Breaking Down


"Breaking Down" is a song by American rock band I Prevail. It was their first single off of their second studio album Trauma. In July 2019, it peaked at number three on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart.

Background

The song was first released on February 26, 2019, a month before the release of its respective album, Trauma. It was released within twelve hours of the first song released from the album, "Bow Down". A music video accompanied the release, which contained lead singer Brian Burkheiser covered in a black sludge, said to be "lyrical and visual representation of depression". It was later debuted in a live setting on March 11, 2019, at the Download Festival.

Themes and composition

Thematically, the song's lyrics are self-referential to the band's recent struggles with their rising fame, depression, and mental health. After working hard to establish themselves as a band, and succeeding in gaining popularity with their cover of Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" and their first album, Lifelines, a doctor diagnosed Burkheiser with polyp on his vocal chord that required surgery. The experience caused him to suffer from depression and almost give up on the band. Burkheiser explained of the song:
Burkheiser states that writing the song was therapeutic, and that it "given a breath of life that honestly never thought would feel again."

Personnel

Band

Weekly charts

Year-end charts