by Tom Rhodes & Hustle Standard · 2024
The song “Low Tide” by Tom Rhodes & Hustle Standard is about experiencing a period of emotional struggle and isolation, feeling overwhelmed and weighed down by difficult circumstances as hope and brightness fade away.
This song has been Shazamed over 352,148 times. As of this writing, Low Tide is ranked 171
‘Low Tide’ by Tom Rhodes & Hustle Standard is a song about feeling lost and alone, with lyrics that paint a picture of sadness and struggle. We’re going to break down its meaning, explore the words, and see why it connects with so many people. ⬇️
️ The song’s atmosphere is drenched in melancholy, evoking the feeling of trudging through a rain-soaked world where hope feels distant. There’s a sense of shrinking space, both literal and emotional, as if the narrator’s universe is closing in with every verse.
The chorus—“We’re falling down”—hits like a punch in the gut. It’s simple, almost childlike, yet it swells with despair, echoing the sensation of slipping beneath waves you can’t fight. We feel the weight of gravity, the tug of exhaustion, and maybe, in that repetition, a desperate plea for someone to notice before we vanish completely.
The verses carry us through mud and memory—“Down here in the rain fields,” “Dragged out in the low tide”—each phrase heavy with imagery, each word soaked in resignation. There’s no sunshine here, only the ache of blue skies gone missing and the haunting refrain of “Oh no,” like a broken record stuck on heartbreak. The repeated mention of “wreckage” and “borrowed time” hints at lives lived on the edge, clinging to scraps of hope as the tide pulls everything away.
Even little details—“borrowed time and quarters”—feel significant, suggesting a life measured in fleeting moments and spare change, a desperate counting of what’s left. The song doesn’t offer solutions; instead, it immerses us in the thick, sticky sadness of being dragged under, alone, while the world above remains oblivious. Each “aww” and “ooh” is a wordless sigh, a universal sound of grief that bridges the gap between artist and listener.
“Low Tide” isn’t just about sinking—it’s about the quiet, unspoken courage it takes to exist when you’re barely keeping your head above water, hoping someone hears you before you disappear.
Writer(s) of Low Tide:
