In Hiding
Pearl Jam Lyrics

The lyrics of Pearl Jam's song In Hiding delve into themes of self-exploration, hiding from the world, and the struggle for truth. The opening lines, "I shut and locked the front door, no way in or out," suggest a desire to escape from the outside world, perhaps due to the overwhelming nature of it. The singer then proceeds to walk through their halls, pull down curtains, and empty the plugs, signifying an act of isolation and cutting out any distractions from their immediate environment. However, even with all the effort to create silence, "nothing's sound," and there's still chaos in the singer's mind.

The following lines touch on a more profound sense of loneliness and confusion that comes when we try to hide away from our problems. As the singer "ignored all [their] rounds," they start seeing "visions and cracks along the walls," which is an indication of the deterioration of their mental state. It is akin to feeling trapped inside oneself, overwhelmed by darkness and doubt, resulting in a disorienting perspective. The repetition of "I'm in hiding" and the realization that one's perception affects one's state of mind highlight the turmoil the singer feels about facing their truths head-on.

The chorus of "I swallow the truth to keep from lying" suggests that the singer would rather confront the difficult truths about themselves than lie or pretend to be something they're not. They then continue, "I swallow my face just to keep from biting," which may be an expression of biting back at one's inner critic or the people who might judge them. The repetition of "I was diving, I was diving" highlights the effort of going deep into one's self-discovery, and "I surfaced when all my being was enlightened" suggests a moment of self-realization and acceptance.