The Greatest Lie
Anathema Device Lyrics


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They told me the reality of the outcome.
They called it hopeless. They'd given up.
When all that counts has been said and done,
I have no strength to prove them wrong.

And you won't say
And you don't say
And you won't say
The thing I need today.

Just turn away. Turn your face.
Hide the truth. My hope's in you.
Just turn away, and tell me the greatest lie,
So I can ride this through.

Will you lie to me and give me hope?
Will you lie to me?

It seems the simplest little thing.
Why can't you understand what I'm asking?
Just say the future isn't lost to me,
Even if you don't believe.

And you won't say
And you don't say
And you won't say
The thing I need today.

Just turn away. Turn your face.
Hide the truth. My hope's in you.




Just turn away, and tell me the greatest lie,
So I can climb back through

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Anathema Device's "The Greatest Lie" speak of a person who has been told that their situation is hopeless, and all that can be done has been done. However, they have no strength left to prove them wrong. The person is looking for someone to lie to them and give them hope. They want to be told that the future isn't lost to them, even if it isn't true. The person is clearly desperate and in need of reassurance, but the other person won't give them what they need.


The song seems to be about the power of hope and belief in the face of adversity. The person singing needs someone to give them hope, even if it's a lie. They want to believe that their situation isn't hopeless and that there is a future for them, but they can't do it alone. The other person's refusal to lie to them and give them the hope they need is causing them to feel even more desperate and alone.


The lyrics of "The Greatest Lie" are powerful and emotional, speaking to the human need for hope and the desire to believe that things can get better. The song is a reminder that we all need someone to believe in us and give us hope, even when things seem impossible.


Line by Line Meaning

They told me the reality of the outcome.
They informed me of the true result that would occur.


They called it hopeless. They'd given up.
They stated that the situation was beyond repair and that they had lost all motivation.


When all that counts has been said and done,
After everything that has been said and done,


I have no strength to prove them wrong.
I am too exhausted to demonstrate to them that they are incorrect.


And you won't say
You refuse to speak the truth,


And you don't say
You remain silent,


And you won't say
You continue to withhold,


The thing I need today.
The thing I require to survive this day.


Just turn away. Turn your face.
Just look away and avoid the issue.


Hide the truth. My hope's in you.
Conceal the truth from me because my hope lies in you.


Just turn away, and tell me the greatest lie,
Just turn away and deceive me with the most elaborate lie,


So I can ride this through.
So that I can persist through this situation.


Will you lie to me and give me hope?
Are you capable of lying to me and providing me with hope?


Will you lie to me?
Are you willing to deceive me?


It seems the simplest little thing.
It appears to be a straightforward request.


Why can't you understand what I'm asking?
What is the reason for your inability to comprehend my plea?


Just say the future isn't lost to me,
Just claim that the future isn't beyond my grasp.


Even if you don't believe.
Even if you lack faith in that statement.


And you won't say
You refuse to vocalize the truth,


And you don't say
You maintain your silence,


And you won't say
You persist in withholding the truth,


The thing I need today.
The essential item I require to survive this day.


Just turn away. Turn your face.
Just ignore the problem and avert your gaze.


Hide the truth. My hope's in you.
Keep the truth hidden from me because my hope lies in you.


Just turn away, and tell me the greatest lie,
Just look away and feed me the grandest falsehood,


So I can climb back through.
So that I can emerge from this situation victorious.




Contributed by Camden N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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