Washed Out is Ernest Greene, a young guy from Perry, Georgia, USA who makes… Read Full Bio ↴Washed Out is Ernest Greene, a young guy from Perry, Georgia, USA who makes bedroom synthpop that sounds blurred and woozily evocative.

There’s a sense of longing and distance in Greene’s somber, filtered vocals, but it’s what he does compositionally that makes Washed Out stand out. Backed by gently pulsing, Balearic-tinged disco, Greene’s voice takes on a new dimension. Reminiscent of groups like The Glass and Chromatics, Washed Out is the music to end your night with, when the city is quiet and you've got a long walk home ahead of you.

2009

Washed Out track "Feel It Around" is the famous introduction and theme song to IFC's television series "Portlandia". (added 2014)

FAR AWAY
Washed Out Lyrics

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You said hello
You passed me by
You said your heart was lost

You left your world exposed, long gone
You left your voice inside

And you're far away

She's got it
And you're far away
She's far
And now all the thoughts
Forgotten
And now all the hope
Is gone

You said no words as you walked past
You said it was alright
You left your world exposed, long gone
You left your voice inside

And you're far away
She's got it
And you're far away
She's far
And now all the thoughts
Forgotten

And now all the hope
Is gone

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Washed Out's song "Far Away" convey a sense of distance and disconnection between two people. The singer of the song encounters someone they know, perhaps an ex-lover or someone they used to be close with, and they pass by each other without saying anything. The person the singer encounters has lost their heart and left their world exposed, suggesting that they may be going through a difficult time or struggling with something in their life. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "And you're far away / She's got it," which could be interpreted in a few different ways. It could mean that the person the singer encountered has moved on and found someone else, or it could suggest that the person has found some kind of success or happiness that the singer has not.

The verses of the song are fairly sparse in terms of lyrics, with the same lines repeated twice each time. However, the repetition adds to the sense of distance and disconnection in the song. The use of the phrase "long gone" also emphasizes the idea that the person the singer encountered is no longer part of their life. The music in the song is dreamy and atmospheric, with hazy synths and a slow, steady beat. The vocals are mixed fairly low in the mix, which gives them a distant quality that matches the lyrics of the song.

Overall, "Far Away" is a melancholy reflection on lost connections and missed opportunities. The lyrics are simple but effective in conveying the feeling of distance and disconnection, and the music reinforces this mood with its dreamy, ethereal quality.

Line by Line Meaning

You said hello
You greeted me with a simple hello

You passed me by
You walked past me without a word

You said your heart was lost
You revealed that you were feeling lost and uncertain about your emotions

You left your world exposed, long gone
You abandoned the world you once knew, leaving it behind in the distant past

You left your voice inside
You kept your innermost thoughts and feelings hidden inside, never revealing them to anyone else

And you're far away
You are physically distant and emotionally detached

She's got it
Another person has captured your heart and attention

She's far
You feel separated from the object of your affection, as if she is in a different world

And now all the thoughts
All of your previous thoughts and preoccupations have disappeared

Forgotten
You have forgotten about what once seemed significant in your life

And now all the hope
All of your optimism and expectation has vanished