Badlands occur throughout the world, and are represented by dramatic terrain created by sediment that is deposited in layers, then solidifies and is eroded over millions of years. These processes leave stark, but beautiful structures in a harsh and alien landscape. Badlands opens with a first theme that depicts the stark emptiness of the badland terrain. This moves to a brooding, mysterious second theme followed by variations on this theme. A brief lyrical theme and a return to the second theme follow. The piece ends with a return of the first theme for a dramatic finish.