Evanescence Wiki
Register
(Adding categories)
Tag: Visual edit
(39 intermediate revisions by 10 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
  +
<p style="text-align: center;">''For the music video for this song, see: [[Bring Me To Life (music video)]]''</p><br>
   
 
{{Song Infobox
 
{{Song Infobox
|title = Bring Me To Life
+
|title = "Bring Me to Life"
|image = [[File:Fallen.jpg|250px]]
+
|image = [[File:Bring Me To Life.jpg|300px]]
 
|artist = [[Evanescence]]
 
|artist = [[Evanescence]]
 
|released = 22/04/2003
 
|released = 22/04/2003
|span = 3:56
+
|span = 3:57
  +
|type = Track|next = "[[Everybody's Fool (song)|Everybody's Fool]]"|previous = "[[Going Under (song)|Going Under]]"|Image = <tabber>
|type = Track}}'''Bring Me to Life''' is the second track on the album ''[[Fallen]]'', and is written by [[Amy Lee]], [[Ben Moody]] and [[David Hodges]] and produced by [[Dave Fortman]]. "''Bring Me To Life''" features guest vocals from [[Paul McCoy]] of the band 12 Stones. Wind-up released "Bring Me to Life" in 2003 as the lead single from Evanescence's debut studio album, Fallen. The song delivers genres from alternative metal to rap-rock and Gothic metal among others.
 
  +
Fallen = [[File:Bring Me To Life.jpg|250 px]]
  +
|-|
  +
Synthesis = [[File:Bring Me to Life Synthesis.jpg|250px]]
  +
</tabber>|Title = <i>[[Fallen]]</i>|Date = April 22, 2003 ''(Fallen)''<br>
  +
November 10, 2017 ''(Synthesis)''|Length = 3:57 ''(Fallen)''<br>
  +
4:18 ''(Synthesis)''|Label = [[Wind-up Records]]|Last song = "[[Going Under (song)|Going Under]]"|Next song = "[[Everybody's Fool (song)|Everybody's Fool]]"|This song = "'''Bring Me to Life'''"|Type = |Producers = [[Dave Fortman]] ''(Fallen)''<br>
  +
[[Will Hunt]], [[Amy Lee]] ''(Synthesis)''|album = ''''Fallen''''}}
 
"'''Bring Me to Life"''' is the second track on the album ''[[Fallen]]''. It was written by [[Amy Lee]], [[Ben Moody]] and [[David Hodges]] and produced by [[Dave Fortman]]. It is often incorrectly referred to as "Wake Me Up Inside" and "Save me from the dark." "''Bring Me To Life''" features guest vocals from [[Paul McCoy]] of the band 12 Stones. Wind-up released "Bring Me to Life" in 2003 as the lead single from Evanescence's debut studio album, Fallen. The song delivers genres from alternative metal to rap-rock and others.
  +
  +
<center></center>
  +
  +
<center></center>
  +
 
==Background and Release==
 
==Background and Release==
According to Amy Lee, the song has several meanings, the first being an incident at a restaurant. During an interview from a tour stop in Tulsa she told ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phoenix_(newspaper) The Boston Phoenix]'': "I was inspired to write it when someone said something to me — I didn’t know him, and I thought he might be clairvoyant.[...] I was in a relationship and I was completely unhappy. But I was hiding it. I was being completely abused and I was trying to cover it up; I wouldn’t even admit it to myself. So then I had spoken maybe 10 or 15 words to this guy, who was a friend of a friend. We were waiting for everyone else to show up, and we went into a restaurant and got a table. And he looked at me and said, ‘Are you happy?’ And I felt my heart leap, and I was like, he totally knows what I’m thinking. And I lied, I said I was fine. Anyway, he’s not really clairvoyant. But he ''is'' a sociology major." Lee said in a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VH1 VH1] interview: "Open-mindedness. It's about waking up to all the things you've been missing for so long. One day someone said something that made my heart race for a second and I realized that for months I'd been numb, just going through the motions of life." During an interview with ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blender_(magazine) Blender]'', Lee claimed that she wrote "Bring Me to Life" about her longtime friend, Josh Hartzler, whom she married in 2007.
+
According to Amy Lee, the song was inspired by several things, the first being an incident at a restaurant. During an interview from a tour stop in Tulsa she told ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phoenix_(newspaper) The Boston Phoenix]'': "I was inspired to write it when someone said something to me — I didn’t know him, and I thought he might be clairvoyant.[...] I was in a relationship and I was completely unhappy. But I was hiding it. I was being completely abused and I was trying to cover it up; I wouldn’t even admit it to myself. So then I had spoken maybe 10 or 15 words to this guy, who was a friend of a friend. We were waiting for everyone else to show up, and we went into a restaurant and got a table. And he looked at me and said, ‘Are you happy?’ And I felt my heart leap, and I was like, he totally knows what I’m thinking. And I lied, I said I was fine. Anyway, he’s not really clairvoyant. But he ''is'' a sociology major." Lee said in a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VH1 VH1] interview: "Open-mindedness. It's about waking up to all the things you've been missing for so long. One day someone said something that made my heart race for a second and I realized that for months I'd been numb, just going through the motions of life." During an interview with ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blender_(magazine) Blender]'', Lee claimed that she wrote "Bring Me to Life" about her longtime friend, Josh Hartzler, whom she married in 2007.
   
"Bring Me to Life" was released on April 22, 2003; it was the first single from the band's debut album, ''[[Fallen]]''. The album's opening track, "[[Going_Under|Going Under]]", was initially planned to be the first single, but the after the release of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daredevil:_The_Album ''Daredevil'' soundtrack], it was changed to the album's second single. Wind-up Entertainment president/CEO Ed Vetri, revealed that when the label was pushing the song to the radio, owners stated "We don't play pianos and chicks on rock radio." However, when "Bring Me to Life" was released on the ''Daredevil'' soundtrack, listeners demanded the radio to play the song. The single includes "Farther Away" as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-side_and_B-side B-side] and refers to it as the album version; however, the track order of ''Fallen'' was not finalized at the time of its release and the track was omitted from the album. The first pressing of the Australian single contained the track "Missing" as a B-side, but this was omitted from later pressings and later released as a bonus track on the band's first live album, ''[[Anywhere But Home]]''. Earlier versions of "Bring Me to Life" were recorded and released as demo versions before ''Fallen''<span style="padding-left: 0.1em">'</span>s release; featuring more industrial pieces of music and the absence of [[Paul_McCoy|Paul McCoy]]'s guest vocals. An acoustic version was recorded and released on the ''Bring Me to Life'' DVD. Several other versions of the track have been released, such as remixes, acoustic and altered versions. The live version featured on the ''Anywhere but Home'' DVD contains a piano and vocal solo before the song's intro and features [[John_LeCompt|John LeCompt]] performing guest vocals.
+
"Bring Me to Life" was released on April 22, 2003; it was the first single from the band's debut album, ''[[Fallen]]''. The album's opening track, "[[Going_Under|Going Under]]", was initially planned to be the first single, but the after the release of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daredevil:_The_Album ''Daredevil'' soundtrack], it was changed to the album's second single. Wind-up Entertainment president/CEO Ed Vetri, revealed that when the label was pushing the song to the radio, owners stated "We don't play pianos and chicks on rock radio." However, when "Bring Me to Life" was released on the ''Daredevil'' soundtrack, listeners demanded the radio to play the song. The single includes "Farther Away" as a [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] and refers to it as the album version; however, the track order of ''Fallen'' was not finalized at the time of its release and the track was omitted from the album. The first pressing of the Australian single contained the track "[[Missing]]" as a B-side, but this was omitted from later pressings and later released as a bonus track on the band's first live album, ''[[Anywhere But Home]]''. Earlier versions of "Bring Me to Life" were recorded and released as demo versions before ''Fallen''<span style="padding-left: 0.1em">'</span>s release; featuring more industrial pieces of music and the absence of [[Paul_McCoy|Paul McCoy]]'s guest vocals. An acoustic version was recorded and released on the ''Bring Me to Life'' DVD. Several other versions of the track have been released, such as remixes, acoustic and altered versions. The live version featured on the ''Anywhere but Home'' DVD contains a piano and vocal solo before the song's intro and features [[John_LeCompt|John LeCompt]] performing guest vocals.
==Recording and Composition==
+
==Recording and composition==
"Bring Me to Life" was written by Amy Lee, Ben Moody and David Hodges for their first studio album Fallen. Recording work for Fallen started at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_Productions Ocean Studios] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burbank,_California Burbank, California], where most of "Bring Me to Life" was recorded, prior to full album production. The song was mixed by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Baumgardner Jay Baumgardner] in his studio, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NRG_Recording_Studios NRG Recording Studios] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Hollywood,_Los_Angeles North Hollywood], on an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_State_Logic SSL 9000 J].<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mix_10-1">[</sup> A 22-piece string section was recorded in Seattle by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Curry_(rock_musician) Mark Curry]. "Bring Me to Life" was mixed at the Newman Scoring Stage and Bolero Studios, both in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles Los Angeles]. The orchestra parts were arranged by David Hodges and David Campbell. During an interview, Lee recalled that during the recording process of the song it was said to her that the song must to have male vocals: "It was presented to me as, 'You're a girl singing in a rock band, there's nothing else like that out there, nobody's going to listen to you. You need a guy to come in and sing back-up for it to be successful.'"
+
"Bring Me to Life" was written by Amy Lee, Ben Moody and David Hodges for their first studio album ''Fallen''. Recording work for ''Fallen'' started at [[Ocean Way Recording|Ocean Studios]] in Burbank, California, where most of "Bring Me to Life" was recorded, prior to full album production. The song was mixed by [[Jay Baumgardner]] in his studio, [[NRG Recording Studios]] in North Hollywood on an[[ SSL 9000 J]]. A 22-piece string section was recorded in Seattle by [[Mark Curry]]. "Bring Me to Life" was mixed at the Newman Scoring Stage and Bolero Studios, both in Los Angeles. The orchestra parts were arranged by David Hodges and David Campbell. During an interview, Lee recalled that during the recording process of the song it was said to her that the song must to have male vocals: "It was presented to me as, 'You're a girl singing in a rock band, there's nothing else like that out there, nobody's going to listen to you. You need a guy to come in and sing back-up for it to be successful.'"
   
According to the sheet music published by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Music_Publishing Alfred Music Publishing] on the website Musicnotes.com, "Bring Me to Life" is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_music rock], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_metal alternative metal], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_rock hard rock], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamber_pop chamber pop] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_metal gothic metal] song set in a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_signature common time] and performed in a moderate [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempo tempo] of 96 beats per minute. It is written in the key of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_minor E minor] and Lee's vocal range for the song runs from the note [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_(musical_note) A<sub>3</sub>] to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D_(musical_note) D<sub>5</sub>]. In the song, Paul McCoy sings the lines "Wake me up/ I can't wake up/ Save me!" in a rap style. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Petersburg_Times St. Petersburg Times]<span style="padding-left: 0.1em">'</span> Brian Orloff called the song a "...boffo hit" in which Lee sang the lines "'Call my name and save me from the dark' over surging guitars." Ann Powers from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milwaukee_Journal_Sentinel Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] wrote: "'Bring Me to Life,' with its lyrical drama and crunchy guitars, branded the band as overdone [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nu-metal nu-metal]." Kristi Turnquist of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oregonian The Oregonian] called the song a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_ballad power ballad]. Joe D'Angelo from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV MTV] wrote that the "...toothy riffs" of songs like "Going Under" and "Bring Me to Life" might suggest that "...[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobody%27s_Home_(Avril_Lavigne_song) Nobody's Home]" (2005) from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avril_Lavigne Avril Lavigne]'s second studio album [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_My_Skin_(Avril_Lavigne_album) Under My Skin] will sound like "an Evanescence song with Avril, not Amy Lee, on vocals."
+
According to the sheet music published by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Music_Publishing Alfred Music Publishing] on the website Musicnotes.com, "Bring Me to Life" is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_music rock], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_metal alternative metal], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_rock hard rock], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamber_pop chamber pop] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_metal gothic metal] song set in a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_signature common time] and performed in a moderate [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempo tempo] of 96 beats per minute. It is written in the key of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_minor E minor] and Lee's vocal range for the song runs from the note [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_(musical_note) A<sub>3</sub>] to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D_(musical_note) D<sub>5</sub>]. In the song, Paul McCoy sings the lines "Wake me up/ I can't wake up/ Save me!" in a rap style.
   
 
== Music video ==
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_Stone Rolling Stone]<span style="padding-left: 0.1em">'</span>s Kirk Miller wrote that: "...thanks to the song's digital beats, clean metal-guitar riffs, scattered piano lines and all-too-familiar mix of rapping and singing", "it was similar to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linkin_Park Linkin Park]'s material. Nick Catucci of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Village_Voice The Village Voice] found "...piano tinkles, Lee's breathless keen, dramatic pauses, guitars like clouds of locusts, [and] 12 Stones singer Paul McCoy's passing-12-kidney-stones guest vocals." Vik Bansal of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MusicOMH musicOMH] compared Evanescence's own song "[[Going_Under|Going Under]]" with "Bring Me to Life", noting their similarity to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linkin_Park Linkin Park]'s material. Lee said, during an interview with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_News MTV News]: "Basically, we go through life every day, kind of doing the same thing, going through the motions, and nothing phases us for the most part. Then one day something happens that wakes [you] up and makes [you] realize that there's more to life than just feeling nothing, feeling numb. It's as if [you've] never felt before and just realized there's this whole world of emotion or meaning that [you've] never seen before. It's just like, 'Wow, I've been asleep all this time.'"
 
  +
[[File:Bring Me to Life 2.jpg|thumb|220x220px|Amy Lee and Paul McCoy]]
  +
The [[Bring Me to Life (music video)|music video]] for "Bring Me to Life" was filmed in Romania in January 2003 and was directed by [[Philip Stolzl]]. It is a live performance/action video featuring a tall apartment building with various skyscraper shots in the background. Amy is sleeping in a nightgown while the other band members are playing music on a higher floor of the building. Amy begins sleepwalking and jumps out the window, climbing up to the floor where there others are performing. She walks towards their window where Paul McCoy notices her and opens the window. Amy falls and Paul grabs her by the hand, trying to pull her up. He loses his grip and sends Amy falling, where the last scene shows that she was asleep all along. This is symbolic to the song's lyrics, "wake me up and save me", and "bring me to life".
  +
  +
The video gained massive popularity in 2003 and clips of it were shown everywhere, including [[MTV's Big Urban Myth Show]] where clips of Amy walking up on the ledge were prominently featured on any and all sleep related myths.
  +
<br>
 
==Chart Performance==
 
==Chart Performance==
 
"Bring Me to Life" peaked within the top 10 of more than 15 countries, and within the top 20 of several other countries, making it the band's most successful single to date. It was certified [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America Platinum] in 2003 for selling more than one million copies in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States United States]. It topped the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_(magazine) Billboard]'' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_Songs Alternative Songs] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_100 Pop 100] charts and peaked at number five on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Hot_100 ''Billboard'' Hot 100] . It also peaked at number four on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_Pop_Songs Adult Pop Songs] chart. The song initially peaked within the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_rock Christian rock] charts as well, because its lyrics were interpreted as a call for new life in Jesus Christ by several listeners. "Bring Me To Life" charted at number 73 on ''Billboard''<span style="padding-left: 0.1em">'</span>s Best of the 2000s Rock Songs Chart, the only song by a female-led band on that chart. The song topped the charts of Australia, Belgium, Italy and the United Kingdom. It peaked within the top 5 of Austria, Canada, France, Ireland, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Netherlands, and Sweden. On the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARIA_Singles_Chart ARIA Singles Chart], "Bring Me to Life" peaked at number one where it stayed for six weeks.
 
"Bring Me to Life" peaked within the top 10 of more than 15 countries, and within the top 20 of several other countries, making it the band's most successful single to date. It was certified [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America Platinum] in 2003 for selling more than one million copies in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States United States]. It topped the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_(magazine) Billboard]'' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_Songs Alternative Songs] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_100 Pop 100] charts and peaked at number five on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Hot_100 ''Billboard'' Hot 100] . It also peaked at number four on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_Pop_Songs Adult Pop Songs] chart. The song initially peaked within the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_rock Christian rock] charts as well, because its lyrics were interpreted as a call for new life in Jesus Christ by several listeners. "Bring Me To Life" charted at number 73 on ''Billboard''<span style="padding-left: 0.1em">'</span>s Best of the 2000s Rock Songs Chart, the only song by a female-led band on that chart. The song topped the charts of Australia, Belgium, Italy and the United Kingdom. It peaked within the top 5 of Austria, Canada, France, Ireland, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Netherlands, and Sweden. On the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARIA_Singles_Chart ARIA Singles Chart], "Bring Me to Life" peaked at number one where it stayed for six weeks.
   
 
"Bring Me to Life" charted within the top 20 of every other country of its release. The song spent four weeks at number one in the United Kingdom and helped ''Fallen'' reach number one on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Albums_Chart UK Albums Chart]. The song also topped the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Hot_100 European Hot 100] chart. On June 4, 2011, the song returned to the top of the UK Rock Singles Chart, eight years after its release, remaining at number one for two weeks, on June 11, 2011 to June 25, 2011. It fell to number two, remaining there for three weeks, and on July 17, 2011, "Bring Me to Life" returned to number one again and remained there for three weeks. The song remained within the top 10 into October 2011. As of October, 2011, the song has sold more than 511,500 copies in the United Kingdom.
 
"Bring Me to Life" charted within the top 20 of every other country of its release. The song spent four weeks at number one in the United Kingdom and helped ''Fallen'' reach number one on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Albums_Chart UK Albums Chart]. The song also topped the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Hot_100 European Hot 100] chart. On June 4, 2011, the song returned to the top of the UK Rock Singles Chart, eight years after its release, remaining at number one for two weeks, on June 11, 2011 to June 25, 2011. It fell to number two, remaining there for three weeks, and on July 17, 2011, "Bring Me to Life" returned to number one again and remained there for three weeks. The song remained within the top 10 into October 2011. As of October, 2011, the song has sold more than 511,500 copies in the United Kingdom.
  +
<br>
 
==Live Performances==
 
==Live Performances==
Evanescence performed "Bring Me to Life" as part of the set-lists of the Fallen and The Open Door tours. The band performed the song on August 13, 2003 in Chicago during their [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Fusion_Tour Nintendo Fusion Tour]. During the performance, former Evanescence guitarist John LeCompt replaced McCoy during the song. According to Blair R. Fischer: "The guitarist did an adequate job imitating McCoy while he laid down the song's fiery, Iron Maiden-esque riff." The band performed "Bring Me to Life" in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wantagh,_New_York Wantagh, New York] on July 23, 2004. According to Joe D'Angelo from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_News MTV News]: "...the massive popularity of the song was a smart set-list assembly that helped the crowd respond in kind." The song was performed on November 21, 2007 at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CenturyLink_Field WaMu Theater].
+
Evanescence performed "Bring Me to Life" as part of the set-lists of their tours. The band performed the song on August 13, 2003 in Chicago during their [[Nintendo Fusion Tour]]. During the performance, former Evanescence guitarist John LeCompt replaced McCoy during the song. According to Blair R. Fischer: "The guitarist did an adequate job imitating McCoy while he laid down the song's fiery, Iron Maiden-esque riff." The band performed "Bring Me to Life" in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wantagh,_New_York Wantagh, New York] on July 23, 2004. According to Joe D'Angelo from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_News MTV News]: "...the massive popularity of the song was a smart set-list assembly that helped the crowd respond in kind." The song was performed on November 21, 2007 at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CenturyLink_Field WaMu Theater].
   
Evanescence performed "Bring Me to Life" at the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webster_Hall Webster Hall] in New York City in September 2003. During the performance, Lee wore an ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_in_Wonderland Alice in Wonderland]'' dress covered with scrawled words, including the words ''Dirty, Useless, Psycho and Slut''. She explained her reasons for wearing the dress. On her previous visit to New York City, Lee had met a DJ from the radio station [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-Rock K-Rock], who had made what she called horrible comments about the pleasure he had derived from the picture of her face on the cover of ''Fallen''.<sup> </sup>She had felt too ashamed to say anything, so she decided to respond through the dress, which represented something innocent that had been tainted. The band performed "Bring Me to Life" during their concert at The Great Saltair on October 25, 2006. Lee wore red and black, with a skirt. She was called a magnet of the night by the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deseret_News Deseret News]''<span style="padding-left: 0.1em">'</span> reviewer Larry D. Curtis. Other performances of the song were in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna,_Utah Magna, Utah] in October 2006, and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Canada_Centre Air Canada Centre] in January 2007. The band also played the song at a secret gig in New York City on November 4, 2009. During their concert at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Memorial_Auditorium War Memorial Auditorium] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville,_Tennessee Nashville, Tennessee] on August 17, 2011, Evanescence performed "Bring Me to Life" to promote their third album, ''[[Evanescence (Album)|Evanescence]]''. They also performed the song during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_in_Rio 2011 Rock in Rio] festival on October 2, 2011. While reviewing a concert by the band, Caroline Sullivan wrote "Slowly raising her arms during Bring Me to Life's thunderous, strobe-lit fade-out, she's missing only a chariot."
+
Evanescence performed "Bring Me to Life" at the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webster_Hall Webster Hall] in New York City in September 2003. During the performance, Lee wore an ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_in_Wonderland Alice in Wonderland]'' dress covered with scrawled words, including the words ''Dirty, Useless, Psycho and Slut''. She explained her reasons for wearing the dress. On her previous visit to New York City, Lee had met a DJ from the radio station [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-Rock K-Rock], who had made what she called horrible comments about the pleasure he had derived from the picture of her face on the cover of ''Fallen''.<sup> </sup>She had felt too ashamed to say anything, so she decided to respond through the dress, which represented something innocent that had been tainted. The band performed "Bring Me to Life" during their concert at The Great Saltair on October 25, 2006. Lee wore red and black, with a skirt. She was called a magnet of the night by the ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deseret_News Deseret News]''<span style="padding-left: 0.1em">'</span> reviewer Larry D. Curtis. Other performances of the song were in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna,_Utah Magna, Utah] in October 2006, and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Canada_Centre Air Canada Centre] in January 2007. The band also played the song at a secret gig in New York City on November 4, 2009. During their concert at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Memorial_Auditorium War Memorial Auditorium] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville,_Tennessee Nashville, Tennessee] on August 17, 2011, Evanescence performed "Bring Me to Life" to promote their third album, ''[[Evanescence (Album)|Evanescence]]''. They also performed the song during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_in_Rio 2011 Rock in Rio] festival on October 2, 2011. While reviewing a concert by the band, Caroline Sullivan wrote "Slowly raising her arms during Bring Me to Life's thunderous, strobe-lit fade-out, she's missing only a chariot."<br>
  +
== Single releases ==
==Music Video==
 
The accompanying music video for "Bring Me to Life" was directed by Philipp Stölzl. [[Video:Evanescence - Bring Me To Life|thumb|right|350px]]After the success of the video, Lee received some film offers. Talking about the video, Stölzl said: "On the one hand, it brings out the most catchy part of the song, the bridge, the duet with the male and female vocals. On the other hand, it reflects the ['Daredevil'] soundtrack background of the song. I did not know if I would have to use a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stunt_double stunt double] for most of the angles, which would have restricted me a lot, but then it turned out that Amy did everything herself, hanging on Paul's arm for hours without getting tired. In the end, she is the one who made that shot strong."
 
   
  +
=== Australia/US/Europe- CD single ===
The video begins with Amy Lee dressed in a nightgown, barefoot and asleep in a bed within a building, dreaming of falling through the air below a skyscraper. As the chorus begins, the band and Paul McCoy are performing in another room as Lee awakens and makes her way to the window. Lee climbs out of the window and climbs the building until she reaches the window of the room where the band is performing. During the bridge, McCoy notices Lee and opens the window, which causes her to lose her balance, and she grabs the ledge. Throughout the bridge and chorus, McCoy unsuccessfully attempts to reach Lee, who falls off the building. However, she is shown asleep in her bed again.
 
  +
{{Discobox|image = BMtL Australia.jpg|glabel = [[Wind-up Records|Wind-up]]|gcode = 673573 2|label = [[Wind-up Records|Wind-up]]|date = April 22, 2003|code = 673573 2}}
  +
# "Bring Me to Life" (3:56)
  +
# "Bring Me to Life" [Bliss mix] (3:59)
  +
# "[[Farther Away]]" (3:58)
  +
# "[[Missing]]" (4:15)
  +
<br>
  +
=== Australia/US/Europe- Second pressing ===
  +
{{Discobox|image = BMTL.jpg|label = [[Wind-up Records|Wind-up]]|code = 673573 5}}
  +
# "Bring Me to Life" (3:56)
  +
# "Bring Me to Life" [Bliss mix] (3:59)
  +
# "[[Farther Away]]" (3:58)
  +
# Enhanced music video (MPEG file) (3:56)
  +
<br>
  +
=== Australia- Third pressing ===
  +
{{Discobox|image = BMtL Australia 2.jpg|label = [[Wind-up Records|Wind-up]]|code = 673488 0}}
  +
# "Bring Me to Life" (3:56)
  +
# "Bring Me to Life" [Bliss mix] (3:59)
  +
<br>
  +
=== Canada- CD single ===
  +
{{Discobox|image = BMtL Canada.jpg|label = [[Wind-up Records|Wind-up]]|date = April 22, 2003|code = 34K 3428}}
  +
# "Bring Me to Life" [Album version] (3:56)
  +
# "Bring Me to Life" [Bliss mix] (3:59)
  +
<br>
  +
=== Korea- CD single ===
  +
{{Discobox|image = BMtL Korea.jpg|label = [[Wind-up Records|Wind-up]]|date = April 22, 2003|code = CPK-2953 (673488 2)}}
  +
# "Bring Me to Life" (3:56)
  +
# "Bring Me to Life" [Bliss mix] (3:59)
  +
# "[[Farther Away]]" (3:58)
  +
# "Bring Me to Life" [Video] (3:56)
   
  +
<br>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Powers Ann Powers] from the ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' wrote: "You might not immediately recognize Amy Lee's name, but you would know her if she plummeted past you from the top floor of a tenement building" and: "That's how anyone with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_television basic cable] first saw the singer for the band Evanescence, in the video for the song "Bring Me to Life": falling backward in slow motion, her hair unfolding like a long black [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veil veil] as she headed for hard pavement below." According to Joe D'Angelo of MTV News, Lee's "...teetering on a ledge" in the video shows a "...distressed and emotionally wrought heroine." Corey Moss of MTV wrote: "...certainly as intense as a superhero movie, the sequence also gives a nice visual to the song's most memorable lyric, 'Save me.'" MTV's Gil Kaufman wrote that "...singer Amy Lee dreams that she has super Spidey powers, climbs up the outside of a building, spies on her creepy neighbors, then plunges into the abyss" and added, "...even if your boyfriend is a buff rap-rocker guy, he might not be able to save you from falling off a 20-story building to your death. And don't play on ledges in a billowy dress on windy days." John Hood of ''Miami New Times'' wrote that the "gothopolis backdrop" used in the video, "would make [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Burton Tim Burton] green with envy." The music video for "Bring Me to Life" was nominated at the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_MTV_Video_Music_Awards 2004 MTV Video Music Awards] for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_Video_Music_Award_for_Best_Rock_Video Best Rock Video].
 
==Credits and Personal==
+
==Credits==
Credits are adapted from ''Fallen'' liner notes.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-windupbook_9-1">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bring_me_to_life#cite_note-windupbook-9 <u>[10]</u>]</sup>
+
Credits are adapted from ''Fallen'' liner notes.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-windupbook_9-1">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bring_me_to_life#cite_note-windupbook-9 <u>[10</u>]]</sup>
*[[Amy Lee]] - writing, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano piano], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_keyboard keyboards], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singer vocals]
+
*[[Amy Lee]] - writing, piano, keyboards, vocals
  +
*[[Ben Moody]] - writing, producing, guitars, percussion
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Moody Ben Moody] - [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songwriter writing], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_producer producing], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar guitars], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percussion_instrument percussion]
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hodges David Hodges] - writing, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano piano], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_keyboard keyboards], string arrangements
+
*[[David Hodges]] - writing, piano, keyboards, string arrangements
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Freese Josh Freese] - drums
+
*[[Josh Freese]] - drums
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Fortman Dave Fortman] - producing
+
*[[Dave Fortman]] - producing
*[[Francesco DiCosmo]] - [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_guitar bass guitar]
+
*[[Francesco DiCosmo]] - bass guitar
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Campbell_(American_arranger/composer) David Campbell] - additional string arrangements
+
*[[David Campbell]] - additional string arrangements
*Graeme Revell - string arrangements, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestra orchestral] conduction
+
*[[Graeme Revell]] - string arrangements, orchestral conduction
   
 
==Lyrics==
 
==Lyrics==
  +
===''Fallen'' version===
 
{{Scroll box|content = How can you see into my eyes like open doors?<br>
 
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb<br>
 
Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold<br>
 
Until you find it there and lead it back home<br>
  +
 
[Wake me up] Wake me up inside<br>
  +
[I can't wake up] Wake me up inside [Save me]<br>
  +
Call my name and save me from the dark [Wake me up]<br> Bid my blood to run [I can't wake up]<br>
 
Before I come undone [Save me]<br>
 
Save me from the nothing I've become<br>
  +
 
Now that I know what I'm without<br>
 
You can't just leave me<br>
  +
Breathe into me and make me real<br>
 
Bring me to life<br>
  +
  +
[Wake me up] Wake me up inside<br>
  +
[I can't wake up] Wake me up inside [Save me]<br>
  +
Call my name and save me from the dark [Wake me up]<br> Bid my blood to run [I can't wake up]<br>
 
Before I come undone [Save me]<br>
 
Save me from the nothing I've become<br>
  +
 
Bring me to life<br>
 
I've been living a lie<br>
 
There's nothing inside<br>
 
Bring me to life<br>
  +
 
Frozen inside without your touch<br>
  +
Without your love, darling<br>
 
Only you are the life among the dead<br>
  +
 
All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see<br>
 
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me<br>
  +
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems<br>
 
Got to open my eyes to everything<br>
 
Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul<br>
 
Don't let me die here<br>
  +
There must be something more<br>
  +
Bring me to life<br>
  +
  +
[Wake me up] Wake me up inside<br>
  +
[I can't wake up] Wake me up inside [Save me]<br>
  +
Call my name and save me from the dark [Wake me up]<br> Bid my blood to run [I can't wake up]<br>
  +
Before I come undone [Save me]<br>
 
Save me from the nothing I've become<br>
  +
  +
Bring me to life<br>
 
I've been living a lie<br>
 
There's nothing inside<br>
  +
Bring me to life}}
  +
<br>
  +
  +
=== Acoustic/Demo versions ===
  +
{{Scroll box|content = How can you see into my eyes like open doors?<br>
  +
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb<br>
  +
Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold<br>
  +
Until you find it there and lead it back home<br>
  +
  +
Wake me up inside, wake me up inside<br>
 
Call my name and save me from the dark<br>
 
Bid my blood to run before I come undone<br>
  +
Save me from the nothing I've become<br>
  +
Bring me to life<br>
  +
  +
Now that I know what I'm without<br>
 
You can't just leave me<br>
  +
Breathe into me and make me real<br>
  +
Bring me to life<br>
  +
  +
Wake me up inside, wake me up inside<br>
 
Call my name and save me from the dark<br>
 
Bid my blood to run before I come undone<br>
  +
Save me from the nothing I've become<br>
  +
Bring me to life<br>
  +
  +
Frozen inside without your touch<br>
  +
Without your love, darling<br>
  +
Only you are the life among the dead<br>
   
  +
Bring me to life<br>
How can you see into my eyes like open doors?<br />
 
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb<br />
 
Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold<br />
 
Until you find it there and lead it back home
 
   
(Wake me up)<br />
+
Wake me up inside, wake me up inside<br>
Wake me up inside<br />
+
Call my name and save me from the dark<br>
  +
Bid my blood to run before I come undone<br>
(I can't wake up)<br />
 
Wake me up inside<br />
+
Save me from the nothing I've become<br>
(Save me)<br />
+
Bring me to life<br>
Call my name and save me from the dark
 
   
(Wake me up)<br />
+
Bring me to life<br>
  +
Bring me to life}}
Bid my blood to run<br />
 
  +
<br>
(I can't wake up)<br />
 
Before I come undone<br />
 
(Save me)<br />
 
(Save me from the nothing I've become)
 
   
  +
===Bliss Mix===
Now that I know what I'm without<br />
 
  +
{{Scroll box|content = How can you see into my eyes like open doors?<br>
You can't just leave me<br />
 
Breathe into me and make me real<br />
+
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb<br>
  +
Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold<br>
Bring me to life
 
  +
Until you find it there and lead it back home<br>
   
(Wake me up)<br />
+
Wake me up inside, wake me up inside<br>
Wake me up inside<br />
+
Call my name and save me from the dark<br>
(I can't wake up)<br />
+
Bid my blood to run<br>
Wake me up inside<br />
+
Before I come undone<br>
(Save me)<br />
+
Save me from the nothing I've become<br>
Call my name and save me from the dark
 
   
  +
Now that I know what I'm without<br>
(Wake me up)<br />
 
Bid my blood to run<br />
+
You can't just leave me<br>
  +
Breathe into me and make me real<br>
(I can't wake up)<br />
 
Before I come undone<br />
+
Bring me to life<br>
(Save me)<br />
 
(Save me from the nothing I've become)
 
   
  +
Wake me up inside, wake me up inside<br>
I've been living a lie<br />
 
 
Call my name and save me from the dark<br>
There's nothing inside<br />
 
  +
Bid my blood to run<br>
Bring me to life
 
  +
Before I come undone<br>
  +
Save me from the nothing I've become<br>
   
  +
Bring me to life<br>
Frozen inside without your touch<br />
 
Without your love, darling<br />
+
Bring me to life<br>
Only you are the life among the dead
 
   
  +
Frozen inside without your touch<br>
All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see<br />
 
  +
Without your love, darling<br>
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me<br />
 
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems<br />
+
Only you are the life among the dead<br>
Got to open my eyes to everything
 
   
  +
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems<br>
Without thought, without voice, without a soul<br />
 
  +
Got to open my eyes to everything<br>
Don't let me die here<br />
 
There must be something more<br />
+
Don't let me die here<br>
Bring me to life
+
Bring me to life<br>
   
(Wake me up)<br />
+
Bring me to life<br>
Wake me up inside<br />
+
Bring me to life<br>
(I can't wake up)<br />
+
Bring me to life<br>}}
Wake me up inside<br />
 
(Save me)<br />
 
Call my name and save me from the dark
 
   
  +
==In other media==
(Wake me up)<br />
 
  +
*Along with [[My Immortal (song)|My Immortal]], the song is used in the 2003 Marvel film ''Daredevil'' and is included on it's soundtrack album.
Bid my blood to run<br />
 
  +
*The song was used numerous times on Mitsubishi car TV commercials in Asia.
(I can't wake up)<br />
 
  +
*In 2011, the song was featured in the episode "The Inner Circle" of the seventh season of the American sitcom ''The Office''.
Before I come undone<br />
 
  +
*"Bring Me to Life" was included in the games ''Rock Band'', ''Rock Band Unplugged'', ''Band Hero'', DLC for ''SingStar'', and ''Fight Girl Battle World''.
(Save me)<br />
 
  +
*The song was used during the Calgary Flames' run in the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs.
(Save me from the nothing I've become)
 
  +
*The song served as the official theme song of the WWE pay-per-view event No Way Out (2003).
   
  +
{{Template:Navboxsongs}}
I've been living a lie<br />
 
There's nothing inside<br />
 
Bring me to life
 
 
[[Category:Songs]]
 
[[Category:Songs]]
 
[[Category:Fallen]]
 
[[Category:Fallen]]
 
[[Category:Anywhere But Home]]
 
[[Category:Anywhere But Home]]
 
[[Category:Singles]]
 
[[Category:Singles]]
  +
[[Category:Fallen Singles]]
  +
[[Category:Synthesis]]

Revision as of 01:26, 2 August 2020

For the music video for this song, see: Bring Me To Life (music video)


""Bring Me to Life""
Released April 22, 2003 (Fallen)
November 10, 2017 (Synthesis)
Length 3:57 (Fallen)
4:18 (Synthesis)
Producers Dave Fortman (Fallen)
Will Hunt, Amy Lee (Synthesis)
Label Wind-up Records
Chronology
Fallen
"Going Under" "Bring Me to Life" "Everybody's Fool"

"Bring Me to Life" is the second track on the album Fallen. It was written by Amy Lee, Ben Moody and David Hodges and produced by Dave Fortman. It is often incorrectly referred to as "Wake Me Up Inside" and "Save me from the dark." "Bring Me To Life" features guest vocals from Paul McCoy of the band 12 Stones. Wind-up released "Bring Me to Life" in 2003 as the lead single from Evanescence's debut studio album, Fallen. The song delivers genres from alternative metal to rap-rock and others.

Background and Release

According to Amy Lee, the song was inspired by several things, the first being an incident at a restaurant. During an interview from a tour stop in Tulsa she told The Boston Phoenix: "I was inspired to write it when someone said something to me — I didn’t know him, and I thought he might be clairvoyant.[...] I was in a relationship and I was completely unhappy. But I was hiding it. I was being completely abused and I was trying to cover it up; I wouldn’t even admit it to myself. So then I had spoken maybe 10 or 15 words to this guy, who was a friend of a friend. We were waiting for everyone else to show up, and we went into a restaurant and got a table. And he looked at me and said, ‘Are you happy?’ And I felt my heart leap, and I was like, he totally knows what I’m thinking. And I lied, I said I was fine. Anyway, he’s not really clairvoyant. But he is a sociology major." Lee said in a VH1 interview: "Open-mindedness. It's about waking up to all the things you've been missing for so long. One day someone said something that made my heart race for a second and I realized that for months I'd been numb, just going through the motions of life." During an interview with Blender, Lee claimed that she wrote "Bring Me to Life" about her longtime friend, Josh Hartzler, whom she married in 2007.

"Bring Me to Life" was released on April 22, 2003; it was the first single from the band's debut album, Fallen. The album's opening track, "Going Under", was initially planned to be the first single, but the after the release of the Daredevil soundtrack, it was changed to the album's second single. Wind-up Entertainment president/CEO Ed Vetri, revealed that when the label was pushing the song to the radio, owners stated "We don't play pianos and chicks on rock radio." However, when "Bring Me to Life" was released on the Daredevil soundtrack, listeners demanded the radio to play the song. The single includes "Farther Away" as a B-side and refers to it as the album version; however, the track order of Fallen was not finalized at the time of its release and the track was omitted from the album. The first pressing of the Australian single contained the track "Missing" as a B-side, but this was omitted from later pressings and later released as a bonus track on the band's first live album, Anywhere But Home. Earlier versions of "Bring Me to Life" were recorded and released as demo versions before Fallen's release; featuring more industrial pieces of music and the absence of Paul McCoy's guest vocals. An acoustic version was recorded and released on the Bring Me to Life DVD. Several other versions of the track have been released, such as remixes, acoustic and altered versions. The live version featured on the Anywhere but Home DVD contains a piano and vocal solo before the song's intro and features John LeCompt performing guest vocals.

Recording and composition

"Bring Me to Life" was written by Amy Lee, Ben Moody and David Hodges for their first studio album Fallen. Recording work for Fallen started at Ocean Studios in Burbank, California, where most of "Bring Me to Life" was recorded, prior to full album production. The song was mixed by Jay Baumgardner in his studio, NRG Recording Studios in North Hollywood on anSSL 9000 J. A 22-piece string section was recorded in Seattle by Mark Curry. "Bring Me to Life" was mixed at the Newman Scoring Stage and Bolero Studios, both in Los Angeles. The orchestra parts were arranged by David Hodges and David Campbell. During an interview, Lee recalled that during the recording process of the song it was said to her that the song must to have male vocals: "It was presented to me as, 'You're a girl singing in a rock band, there's nothing else like that out there, nobody's going to listen to you. You need a guy to come in and sing back-up for it to be successful.'"

According to the sheet music published by Alfred Music Publishing on the website Musicnotes.com, "Bring Me to Life" is a rock, alternative metal, hard rock, chamber pop and gothic metal song set in a common time and performed in a moderate tempo of 96 beats per minute. It is written in the key of E minor and Lee's vocal range for the song runs from the note A3 to D5. In the song, Paul McCoy sings the lines "Wake me up/ I can't wake up/ Save me!" in a rap style.

Music video

Bring Me to Life 2

Amy Lee and Paul McCoy

The music video for "Bring Me to Life" was filmed in Romania in January 2003 and was directed by Philip Stolzl. It is a live performance/action video featuring a tall apartment building with various skyscraper shots in the background. Amy is sleeping in a nightgown while the other band members are playing music on a higher floor of the building. Amy begins sleepwalking and jumps out the window, climbing up to the floor where there others are performing. She walks towards their window where Paul McCoy notices her and opens the window. Amy falls and Paul grabs her by the hand, trying to pull her up. He loses his grip and sends Amy falling, where the last scene shows that she was asleep all along. This is symbolic to the song's lyrics, "wake me up and save me", and "bring me to life".

The video gained massive popularity in 2003 and clips of it were shown everywhere, including MTV's Big Urban Myth Show where clips of Amy walking up on the ledge were prominently featured on any and all sleep related myths.

Chart Performance

"Bring Me to Life" peaked within the top 10 of more than 15 countries, and within the top 20 of several other countries, making it the band's most successful single to date. It was certified Platinum in 2003 for selling more than one million copies in the United States. It topped the Billboard Alternative Songs and Pop 100 charts and peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 . It also peaked at number four on the Adult Pop Songs chart. The song initially peaked within the Christian rock charts as well, because its lyrics were interpreted as a call for new life in Jesus Christ by several listeners. "Bring Me To Life" charted at number 73 on Billboard's Best of the 2000s Rock Songs Chart, the only song by a female-led band on that chart. The song topped the charts of Australia, Belgium, Italy and the United Kingdom. It peaked within the top 5 of Austria, Canada, France, Ireland, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Netherlands, and Sweden. On the ARIA Singles Chart, "Bring Me to Life" peaked at number one where it stayed for six weeks.

"Bring Me to Life" charted within the top 20 of every other country of its release. The song spent four weeks at number one in the United Kingdom and helped Fallen reach number one on the UK Albums Chart. The song also topped the European Hot 100 chart. On June 4, 2011, the song returned to the top of the UK Rock Singles Chart, eight years after its release, remaining at number one for two weeks, on June 11, 2011 to June 25, 2011. It fell to number two, remaining there for three weeks, and on July 17, 2011, "Bring Me to Life" returned to number one again and remained there for three weeks. The song remained within the top 10 into October 2011. As of October, 2011, the song has sold more than 511,500 copies in the United Kingdom.

Live Performances

Evanescence performed "Bring Me to Life" as part of the set-lists of their tours. The band performed the song on August 13, 2003 in Chicago during their Nintendo Fusion Tour. During the performance, former Evanescence guitarist John LeCompt replaced McCoy during the song. According to Blair R. Fischer: "The guitarist did an adequate job imitating McCoy while he laid down the song's fiery, Iron Maiden-esque riff." The band performed "Bring Me to Life" in Wantagh, New York on July 23, 2004. According to Joe D'Angelo from MTV News: "...the massive popularity of the song was a smart set-list assembly that helped the crowd respond in kind." The song was performed on November 21, 2007 at WaMu Theater.

Evanescence performed "Bring Me to Life" at the Webster Hall in New York City in September 2003. During the performance, Lee wore an Alice in Wonderland dress covered with scrawled words, including the words Dirty, Useless, Psycho and Slut. She explained her reasons for wearing the dress. On her previous visit to New York City, Lee had met a DJ from the radio station K-Rock, who had made what she called horrible comments about the pleasure he had derived from the picture of her face on the cover of Fallen. She had felt too ashamed to say anything, so she decided to respond through the dress, which represented something innocent that had been tainted. The band performed "Bring Me to Life" during their concert at The Great Saltair on October 25, 2006. Lee wore red and black, with a skirt. She was called a magnet of the night by the Deseret News' reviewer Larry D. Curtis. Other performances of the song were in Magna, Utah in October 2006, and the Air Canada Centre in January 2007. The band also played the song at a secret gig in New York City on November 4, 2009. During their concert at War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on August 17, 2011, Evanescence performed "Bring Me to Life" to promote their third album, Evanescence. They also performed the song during the 2011 Rock in Rio festival on October 2, 2011. While reviewing a concert by the band, Caroline Sullivan wrote "Slowly raising her arms during Bring Me to Life's thunderous, strobe-lit fade-out, she's missing only a chariot."

Single releases

Australia/US/Europe- CD single

BMtL Australia Label: Wind-up
Released: April 22, 2003
Barcode: 673573 2
  1. "Bring Me to Life" (3:56)
  2. "Bring Me to Life" [Bliss mix] (3:59)
  3. "Farther Away" (3:58)
  4. "Missing" (4:15)


Australia/US/Europe- Second pressing

BMTL Label: Wind-up
Released: {{{date}}}
Barcode: 673573 5
  1. "Bring Me to Life" (3:56)
  2. "Bring Me to Life" [Bliss mix] (3:59)
  3. "Farther Away" (3:58)
  4. Enhanced music video (MPEG file) (3:56)


Australia- Third pressing

BMtL Australia 2 Label: Wind-up
Released: {{{date}}}
Barcode: 673488 0
  1. "Bring Me to Life" (3:56)
  2. "Bring Me to Life" [Bliss mix] (3:59)


Canada- CD single

BMtL Canada Label: Wind-up
Released: April 22, 2003
Barcode: 34K 3428
  1. "Bring Me to Life" [Album version] (3:56)
  2. "Bring Me to Life" [Bliss mix] (3:59)


Korea- CD single

BMtL Korea Label: Wind-up
Released: April 22, 2003
Barcode: CPK-2953 (673488 2)
  1. "Bring Me to Life" (3:56)
  2. "Bring Me to Life" [Bliss mix] (3:59)
  3. "Farther Away" (3:58)
  4. "Bring Me to Life" [Video] (3:56)


Credits

Credits are adapted from Fallen liner notes.[10]

Lyrics

Fallen version

How can you see into my eyes like open doors?
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb
Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home

[Wake me up] Wake me up inside
[I can't wake up] Wake me up inside [Save me]
Call my name and save me from the dark [Wake me up]
Bid my blood to run [I can't wake up]
Before I come undone [Save me]
Save me from the nothing I've become

Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life

[Wake me up] Wake me up inside
[I can't wake up] Wake me up inside [Save me]
Call my name and save me from the dark [Wake me up]
Bid my blood to run [I can't wake up]
Before I come undone [Save me]
Save me from the nothing I've become

Bring me to life
I've been living a lie
There's nothing inside
Bring me to life

Frozen inside without your touch
Without your love, darling
Only you are the life among the dead

All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything
Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul
Don't let me die here
There must be something more
Bring me to life

[Wake me up] Wake me up inside
[I can't wake up] Wake me up inside [Save me]
Call my name and save me from the dark [Wake me up]
Bid my blood to run [I can't wake up]
Before I come undone [Save me]
Save me from the nothing I've become

Bring me to life
I've been living a lie
There's nothing inside
Bring me to life


Acoustic/Demo versions

How can you see into my eyes like open doors?
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb
Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home

Wake me up inside, wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become
Bring me to life

Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life

Wake me up inside, wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become
Bring me to life

Frozen inside without your touch
Without your love, darling
Only you are the life among the dead

Bring me to life

Wake me up inside, wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become
Bring me to life

Bring me to life
Bring me to life


Bliss Mix

How can you see into my eyes like open doors?
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb
Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home

Wake me up inside, wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run
Before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become

Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life

Wake me up inside, wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run
Before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become

Bring me to life
Bring me to life

Frozen inside without your touch
Without your love, darling
Only you are the life among the dead

I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything
Don't let me die here
Bring me to life

Bring me to life
Bring me to life
Bring me to life

In other media

  • Along with My Immortal, the song is used in the 2003 Marvel film Daredevil and is included on it's soundtrack album.
  • The song was used numerous times on Mitsubishi car TV commercials in Asia.
  • In 2011, the song was featured in the episode "The Inner Circle" of the seventh season of the American sitcom The Office.
  • "Bring Me to Life" was included in the games Rock Band, Rock Band Unplugged, Band Hero, DLC for SingStar, and Fight Girl Battle World.
  • The song was used during the Calgary Flames' run in the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs.
  • The song served as the official theme song of the WWE pay-per-view event No Way Out (2003).