Treading Water
forfeit Lyrics


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Every day it gets harder
To get myself out of bed
When I'd rather solve problems
With a gun to my head

Far too long,
I've allowed myself
To use the future as a crutch,
The promise of better days ahead
Used to be enough.

I've dug in my heels,
Turned my back on the past,
But as a silent Atlas,
I'm bending in half

Far too long,
I've allowed myself
To use the future as a crutch,
The promise of better days ahead
Used to be enough.

I've been crawling towards the light at the end of the road
Now it's disappeared and left me all alone

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Forfeit's song "Treading Water" are imbued with a deep sense of struggle and despair. From the first line, the listener is pulled into a world of difficulty and unhappiness. The singer describes how every day it becomes harder for him to get out of bed, and how he feels unable to face the problems that confront him. It's clear that he feels stuck in his current situation, unable to move forward or find a way out.


As the song progresses, we get a sense of the singer's frustration and disappointment with himself. He talks about how he's allowed himself to use the promise of a better future as a crutch, but now that promise has disappeared. He's dug in his heels and turned his back on the past, but he feels like he's simply treading water, unable to make any progress. He compares himself to Atlas, the mythical figure who held up the world, but even he is unable to bear the weight of his burdens.


Overall, the lyrics of "Treading Water" are a poignant portrayal of the struggles that so many people face in their daily lives. They capture the feeling of being stuck in place, unable to move forward or find a way out, and the sense of disappointment and frustration that comes from feeling like you're not living up to your potential.


Line by Line Meaning

Every day it gets harder
Each passing day becomes more difficult than the last.


To get myself out of bed
It's a challenge to seek motivation and face reality.


When I'd rather solve problems
Rather than facing life's challenges, the thought of giving up seems more tempting.


With a gun to my head
Being forced or compelled to face difficulties as a result of the imaginary/negative consequences.


Far too long,
I've been living a certain way, up until now.


I've allowed myself
I've permitted myself.


To use the future as a crutch,
To depend on the future too much as a source of strength and support.


The promise of better days ahead
The hope of a brighter future that keeps one going.


Used to be enough.
The hope and promise of the future was all I needed to keep moving forward, but now it's not enough.


I've dug in my heels,
I've planted my feet firmly.


Turned my back on the past,
I've rejected my past and decided to move on from it.


But as a silent Atlas,
Despite being strong like Atlas, I'm still burdened with the weight of life's challenges without a voice to express it.


I'm bending in half
Overwhelmed by life's burdens, I feel like I'm breaking down.


I've been crawling towards the light at the end of the road
I've been putting in effort to reach my ultimate goal, and that goal is ahead at the end of the road.


Now it's disappeared and left me all alone
The light at the end of the road is no longer visible, leading me to feel lost and unsupported.




Contributed by London J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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