Notion (The Rare Occasions song)

"Notion" is a song by American indie rock band The Rare Occasions, written by lead singer Brian McLaughlin. It was first released independently as part of their Futureproof EP on August 5, 2016. The song went viral on TikTok and YouTube in October 2021, with a slowed version of the song being used in videos portraying nostalgia. The renewed popularity of the song led the band to re-release it as a single.

Meaning
"Notion" is about religion, or specifically, not believing in it. The opening lines ("Sure it's a calming notion, perpetual in motion, but I don't need the comfort in any lies") and the ending lines (“Sure it’s a calming notion, but it’s a lie”) describe how religious texts calm people, though what it tells might not be true. In his 2016 review of the EP Futureproof, Mitch Mosk of Atwood Magazine wrote that the song makes one consider that "Life has its ups and its downs, but that isn't a reason to not live each day to our fullest potential."

Reception
"Notion" entered the UK Singles Chart for two weeks and peaked at number 72.

The Rare Occasions

 * Brian McLaughlin – lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar, orchestral arrangement
 * Peter Stone – lead guitar
 * Jeremy Cohen – bass guitar
 * Luke Imbusch – drums, percussion

Technical

 * Maria Rice – mastering
 * Steve Sacco – production, mixing, recording
 * Mitchell Haeuszer – recording