Feels Like We Only Go Backwards

"Feels Like We Only Go Backwards"
"Feels Like We Only Go Backwards"
Single by Tame Impala
from the album Lonerism
Released	1 October 2012
Genre	Psychedelic rock, psychedelic pop, neo-psychedelia
Length	3:12
Label	Modular
Songwriter(s)	Kevin Parker
Producer(s)	Kevin Parker
Tame Impala singles chronology

"Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" is a song by Australian psychedelic rock band Tame Impala. It is the seventh track on their 2012 album Lonerism, and was released as its second single on 1 October 2012. The single features artwork from Australian artist Leif Podhajsky, who also created the artwork for their first album, Innerspeaker. In an interview with Rick Rubin on the podcast Broken Record, Kevin Parker said he wrote "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" after being inspired by "Walk in the Park" by Beach House.^[2]

At the 2013 West Australian Music Industry Awards, the song won Single of the Year.^[3]^[4]

Music video

The music video was directed by Joseph Pelling and Becky Sloan,^[5]^[6] best known as creators of Don't Hug Me I'm Scared web series. The music video consists of psychedelic clay animation.

Critical reception

The song was voted on many year end best of lists in 2012. Pitchfork named it the 7th best song of 2012, and said of the track; "it will blow your brain back to its most purely joyous and least cynical recesses."^[7] The same website also ranked it #192 on their list of the 200 best songs of the 2010s.^[8] It placed ninth on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2012.^[9]

Usage in media

"Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" was used in the promotion of Via X's Chilean TV program Moov.^[10]

The Irish sports podcast Second Captains used the song as the theme music for its 2014 FIFA World Cup coverage.

The collaboration version of the song (with Kendrick Lamar) was featured in the movie Divergent.

The song was used in the Netflix show The Imperfects.

The song plays over the credits of the film Shimmer Lake, which features a narrative told in reverse.

Charts

Chart (2014)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)^[11]	67
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)^[12]	37

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[13]	3× Platinum	210,000^‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)^[14]	Platinum	60,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)^[15]	Gold	400,000^‡
United States (RIAA)^[16]	Platinum	1,000,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.