Top TV Song Last Week: Borrowed Time by Rick and Morty & Tennis

September 15, 2021 Adrienne Gardner artist-rick-and-morty, artist-tennis

The penultimate episode of Rick and Morty season 5 features the most popular song on Tunefind last week. The Adult Swim animated series frequently creates original music and this time tapped a husband-and-wife duo for this new track.

Borrowed Time (From Rick and Morty: Season 5)

by Rick and Morty, Tennis

from Rick and Morty Soundtrack · Season 5 · Episode 9 · Forgetting Sarick Mortshall

At the end, Rick moves out to start a new chapt…

Rick has announced that he is leaving to start a new life with the crows, his new sidekicks. As Rick packs up the garage a soft guitar begins strumming. While loading up his spaceship, Rick turns back to see Morty crying on the balcony and the heartbreaking lyrics of ‘Borrowed Time’ come in. Rick and Morty are effectively “breaking up.” The song quiets as Rick breaks the fourth wall ranting about “Rick and Two Crows” before picking up into the end credits.

“‘Borrowed Time’ was written and recorded specifically for this episode of Rick and Morty by Tennis and produced by myself,” shared Rick and Morty composer Ryan Elder. “For me personally, working with Tennis on Rick and Morty was a dream come true and the culmination of many years of waiting for the right opportunity.”

Elder explains how Tennis doesn’t typically write break-up songs, but they worked together to create a song that would resonate with the scene and story, as well as stand on its own. They wanted people to listen to ‘Borrowed Time’ outside the context of the show as well. “We wanted it to seem as if we found this great song that just happened to work well with the scene,” Elder said.

The song went through many different iterations and approaches. “We landed on this more stripped down acoustic version that really allows Alaina’s vocals to shine,” Elder told Tunefind.

‘Borrowed Time’ was released as a single on September 3, 2021 through Turner Music Publishing, Inc. and Cartoon Network, Inc. Rick and Morty has released more than ten singles to date, as well as a full-length album in September 2018.

Tennis is an indie-pop duo of married couple, Patrick Riley on guitar and keys and Alaina Moore on vocals and keys. Riley and Moore met during their college days in Colorado. After graduating, the two purchased a sailboat and spent months sailing the Eastern Atlantic Seaboard together. Once they returned to Colorado, Tennis began recording tracks inspired by their trip and the music discussions they would have aboard their boat, the Swift Ranger.

The duo released their debut studio album called Cape Dory in 2011, followed by their sophomore album, Young & Old a year later. Tennis has released three more albums since; Ritual in Repeat (2014), Yours Conditionally (2017), and Swimmer (2020). They have also released over 20 singles since 2010 and two EPs, Small Sound (November 2013) and We Can Die Happy (November 2017).

Tennis has had placements in television shows like Shrill and Pretty Little Liars as well as films like Life Partners (2014). The couple shared their Rick and Morty single cover art for ‘Borrowed Time’ on their Instagram stating, “Earlier this summer our amazingly talented friend @ryaneldermusic asked us to write a song for @rickandmorty ✨✨✨ we’ve always loved the show and had so much fun working on this project. Borrowed Time is streaming everywhere now and is in this Sunday’s episode 💕💕”