Songfacts®:

• In "Pushing It Down and Praying," Lizzy McAlpine explores the guilt of mentally wandering toward a past lover while being physically intimate with her current partner. Unlike the longing of her earlier hits like "Ceilings," this track is about the internal conflict of settling for stability over passion.
• Written by McAlpine and produced with her guitarist Mason Stoops, the song appears on Older (and Wiser), the deluxe extension of McAlpine's already heartbreak-heavy album Older. Originally released on September 20, 2024, the track serves as a bridge between the folk-centric sound of the standard Older record and the expanded narrative of the deluxe edition. Throughout the album, she rummages through the emotional wreckage of a past relationship as inspiration.
• The accompanying video, directed by sweetiepie (Neema Sadeghi and Ethan Frank) alongside McAlpine, casts the singer-songwriter Role Model. In the visual, McAlpine stands before an audience, spotlighted and exposed, suggesting that she's not just performing for fans, but for her partner as well.
  
  The collaboration with Role Model generated significant buzz, as both artists occupy a similar indie-pop sphere and have collaborated before, notably on his 2024 track "So Far Gone" from Kansas Anymore.
  
  McAlpine said the video concept came together casually, "at dinner," and was shot three weeks later in "one very long day."
• During the 2024-2025 Older Tour, the song was often used to show off McAlpine's band's range, bridging the gap between her intimate acoustic sets and the fuller rock sound of her finales. On November 17, 2025, a live recording titled "Pushing It Down and Praying (Live from AFAS, Amsterdam)" was released to streaming platforms. This version captures the raw energy of The Older Tour with her full touring band.