Released: 2025
‘Better Before’ by Hands Like Houses, featuring Aaron Gillespie, is a heart-wrenching tale of a toxic relationship. The song captures the protagonist’s emotional turmoil, the sense of being trapped in a destructive cycle, and the realization that they were happier before they met their partner.
The opening lines, ‘I was better before I met you’ and ‘I’m always coming down (down), living at the bottom’, set the stage for the song’s narrative. The protagonist is in a perpetual state of emotional decline, a consequence of the damaging relationship they’re in.
‘This pain don’t feel the same (same), drowning in the sorrow. The magic you erased, left me so hollow’ – These lines express the protagonist’s feelings of loss and emptiness. The ‘magic’ that was once there has been ‘erased’, leaving them ‘hollow’. This suggests the joy and excitement that once characterized the relationship has been replaced by pain and sorrow.
‘Lying again, playing the game, Finding a way to barely escape, Look at your smile, circle the drain, A beautiful cycle’ – Here, the protagonist describes the cyclical nature of the relationship. The ‘game’ could refer to the manipulative tactics used by the partner, and ‘circle the drain’ is a metaphor for being stuck in a destructive cycle, always on the brink of emotional collapse.
‘It felt good to know (to know), I let you in my soul, I gave you all control (control), But I was better before, better before, Better before I met you’ – This is the chorus of the song, where the protagonist reflects on their decision to let their partner into their life. They gave their partner ‘all control’, but now realize they were ‘better before’ they met them.
‘It felt so good to hate, And see just what you did, Would you chase me down the drain, Or live in your madness’ – These lines convey the protagonist’s resentment towards their partner. They question whether their partner would ‘chase them down the drain’ – follow them into the emotional turmoil – or ‘live in their madness’ – continue their destructive behavior.
‘Is it better now? Do you think you got enough? Ever wonder why? I never gave it up, It’s so funny how, You ruined me with love, Ain’t it funny that, You’ll never get enough’ – In these lines, the protagonist confronts their partner, questioning their satisfaction with the situation. They express their feelings of being ‘ruined’ by the love they received, which was more destructive than nurturing.
In conclusion, ‘Better Before’ by Hands Like Houses is a powerful portrayal of a toxic relationship. The lyrics convey the emotional turmoil and pain of being stuck in a destructive cycle, and the realization that they were better off before entering the relationship.
