Notion by The Rare Occasions Lyrics Meaning – Delving Into Life’s Ephemeral Thrum

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for The Rare Occasions's Notion at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Sure it’s a calming notion, perpetual in motion
but I don’t need the comfort of any lies
For I have seen the ending and there is no ascending,
Rise

Oh back when I was younger, was told by other youngsters
That my end will be torture beneath the earth
‘Cuz I don’t see what they see, when death is staring at me
I see a window, a limit, to live it, or not at all

If you could pull the lever to carry on forever
would your life even matter anymore?
Sure it’s a calming notion, perpetual in motion
but it’s not what you signed up for

I’m sure there won’t always be sunshine
but there’s this momentary beam of light
You don’t have to wait those salty decades
to get through the gate it’s all in front of your face

I’m sure there won’t always be sunshine
I’m sure there won’t always be sunshine
but there’s this momentary beam of light

I could cross the ocean in a fit of devotion
for every shining second this fragile body beckons
You think you’re owed it better believing ancient letters
Sure it’s a calming notion but it’s a lie

Wrapped in melodic soundscapes and introspective harmonies, ‘Notion’ by The Rare Occasions invites listeners into a thought-provoking pilgrimage through life’s existential landscape. As the tranquillity of the tune juxtaposes the depth of its inquiry, a sense of curiosity unfurls amid the lilting indie-rock backdrop.

The lyrics resonate with themes of mortality, truth and perspective; the lead singer’s voice becomes the beacon under which these motifs are scrutinized, offering no escape from the philosophy hidden within the addictive chorus and the poignant verses that speak volumes of our own common fears and desires.

Understanding the Mortal Coil – The Spinning Truths Behind Notion

At its core, ‘Notion’ grapples with an introspective confrontation of the finite reality of existence. ‘Sure it’s a calming notion, perpetual in motion,’ hints at the seductive simplicity of believing in eternal life or afterlife concepts to mask the terror of the unknown that death represents. Yet, the bold refutation, ‘but I don’t need the comfort of any lies,’ points to a stark acceptance of the reality that life, despite its cycles, has an endpoint.

As the song progresses, the idea of reassurance found in myths and long-held beliefs is systematically dismantled. The Rare Occasions suggest facing the realities of our mortality might be less about fear and more about liberation – a provocative sentiment that defies the sometimes morbid grip of traditional doctrines on our psyche.

A Heretic’s Tale – Questioning Dogma and Embracing the Now

‘Oh back when I was younger, was told by other youngsters, That my end will be torture beneath the earth,’ encapsulates the chilling inherence of fear instilled from youth. This indoctrination, viewed through the eyes of a non-believer, constructs a prison of dread. But the protagonist rejects this imposition; they see death as a ‘window,’ an opportunity to seize life, starkly contrasting the narrative of punishment propagated since their youngest days.

The notion of viewing one’s life through a lens free from the constraints of dogma is radical, almost heretical, and yet full of a call to moment-to-moment authenticity. We are invited to consider whether absolution in some distant afterlife truly trumps the allure of a present, well-lived existence.

Immortality’s Irony – A Dilemma of Everlasting Life

One of the most searching questions ‘Notion’ poses lurks within the lines, ‘If you could pull the lever to carry on forever, would your life even matter anymore?’ This retort to the common wish for immortality probes the innate value of life’s impermanence. It suggests that without an ending, life’s narrative might lose its gravitas, its series of meaningful crescendos.

The Rare Occasions use this metaphorical lever as a device to prompt self-inquiry. Do we desire life everlasting for its own sake, or is it the deathless conclusion to the story that we fear? The song unpacks this existential pack threading the belief that maybe, just maybe, the relentless cycle of ‘perpetual motion’ isn’t all that it’s promised to be.

Momentary Beams of Light – Finding Solace in the Transient Sunshine

Repeated throughout the song is a gentle yet powerful consolation: ‘I’m sure there won’t always be sunshine, but there’s this momentary beam of light.’ This lyric emphatically captures the fleeting but intense joys of life, countering the overarching narrative that fulfillment lies beyond the present, beyond the tangible.

The band elucidates that while our earthly stroll is undoubtedly punctuated by shadows, it is also adorned with bursts of brilliance that illuminate the here and now. The Rare Occasions thus coax us to revel in these transitory gleams, advocating for a life engaged consciously and appreciatively in its temporary sparkle.

The Lie of a Calming Notion – The Song’s Veiled Critique

In a culmination of its lyrical journey, ‘Notion’ culls its central critique of the ‘calming notion’ that has long been propounded by ‘ancient letters’. Herein lies the song’s veiled challenge to the doctrines that espouse an idealized afterlife, juxtaposing it with a narrative that champions living fiercely, presently, and authentically.

‘You think you’re owed it better believing ancient letters,’ is delivered almost as a verdict, a striking coup de grace to the myths that have comfortably numbed us to the vibrancy of the immediate, inevitably finite, world we inhabit. By unthreading the lie of this ‘calming notion,’ The Rare Occasions create a profound space for listeners to ponder, what indeed is the life we choose when stripped of comforting untruths?