Echoes
Gene Clark; Gosdin Brothers Lyrics


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On the streets you look again
At the places you have been
Or the moments that you thought
Where am I going
Though the walls are like the dead
They reflect the things you've said
And the echoes in your head continue showing
Near the castles you can build
Out of dreams you half fulfilled
Won't keep out all of the ill wind that is blowing
And you look still for a trace
Of an opening in a place
Where you find the life that you were used to knowing
You can walk out in the night
And be sure that its alright
To exaggerate the world that's only being
You can watch Regina dance
Through the crystal panes of glass
Yet you know that there's so much that she's not seeing
Still you hold one precious thought
After all this time you've sought
That she might be just protecting what she longs for
And her eyes are veiled with black
Cause she plays she can look back
At the love she wanted so but says is no more
The lights go on, commence the cold
As your senses will be sold
To the parrot watchers mimicing no reasons
To pretend that what they are
From the fact completely far
While the truth may be betrayal, lies and treason
Build their towers in the sand
Down the roads at their command
When the kingdom is the innocence they're stealing
And infection easily spreads




To the searching, twisted heads
As they team up to tear down each others feeling

Overall Meaning

In Gene Clark's song Echoes, the lyrics explore the complex emotions and thoughts that arise when reflecting on past experiences and trying to find a sense of purpose in the present moment. The first verse describes the feeling of being lost and unsure of where to go next, with the walls reflecting past words and thoughts like echoes in one's head. The second verse suggests that building castles from unfulfilled dreams won't protect one from the ill wind blowing, and that one still seeks a place to find the life they used to know. The chorus offers a message of hope, suggesting that even in the exaggeration of life's experiences, one can still find a sense of alright-ness. Yet, the verses that follow paint a picture of the grittiness of reality, of a woman dancing in a crystal room who may be hiding her true longings and abilities to connect with others. The song concludes by describing the ways in which people can be like parrot watchers, mimicking each other without questioning the reasons behind their actions, and going on to steal the innocence of others. The final line leaves a haunting feeling that the very people who are searching for meaning and connection may be the ones who end up tearing each other apart.


Line by Line Meaning

On the streets you look again
Walking on the streets, you start reminiscing about your past experiences


At the places you have been
You recall the specific locations you have visited


Or the moments that you thought
You also reflect on the particular moments that you have had


Where am I going
It's a rhetorical question that implies confusion or uncertainty about one's path


Though the walls are like the dead
The walls look lifeless and dull


They reflect the things you've said
The walls almost seem to be mirrors that reflect your thoughts and words


And the echoes in your head continue showing
The sounds of your past experiences, thoughts and feelings continue to reverberate around in your mind


Near the castles you can build
The 'castles' are metaphorical; they represent personal dreams or achievements


Out of dreams you half fulfilled
These dreams are only partly realized, some of them are still left unfulfilled


Won't keep out all of the ill wind that is blowing
These castles cannot completely protect you from the difficulties or obstacles that life throws your way


And you look still for a trace
You are still searching for a clue


Of an opening in a place
You are seeking an opportunity, an entrance or a way to move forward


Where you find the life that you were used to knowing
You are hoping to find again a life that you once knew and were familiar with


You can walk out in the night
You can venture out, even in the dark


And be sure that its alright
You feel secure, confident and comfortable moving through the night


To exaggerate the world that's only being
You are allowed to imagine or embellish reality


You can watch Regina dance
Regina is a metaphor for someone who experiences life with more innocence and naivety


Through the crystal panes of glass
You can observe Regina's world through a translucent wall


Yet you know that there's so much that she's not seeing
Despite her pure outlook, you recognize that Regina is not aware of everything that goes on outside of her own world


Still you hold one precious thought
You have one meaningful idea that you hold on to dearly


After all this time you've sought
You have searched for this precious thought for a long time


That she might be just protecting what she longs for
You suspect that Regina may be guarding something that she deeply desires


And her eyes are veiled with black
Regina doesn't show her true feelings and they are hidden from view


Cause she plays she can look back
Regina pretends that she can remember what she has lost, but really she can't


At the love she wanted so but says is no more
Regina was in love with something that no longer exists and she has given up on having it again


The lights go on, commence the cold
The lights turning on are symbolic of something new emerging; the cold represents a hard reality


As your senses will be sold
You are vulnerable to being taken advantage of; you can be manipulated


To the parrot watchers mimicing no reasons
People who mimic words and actions without understanding why they do it


To pretend that what they are
They try to maintain a façade of their true selves


From the fact completely far
They are far away from the truth and the reality of their being


While the truth may be betrayal, lies and treason
The truth that they run away from may be the ugly dark side of humanity


Build their towers in the sand
People waste their effort on things that won't last


Down the roads at their command
They proceed with their selfish agenda, no matter what others think


When the kingdom is the innocence they're stealing
People's purity and naivety is threatened by those cunning enough to deceive and exploit


And infection easily spreads
Once someone falls prey to the manipulators, it becomes easier for others to follow


To the searching, twisted heads
People who are vulnerable to lies and deceit are usually confused or misguided


As they team up to tear down each others feeling
Those who are hurt or misled protect themselves by hurting others, causing a destructive cycle




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: GENE CLARK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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