Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
On Tour around Aus in March '24. Tickets at http://handslikehouses.live
Better before is a song about the negative impact that comes with welcoming someone or a substance into your life, even if it has a toxic impact. For myself it plays into the concept of substances/addiction and how that can change how you perceive yourself, your relationships and your own way of living. I see it as a reflection of toxic relationships, manipulative behaviors and unhealthy dependences on short term highs with long term lows. When I sing the chorus even though it is directed at a “person” in the lyric, for me I think about a past self and the inherent guilt that comes with losing control, making mistakes and the realization that those toxic behaviours stemmed from not just a relationship, but the myriad of toxic things that fed my life for a long period of time and created the destructive situation. For me it’s a deeper look into how I view my past mistakes, toxic dependencies and the discovering/acceptance of growth. ~ Josh
Written and performed by Hands Like Houses & Aaron Gillespie
Additional music and production by Callan Orr
Produced by Callan Orr
Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Callan Orr at Avalanche Studios
Vocals by Aaron Gillespie
Director / Editor - Sam Koster
Additional Shooting by Neal Walters
Dancer - Polina Ludina
LYRICS:
I was better before I met you
I’m always coming down, living at the bottom.
This pain don’t feel the same, drowning in the sorrow.
The magic you erased, left me so hollow.
The smile upon your faces haunt me
-Playing the game, running away
Finding a way to Barely escape
Look at your smile, circle the drain
A beautiful cycle
On and off again, bathing in the sin
I never seem to win, but you love to watch me try
It felt good to know, I let you in my soul
I gave you all control, But I was better before I met you.
It felt so good to hate
And see just what you did
Would you chase me down the drain
Or live in your madness
There’s no chance that I’ll get worse
There’s no chance that I won’t hurt
-Playing the game, running away
Finding a way to Barely escape
Look at your smile, circle the drain
A beautiful cycle
It felt good to know, I let you in my soul
I gave you all control, But I was better before I met you.
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
You’ll never get enough
You’ll never take enough
It felt good to know, I let you in my soul
I gave you all control, But I was better before
Better before I met you
(It felt good to know)
Before I met you
(I let you in my soul)
But I was better before I met you
On Tour around Aus in March '24. Tickets at http://handslikehouses.live
Better before is a song about the negative impact that comes with welcoming someone or a substance into your life, even if it has a toxic impact. For myself it plays into the concept of substances/addiction and how that can change how you perceive yourself, your relationships and your own way of living. I see it as a reflection of toxic relationships, manipulative behaviors and unhealthy dependences on short term highs with long term lows. When I sing the chorus even though it is directed at a “person” in the lyric, for me I think about a past self and the inherent guilt that comes with losing control, making mistakes and the realization that those toxic behaviours stemmed from not just a relationship, but the myriad of toxic things that fed my life for a long period of time and created the destructive situation. For me it’s a deeper look into how I view my past mistakes, toxic dependencies and the discovering/acceptance of growth. ~ Josh
Written and performed by Hands Like Houses & Aaron Gillespie
Additional music and production by Callan Orr
Produced by Callan Orr
Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Callan Orr at Avalanche Studios
Vocals by Aaron Gillespie
Director / Editor - Sam Koster
Additional Shooting by Neal Walters
Dancer - Polina Ludina
LYRICS:
I was better before I met you
I’m always coming down, living at the bottom.
This pain don’t feel the same, drowning in the sorrow.
The magic you erased, left me so hollow.
The smile upon your faces haunt me
-Playing the game, running away
Finding a way to Barely escape
Look at your smile, circle the drain
A beautiful cycle
On and off again, bathing in the sin
I never seem to win, but you love to watch me try
It felt good to know, I let you in my soul
I gave you all control, But I was better before I met you.
It felt so good to hate
And see just what you did
Would you chase me down the drain
Or live in your madness
There’s no chance that I’ll get worse
There’s no chance that I won’t hurt
-Playing the game, running away
Finding a way to Barely escape
Look at your smile, circle the drain
A beautiful cycle
It felt good to know, I let you in my soul
I gave you all control, But I was better before I met you.
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
You’ll never get enough
You’ll never take enough
It felt good to know, I let you in my soul
I gave you all control, But I was better before
Better before I met you
(It felt good to know)
Before I met you
(I let you in my soul)
But I was better before I met you
