: The title was also inspired by a motel called "Riptide" where Vance Joy stayed with his family as a child. The "Riptide" Mentality
Beyond the music, "riptide" is often used as a metaphor for dealing with intense external forces or emotional distress.
“The chorus ties into this. A riptide suddenly swallows you beneath the water before you can react. He's fallen into this relationship without thinking.” Reddit · r/LyricInterpretations · 8 years ago Riptide
Vance Joy has described the "riptide" as a metaphor for being suddenly pulled into a relationship or a new lifestyle without fully thinking it through—much like a swimmer caught in an actual ocean current.
The Riptide Mentality, Lesser Goals, & More | The Curiosity Chronicle : The title was also inspired by a
: A playful way of saying he wants to be right by her side, despite her being "destined for the screen" and perhaps out of his league.
: Some describe grief not as a wave that passes, but as a riptide—unseen and cruel, pulling you under when you least expect it. A riptide suddenly swallows you beneath the water
: This often symbolizes a girl (or person) embracing a new, potentially dangerous or overwhelming direction in life.