Just ten months later, they were ready to retire the band permanently. However, fans of the band were largely unaware. Now, though, the band is back and ready to roll once more. Today, they released “If You Leave Me Now” the second single from their forthcoming album Survived. Watch the official video for the song below.

“If You Leave Me Now” takes a long, stark look at the anxiety underlying many long-term romantic relationships. More specifically, it looks at the fear of how one would react to cope with the pain and loneliness that came after losing a long-term partner.

[RELATED: A Reinvigorated Lost Dog Street Band Returns with New Single “Brighter Shade” Ahead of Forthcoming Album ‘Survived’]

Earlier this week, Benjamin Tod sat down with American Songwriter to discuss the forthcoming album. During the conversation, he took time to break down the verses of the band’s latest single.

Lost Dog Street Band’s Benjamin Tod Discusses “If You Leave Me Now”

First, Tod dissected the song’s opening verse: Don’t go punching mirrors you may find / More than you had bargained left behind / You may see things clearer in your mind. / Branded as a scar all your life,

“I guess it reflects more on punching a mirror and still having to live with who you are and the ramifications,” Tod explained. “And the fact that the depth of your understanding of your own perdition is deeper than anything that’s going to be reflected in the world.”

Then, he dove into the song’s second verse: I can hold this bottle but it ain’t the same / It never wiped my tears or calmed my pain. / For seven days a week and a pocket of change / It’s there for me and that’s more than you can say.

“The second verse is a common thread that any alcoholic or addict or someone who uses anything probably feels. It’s really hard to get away from that psychology,” he said. “When you’ve been an addict of anything, you know damn well you can go and you can buy your feelings and you don’t have to share them with anybody. It’s a lot harder to pursue romance and love in an honest and graceful fashion,” he added.

Tod also talked about the overall sentiment of the song. “It’s kind of dark, in a way but it’s certainly something I’ve felt at different points in my life. ‘If you leave me now, I will never love again. I’ll go crazy and lose it.’ I think it’s a universal feeling, to some extent,” he explained. “It may not be healthy but it’s certainly something that I think happens within love, especially in longer-term relationships.”

Survived hits record store shelves and streaming services on April 26

Featured Image by Starla Groves