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"Breathe No More" is a B-side from the debut album, Fallen, written by Amy Lee. It was originally intended to appear on this album, but was scrapped and has since had several official releases. The first official release was a live version on Anywhere But Home in 2004, and the second was a piano studio version on the soundtrack for the movie Elektra in 2005. That studio version was included in the compilation album Lost Whispers in 2016. There is also a demo “rock” version from the 2001-2002 sessions with added sounds, including the Morse code sampled from the Sound Asleep version of ”Give Unto Me” and the Origin demo version of “My Immortal”.
Background[]
In late 2012, Amy explained the meaning of the song to a fan during a Meet & Greet:
I wrote the song when I was in quite a dark place. I was in a toxic relationship that was destroying me, the song is really about how sometimes when you're in a toxic relationship you change yourself for the other person, but you start to hate yourself for it. You look in the mirror and hate the person you've become. That self loathing is one of the worst feelings in the world, because you just want the other person in the relationship to be happy but at the same time you don't want to lose yourself, the real you.
On October 1, 2020, Amy Lee shared a series of Instagram stories featuring an early demo of the song. Watch it here.
A voice note audio of the making and writing of Fallen was released on a cassette tape with unreleased demos as part of Fallen 20th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition Box Set in March 2024. This includes audio from Amy Lee working on the vocal melody of this song.
Lyrics[]
I've been looking in the mirror for so long Too small to matter And I bleed, I bleed Take a breath and I try to draw from my spirit's well But I know the difference So I bleed, I bleed |
References[]