As he raises his hand, you begin to understand
That no love is worth the hate that you feel
Now you're running out of pain
And all these feelings feel the same
So you close your eyes and wish it all away
And I lie awake and I try to say
Anything I know just to ease your pain
But you hide away where no one can see
And it's only you that can set you free
Now the time has come again
So you reach deep down within
To find the strength that you have buried there
As you turn to walk away, you can still hear him say
You'll never make it in this world alone
And I lie awake and I try to say
Anything I know just to ease your pain
But you hide away where no one can see
And it's only you that can set you free
You try to fight
(You try to fight)
You hide the pain
(You hide the pain)
You walk away
(You walk away)
Never again
You try to fight
(You try to fight)
You hide the pain
(You hide the pain)
You walk away
(You walk away)
Never again
And I lie awake and I try to say
Anything I know just to ease your pain
But you hide away where no one can see
And it's only you that can set you free
Set you free, set you free

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Washed Out's "Echoes" tell the story of someone who is struggling with the aftermath of a failed relationship. The first verse sets up the scene as the listener hears someone raising their hand, and the singer says, "you begin to understand/That no love is worth the hate that you feel." The chorus repeats the idea that the person is feeling pain and is trying to seek comfort, but they are hiding it away from others. The second verse sees the person trying to find the strength within themselves to keep moving forward, but they still hear the familiar voice that tells them they'll never make it alone. The final chorus repeats the same lines, but this time changes "lie awake" to "try to fight." The turning point comes with the repeated phrase "set you free," and the song ends with that idea.

Interpreting these lyrics, it seems like Washed Out is speaking from the voice of a compassionate onlooker who is trying to help the person find their way out of the pain. The message is that while you might try to hide your suffering from others, the only person who can truly release you from it is yourself. The lyrics are a reminder that healing takes time, and even though you might feel like you're struggling alone, there are people who care and want to help.

Overall, "Echoes" is a melancholic song that speaks to universal experiences of grief and heartache. The lyrics resonate with anyone who has tried to move on from a difficult situation, and the message is ultimately one of hope- that even in the darkest moments, we can find the inner strength to keep going and move towards a brighter future.

Line by Line Meaning

As he raises his hand, you begin to understand
You realize the painful truth as your abuser raises his hand to strike you.

That no love is worth the hate that you feel
You understand that the toxic love you receive is not worth the negative emotions it makes you feel.

Now you're running out of pain
You have exhausted yourself from feeling hurt and awful all the time.

And all these feelings feel the same
You feel a constant wave of emotions but they all blend together into one indistinguishable feeling.

So you close your eyes and wish it all away
You attempt to escape your pain by shutting your eyes and hoping it disappears.

And I lie awake and I try to say
Someone who cares for you tries to come up with words to comfort you but they are unable to.

Anything I know just to ease your pain
This person tries to say anything that comes to mind to try and alleviate your emotional agony.

But you hide away where no one can see
You conceal your true emotions from everyone around you and withdraw from society.

And it's only you that can set you free
Ultimately, only you can break free from the awful circumstances you're in and find happiness again.

Now the time has come again
The cycle of pain has started again, repeating itself.

So you reach deep down within
You must find the inner strength to get through another round of hurt and malaise.

To find the strength that you have buried there
You've kept your strength hidden away, but must dig it out to endure more adversity.

As you turn to walk away, you can still hear him say
As you leave your abuser, you can still hear their negative words in your mind.

You'll never make it in this world alone
Your abuser has convinced you that you will not succeed without them, but this is a lie.

You try to fight (You try to fight) You hide the pain (You hide the pain) You walk away (You walk away) Never again
You try to fight the pain, hide your emotions, and leave your abuser, knowing that you cannot endure the agony again.

And I lie awake and I try to say
The person who cares for you still lies awake, trying to think of ways to help you.

Anything I know just to ease your pain
This person still tries to say anything that could help you feel better and find peace.

But you hide away where no one can see
You still keep your feelings hidden from others around you.

And it's only you that can set you free Set you free, set you free
In the end, only you can find the strength to break free from the cycle of pain and achieve freedom and happiness.

Contributed by Lucas F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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