While founder Belville is a devout Christian, it is difficult to apply the same label to the band itself; while the lyrics are at times clearly infused with a strong element of faith, they are not specifically based around praise and at no point could they be considered to be preaching a message.
The music of The Echoing Green is heavily based in electronic sounds, however these are used more for their melodious structure than any desire to create an electronic dance outfit. As such, the music comes across as a well shaped, driving flow of intricate harmonies, underpinned with somewhat reflective, even introverted, lyrics.
Science Fiction
The Echoing Green Lyrics
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Or was that a scream?
I don't quite think you're what you seem
Is there an honest face
In a hidden place waiting to be seen
It's just another day
In your tragic play
And then I hear you say
'Cause you're not the same...
When you smile
I can see the pain and the sadness makes me cry
Your eyes
Are an open door to the fiction in your life
Is that a happy face
Or a hiding place?
'Cause your smile's not so real
Is there a touch of science to your silence
When it comes to what you feel?
It's just another stain
On your robe of shame
And now it's just so plain to see
That you're just like me...emotionally
When you smile...
I can see the pain and compassion make me cry
Your eyes...
Are an open door to the fiction in your life
If it's the truth that hurts
Then see how you're killing me
So easily...when you smile
When you smile
I can see the pain and the sadness makes me cry
Your eyes
Are an open door to the fiction in your life
The Echoing Green's song 'Science Fiction' is an introspective ballad that grapples with the notion of authenticity in a world where it's difficult to discern between truth and lies. The opening lines of the song set the mood, with the singer questioning whether the laughter they heard was genuine or just a mask for a deeper, darker emotion. The overarching theme is the struggle to put on a façade in order to cope with one's inner turmoil, to appear emotionally healthy on the surface, but in reality, be in deep anguish.
The chorus of the song is where the singer confronts the subject of their attention with their findings. When they smile, the pain and sadness hidden underneath become evident, and it moves the singer to tears. The lyrics of the song pose intimate questions about whether the emotions we wear on our sleeves are real or just an elaborate deception to protect ourselves from the world. The Echoing Green explores this idea skillfully, using metaphors of open doors and hidden faces to explore the complexity of human emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Did I hear you laugh
I'm not sure if what I just heard was genuine laughter or a distressed scream
Or was that a scream?
Did you scream just now or was it a sound of joy?
I don't quite think you're what you seem
I have a feeling that there is more to you than meets the eye
Is there an honest face
Do you have a genuine personality that you hide from the world?
In a hidden place waiting to be seen
Is there a side of you that you keep hidden and only reveal to a special few?
It's just another day
This is just another ordinary day in your life
In your tragic play
Your life seems to be like a play with tragedy as its central theme
And then I hear you say
I overheard you say something
"It's changed"...but there's something strange
You say that things have changed, but I sense that something unusual has happened
'Cause you're not the same...
You are not the person you used to be
When you smile
Whenever you show happiness
I can see the pain and the sadness makes me cry
I can sense that behind your smile, there is pain, and it saddens me
Your eyes
The way your eyes look
Are an open door to the fiction in your life
They reveal the phony story you're telling everyone about your life
Is that a happy face
I can't tell if that's a genuine expression of happiness
Or a hiding place?
It could be just a place where you are hiding your sadness/emotions
'Cause your smile's not so real
Your smile doesn't seem as genuine as it should be
Is there a touch of science to your silence
Is there a rational motive behind why you're keeping silent?
When it comes to what you feel?
Are you hiding your true emotions from yourself or just pretending like they don't exist?
It's just another stain
This is just another thing that has added negatively to your personality
On your robe of shame
It's just another thing to add to the many things you feel ashamed of
And now it's just so plain to see
It has become clear to me
That you're just like me...emotionally
You and I are similar in our emotional state
If it's the truth that hurts
If hearing the truth is painful
Then see how you're killing me
You are causing me emotional distress by hiding the truth
So easily...when you smile
It's so easy for you to hide your true emotions behind your smile
When you smile
Whenever you put on a smile
I can see the pain and compassion make me cry
I can feel the pain and compassion behind your smile, and it makes me emotional
Your eyes...
The way your eyes express emotions
Are an open door to the fiction in your life
They reveal the fabrication that exists in your life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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