Used to Believe

Song Meaning

The narrator reflects on past convictions, starting with a belief in an infallible self or an idealized figure. This initial certainty, described as "certain but wrong," suggests a youthful naivete where self-deception was impossible because the self was perceived as inherently pure. The repetition of "I used to believe" immediately establishes a tone of wistful remembrance, a looking back at a time when ideals felt solid and unassailable. This conviction extended to a collective ideal, something "that could never be taken apart," implying a shared purpose or movement that felt unbreakable. The phrase "Young and united, fighting of course" paints a picture of idealistic activism or a passionate shared endeavor, where the act of struggle itself was a source of happiness. It's a stark contrast to the present, where such unity seems lost or fractured. The lyrics then shift to a more abstract belief, a "magical chemical spark," and a hope for liberation. This suggests a belief in transformative potential, perhaps in relationships or personal growth, that could be achieved. The desire to "believe that alone in your arms again" introduces a personal, intimate element, hinting that these grander beliefs were once intertwined with a specific relationship, now longed for. The core tension lies in the erosion of these beliefs. The narrator once thought the best approach to life's hardships was to "rise to the sorrow" and fight a "lost cause," a noble but ultimately futile stance. Now, the repeated "down, down, down" in the outro signifies a descent, a settling into a less idealistic, perhaps more resigned, reality, far from the imagined comfort of being "comfortably settled by now."