The Greatest Lie
Circa Survive Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

This building smelled so familiar
Well, I had thought the sense was lost
And in a day dream I imagined my house
Where all my father's sense of strength was lost

It's all we have
It's all well
So find me a place to begin

[Chorus:]
If I could get this feeling to end
Trembling idle hands holding me there
We laugh in the face of love
'Cause nobody's really there
Nobody's real

Desire - I would try it either way
We believe in something invisible
The sense of smell that you use all your life
Well, now you know your father lied

It's all we have
So find me a place to begin

If I could get this feeling to end
With trembling idle hands holding me there
We laugh in the face of love
'Cause nobody's really there
Nobody's real

And I could never find my way without
But you're already there
And we, we've come a long, long way without
Without maps in our hands

It's all we have
So find me a place to begin





[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "The Greatest Lie" by Circa Survive are clearly heart-wrenching and deeply personal, exploring a wide range of emotions such as disillusionment, alienation, and the search for identity. The opening lines of the song describe a building that seems familiar, but the sense of familiarity is quickly revealed to be a deception, as the singer realizes that the "sense" he thought he had lost was only an illusion. This sets the stage for the rest of the song, which deals with themes of disillusionment and disappointment.


The chorus of the song is particularly striking, featuring lines like "We laugh in the face of love/'Cause nobody's really there/Nobody's real." These lines suggest a deep sense of isolation and loneliness, as well as a lack of faith in the power of human connection. However, the repeated refrain of "If I could get this feeling to end" suggests that the singer longs for some kind of resolution, some way to overcome his feelings of despair and find a way to move forward.


The closing lines of the song, "And we, we've come a long, long way without/Without maps in our hands," suggest that the journey is ongoing, and that there is no easy path to healing or self-discovery. Overall, "The Greatest Lie" is a haunting and deeply moving song that explores the complexities of the human experience in a powerful and poignant way.


Line by Line Meaning

This building smelled so familiar
The singer recognizes the scent of the building and is reminded of a memory from their past.


Well, I had thought the sense was lost
The singer thought that they had forgotten the smell, and are surprised to remember it now.


And in a day dream I imagined my house
The singer is lost in thought and imagines a vision of their home.


Where all my father's sense of strength was lost
The home the artist imagines is one where their father has lost his strength and power.


It's all we have
The memory or the imagined house is all the artist has to hold onto.


It's all well
Despite the difficult emotions that the memory brings up, everything is okay in the present moment.


So find me a place to begin
The singer is looking for a starting point to work through their emotions.


[Chorus:] If I could get this feeling to end Trembling idle hands holding me there We laugh in the face of love 'Cause nobody's really there Nobody's real
The chorus expresses the feeling of being stuck in an emotion, with nobody to help. Even love doesn't seem real or trustworthy.


Desire - I would try it either way
The artist is willing to try anything to change their emotional state.


We believe in something invisible
The artist and the people in their life believe in something intangible, like emotion or love.


The sense of smell that you use all your life Well, now you know your father lied
The smell that was so familiar before is now tainted by new knowledge that their father was not as strong as they thought he was.


And I could never find my way without But you're already there And we, we've come a long, long way without Without maps in our hands
The artist needs help to move forward, but someone is already there for them. Despite not having a clear path, they have made progress.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@galacticgaze137

This building smelled so familiar
And I had thought the sense was lost
And in a day dream, I imagined my house
Where all my father's sense of strength was lost

It's all we have
It's all we have
So find me a place to begin

If I could get this feeling to end
Trembling idle hands, holding me there
We laugh in the face of love
'Cause nobody's really there
Nobody's real

Desire I would try it either way
We believe in something invisible
The sense of smell that you used all your life
Well, now you know your father lied

It's all we have
So find me a place to begin

If I could get this feeling to end
With trembling idle hands, holding me there
We laugh in the face of love
'Cause nobody's really there
Nobody's real

And I could never find my way without
But you're already there
And we've, we've come a long, long way without
Without maps in our hands

It's all we have
So find me a place to begin

If I could get this feeling to end
Trembling idle hands, holding me there
We laugh in the face of love
'Cause nobody's really there
Nobody's real



@candacelunford7245

This building smelled so familiar
Well, I had thought the sense was lost
And in a day dream I imagined my house
Where all my father's sense of strength was lost
It's all we have
It's all well
So find me a place to begin
If I could get this feeling to end
Trembling idle hands holding me there
We laugh in the face of love
'Cause nobody's really there
Nobody's real
Desire - I would try it either way
We believe in something invisible
The sense of smell that you use all your life
Well, now you know your father lied
It's all we have
So find me a place to begin
If I could get this feeling to end
With trembling idle hands holding me there
We laugh in the face of love
'Cause nobody's really there
Nobody's real
And I could never find my way without
But you're already there
And we, we've come a long, long way without
Without maps in our hands
It's all we have
So find me a place to begin
If I could get this feeling to end
Trembling idle hands holding me there
We laugh in the face of love
'Cause nobody's really there
Nobody's real



All comments from YouTube:

@aaronoakes2250

I’ve been in prison for 6 years and just got out 7 months ago and I used to play this album at night time and sometimes throughout the day. It’s bringing back memories.

@georgeromero4842

Cool story bro

@nicholashampton838

Good to hear man, too many people in cages nowadays

@Hinotefrom183rd

You used to play this in jail? That’s total respect from me. This is nostalgia to all of us. May god bless you with your release. 💯

@renzogallegos5877

That's new

@dominicdangelo4801

Wit u man....
Been down a few times

2 More Replies...

@jupiter9287

My uncle was really into this band when he was my age so I guess it's funny that I'm into the same band at the exact same age he was when he was into the band. He was 15 when this album was released (and when I was born) and I'm 15 now and I love this album :)

@mck7646

I was 17 when this album came out, brings back great memories.

@michelles.6466

You and your uncle have great taste. I was 15 when Juterna came out and a guy I was really interested in played the entire album for me one day and that was it-- I was hooked on Circa and still am.

@TJmusic24

The first time I saw them was in 07 I was 16 .. man seems like yesterday.. time moves too fast

More Comments

More Versions