Feels Like We Only Go Backwards

"Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" explores the emotional landscape of a one-sided relationship and the internal struggle that comes with it. The central theme is the feeling of being stuck in a repetitive cycle of hope and disappointment. The narrator desperately wants to move forward in the relationship, but every effort seems to result in a regression, hence the title. It delves into the internal conflict between the rational part of the mind that says to move on and the emotional part that clings to the hope of reciprocation.

The lyrics articulate the experience of being infatuated with someone who gives mixed signals or is emotionally unavailable. The narrator analyzes the other person's actions, clinging to small gestures like the way they say their name, as a sign of affection. However, this is followed by the painful realization that they might be projecting their own desires and that the other person's feelings may not be as deep. The song captures the essence of this emotional tug-of-war, the indecisiveness not stemming from the narrator, who has already decided on their feelings, but from the ambiguous nature of the other person's affections.

The narrator is caught in a frustrating and cyclical pattern within a relationship. There's a profound feeling of being stuck, as if any attempt to move forward only results in sliding back to the starting point. This sentiment is encapsulated in the recurring phrase, "It feels like I only go backwards." Despite this, a part of the narrator urges them to press on, to keep trying to advance the connection. This internal conflict is highlighted by the line, "Every part of me says, 'Go ahead'."

A significant source of this emotional turmoil is the hope that constantly gets reignited, only to be dashed again. The narrator admits, "I got my hopes up again, oh no, not again," suggesting a painful history of disappointment. This cycle of hope and letdown is a central theme, emphasizing the feeling of being trapped in a loop.

There's a deep-seated desire for reciprocation from the other person. The narrator finds themselves dwelling on the sound of their name being called, hearing it in their head throughout the day. This points to a deep infatuation and a yearning for acknowledgment. However, there's a painful realization that this might just be wishful thinking. The narrator suspects they are clinging to the mere possibility that the other person's feelings are simply not being expressed, rather than being non-existent.

The narrator also grapples with the source of this indecisiveness in the relationship. They assert that the root of the problem isn't their own uncertainty, as they had made up their mind about their feelings long ago. This implies that the stagnation comes from the other person's lack of commitment or clarity. The struggle to achieve something genuine and real within this dynamic seems to be the very thing that perpetuates the backward motion. The more they try to force a connection, the more it seems to regress, leading back to the overarching feeling of only going backwards.

"Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" was written by Kevin Parker, the frontman and creative force behind Tame Impala. The song was released on October 1, 2012, as the second single from the band's critically acclaimed sophomore album, Lonerism. Kevin Parker is credited as the songwriter, producer, and recording engineer for the track. The mixing was handled by Dave Fridmann, and it was mastered by Greg Calbi. Parker revealed in an interview with Rick Rubin that the song was inspired by "Walk in the Park" by the dream pop duo Beach House. In 2014, Parker shared an early demo of the song, recorded on a Sony digital recorder, which captured the initial stages of him working out the melody and chords. The song was reportedly offered to the pop singer Ke$ha, but her team turned it down, leading Parker to keep it for Tame Impala. There were also accusations of plagiarism from a Chilean news site, alleging that the song's melody was similar to "Océano" by Argentinian pop singer Pablo Ruiz, though Parker was only three years old when that song was released.

The rhyme scheme in "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" is relatively simple and follows a pop-like structure, which contributes to its catchiness. The verses have an AABB rhyme scheme (e.g., "ahead" and "again," "name" and "day"). This straightforward rhyming pattern makes the lyrics memorable and easy to follow.

The rhythm of the song is one of its defining features. It has a steady, driving beat that propels the song forward, creating a juxtaposition with the lyrical theme of going backwards. The tempo is moderate, giving the song a laid-back yet insistent feel. The interplay between the lyrical rhythm and the musical rhythm is crucial to the song's overall effect. While the lyrics express a sense of being stuck, the music has a sense of continuous motion, which can be interpreted as the ongoing passage of time despite the emotional paralysis. The drumming, in particular, has been noted for its powerful and profuse presence right from the start of the song.

Musically, "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" is a prime example of Tame Impala's signature psychedelic rock and pop sound. The song is characterized by its lush and layered instrumentation, including prominent synthesizers, guitars, and a driving drum beat. The overlapping and repetitive nature of the instrumental parts mirrors the song's lyrical theme of being stuck in a cycle. The track is in the key of F Major and has a relatively straightforward chord progression, but its complexity comes from the melodic and harmonic interplay. Kevin Parker's vocal delivery is a key stylistic element; his high-pitched, reverb-laden voice contributes to the song's dreamy and ethereal quality. The use of production techniques like phasing and volume automation on the keyboard parts creates a sense of movement and dimension in the mix.

Lyrically, the song employs a direct and conversational tone, with the narrator expressing their feelings in a seemingly straightforward manner. The use of rhetorical questions and declarations of personal feeling creates an intimate and introspective atmosphere. The repetition of the chorus and key phrases like "oh no, not again" acts as a lyrical hook and reinforces the central theme of cyclical frustration.

"Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" is one of Tame Impala's most popular and critically acclaimed songs. It received widespread praise upon its release and was named the 7th best song of 2012 by Pitchfork, who also ranked it number 192 on their list of the 200 best songs of the 2010s. The song also placed ninth in the influential Triple J Hottest 100 of 2012 in Australia. It won Single of the Year at the 2013 West Australian Music Industry Awards.

The song has been covered by several artists, most notably the Arctic Monkeys. A version of the song featuring American rapper Kendrick Lamar was included in the soundtrack for the 2014 film Divergent. The original song has also been used in various other media, including the TV shows Moov and The Imperfects, and over the end credits of the film Shimmer Lake.

The track is considered a staple of Tame Impala's live shows and a fan favorite. Its success helped to solidify Tame Impala's status as a leading act in the modern psychedelic rock scene and has had a lasting impact on indie and alternative music.

The primary metaphor in "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" is the concept of forward and backward motion, which symbolizes the progression and regression in a relationship. The feeling of "only going backwards" represents the narrator's inability to make any headway in their romantic pursuit, despite their efforts. The repetition of this phrase throughout the song reinforces the cyclical and inescapable nature of this emotional state.

The "seed of all this indecision" is another metaphorical element. The narrator claims this "seed" isn't within them, suggesting the root of the relationship's stagnation lies with the other person. This externalizes the problem and highlights the narrator's feeling of powerlessness.

The music video for the song, created by Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling (known for the web series Don't Hug Me I'm Scared), uses psychedelic clay animation. The constantly morphing and colorful visuals, made from over 1000 handmade plasticine collages, can be seen as a visual metaphor for the song's dreamy and disorienting atmosphere, as well as the confusing and ever-changing dynamics of the relationship described in the lyrics. The imagery of a human head transforming into an elephant and other abstract shapes contributes to the song's surreal and introspective mood.

The most prominent recurring phrase in the song is the title itself, "Feels like we only go backwards." This line is repeated multiple times in the chorus and serves as the central thesis of the song. Its repetition drills home the feeling of frustration and being trapped in a cycle. Another key recurring phrase is "I got my hopes up again, oh no, not again," which emphasizes the repetitive nature of the narrator's disappointment.

Musically, the song is built around a recurring chord progression and a memorable synth melody that appears throughout. The interplay between the bassline, the drums, and the swirling keyboard sounds creates a hypnotic and cyclical motif that mirrors the lyrical content. This musical repetition is a key element of Tame Impala's psychedelic sound and is used effectively here to create a sense of being caught in a loop.