Song Meaning

Nathaniel Rateliff's "Forgetting is Believing" isn't a simple heartbreak anthem; it's a jagged, introspective journey through the cyclical nature of conflict and the struggle to maintain perspective amidst the noise. The opening lines, "Been there always / Could be there again / Ended always / To bend it back up again," establish a pattern of repeated struggles. It suggests a relationship, or perhaps a personal demon, that perpetually resurfaces, demanding renewed effort and resilience. The 'truce' that devolves into 'throwing in a first blow' speaks to the inherent instability of peace, the ever-present temptation to reignite old battles. Rateliff captures the frustrating dance of aggression and reconciliation, where moments of calm are constantly threatened by the urge to strike out. The water imagery – 'swim out a ways,' 'float on our backs' – introduces themes of vulnerability and precariousness. There's a shared journey, a mutual commitment to venture into the unknown, but the threat of 'cramp' (emotional or mental exhaustion) looms large. The line 'at least it's not a race' is key; it's a reminder to prioritize survival and shared experience over competition, a plea to resist the urge to turn the journey into a contest of wills. The core of the song meaning lies in accepting the shared struggle, rather than fighting against each other. Ultimately, "Forgetting is Believing" acknowledges the disorienting power of external voices and opinions. The lines, "It's a joke / And it's always a big deal / To people who don't matter at all," highlight the absurdity of allowing irrelevant perspectives to dictate one's emotional state. Rateliff seems to suggest that true strength lies in cultivating selective amnesia, in actively choosing to forget the noise and focus on the shared journey, the present moment, the strokes that define your own path, not the distant echoes of 'a shot and a whistle.' The song offers a stark reminder: what you choose to remember, and what you choose to forget, ultimately shapes your reality.