Intro: Juan Winans
Just woke up from another bad dream
I did the thing my daddy did to us
When you walked out on my mother (Yeah)
That trauma left us scramblin' for cover (Yeah)
I'm bein' haunted by the question
Did the apple fall far enough?
And it's on me like a vulture (Like a vulture)
All these fears tryna shape me like a sculptor (Like a sculptor) (Ooh)
Pre-Chorus: Juan Winans
'Cause I be hangin' up and then you call back
I pick it up and then I'm right back (Ooh ooh)
And every time I let you come around
You pullin' me down, I'm bad with it, yeah (Ooh ooh)
I hit the valleys, but I passed through (I passed through)
I see the failures, but I can't lose (I can't lose) (Ooh ooh)
I think it's finally time to tell you (Time to tell you)
I put that trouble in my rearview
Chorus: Juan Winans
(Step down) I step down on them letdowns
(Letdowns) My top down, goin' outta town
I switched it up for somethin' brand new
I put that trouble in my rearview, yeah
Verse 2: TobyMac, Juan Winans
Been seein' double for a long time (For a long time)
Can't keep my eyes up off the rewind (Off the rewind)
I'm back and forth like the ocean
Tryna move ahead, but the past is ferocious
Heavy days turn to heavy nights
But heavy love makes a burden light
There's only One I can turn to
King of today and the King of my rearview (Ooh ooh)
Pre-Chorus: TobyMac, Juan Winans
I turn around, it's like I never left
Your mercy's gotta be my greatest gift
I get in a little too deep
It's easy to see, I'm bad with it
I hit the valleys, but I passed through (Yeah, we passed through)
I see the battles, but I can't lose (No, we can't lose)
I think it's finally time to tell you
I put them troubles in my rearview (Yeah)
Chorus: Juan Winan, TobyMac, TobyMac & Juan Winan
(Step down) I step down on them letdowns
(Letdowns) My top down, goin' outta town
I switched it up for somethin' brand new (Brand new)
I put that trouble in my rearview
Bridge: TobyMac, Juan Winans
We movin' on, we movin'
We movin' on, we movin'
We movin' on, we movin'
Uh, I put them troubles in my rearview
(I'm movin' on) We movin' on, we movin'
(Yeah, I'm movin' on) We movin' on, we movin'
(Yeah, I'm movin' on) We movin' on, we movin'
(I'm prayin', movin' on) I put them troubles in my rearview
Outro: Juan Winans, TobyMac
I put them troubles in my rearview
I put that trouble in my rearview
Rearview
Rearview Song Meaning, Biblical Reference and Inspiration
TobyMac's song "Rearview," featuring Juan Winans, is a powerful anthem of liberation from past pain and the deliberate choice to move forward. Released on October 18, 2024, the track arrives within a period where TobyMac has often explored themes of grief, loss, and finding resilience through faith, following significant personal challenges. This background imbues "Rearview" with a deep, resonant vulnerability, particularly evident in Juan Winans' opening lines which confront the legacy of familial trauma and the fear of repeating cycles ("did the thing my daddy did to us," "did the apple fall far enough?"). The imagery of being haunted and shaped by fears ("vulture," "sculptor") vividly captures the oppressive weight of the past.
The song articulates the struggle against being pulled back into old patterns ("hangin' up and then you call back," "back and forth like the ocean"). This internal conflict is a relatable portrayal of trying to break free from ingrained habits or the gravitational pull of past hurts, where the "past is ferocious" and can feel impossible to escape. However, a pivotal shift occurs with the realization that while one may stumble ("bad with it," "get in a little too deep"), the ability to persevere comes not from inherent strength but from an external source.
This turning point is explicitly tied to faith in TobyMac's verse and the subsequent pre-chorus. The acknowledgment that "heavy love makes a burden light" points towards divine love as the force capable of lifting the weight of past struggles. The line "There's only One I can turn to, King of today and the King of my rearview" clearly identifies this source of strength as God. The recognition of His mercy as the "greatest gift" reinforces the theme that freedom from the past is enabled by grace, not earned effort alone. This aligns with biblical concepts like finding rest for heavy burdens (Matthew 11:28-30) and the transforming power of God's love and mercy (Lamentations 3:22-23).
The chorus and bridge serve as declarations of this decided shift. The metaphor of putting "that trouble in my rearview" signifies a conscious, determined act of leaving behind what hinders progress. Stepping "down on them letdowns," having the "top down, goin' outta town," and switching to "somethin' brand new" are expressions of newfound freedom, joy, and a forward-looking perspective. The repetitive chanting in the bridge, "We movin' on, we movin'," transforms the personal struggle into a collective journey, emphasizing the ongoing nature of healing and progress. This echoes the biblical call to press on towards what is ahead, forgetting what is behind (Philippians 3:13-14) and embracing the new life offered (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Ultimately, "Rearview" is an inspirational testament to the possibility of breaking free from the grip of past trauma and failures. It acknowledges the difficulty of the battle but confidently proclaims victory through reliance on faith. By putting the troubles in the rearview, the song suggests that while the past is acknowledged, it no longer dictates the direction. Instead, the focus is on the path ahead, guided and empowered by a love that conquers even the most ferocious past. It is a message of hope, resilience, and the transformative power found in turning towards God when facing life's deepest hurts.
