Understanding (song)

"Understanding" Released December 1998 Length 7:21 Producers Ben Moody Label Bigwig Enterprises Chronology 'Evanescence EP' "So Close" "Understanding" "The End"

"Understanding" is the sixth song, the acoustic version of the song as the fourth outtake, on Evanescence's first EP, 1998's Evanescence EP. It's also the third song in 1999's Sound Asleep.

Background

The song was written by Amy Lee and Ben Moody. The audio clips in the song come from the movies My World Dies Screaming, also known as Terror in the Haunted House (1958), except the line "We're supposed to try... that is real" and "God, just don't hate me.. because I'll die if you do" which are from When a Man Loves a Woman (1994).

Amy Lee on the song:

“

That is a song that we did write together and it's very long; I believe it was eight minutes actually, but, I mean, I don't know how to describe it. It's something we wrote when we were 14 maybe. It's before we knew who we were, It's when we were first trying to experiment.

”

Ben Moody on the song:

“

The second song we ever wrote was this seven-minute, ridiculous Goth anthem called "Understanding." And for some reason, the local rock station decided to play it a lot. We gained this popularity around town, even though no one knew who we were or where to find us. It was because we could never afford to play a show -- it was just Amy and I -- and we couldn't pay any musicians.

”

A remixed version of the song with strings was to be released on a scrapped debut album titled Vanish in late 1998, but the idea was ultimately scrapped and merged into Origin.

It was rumored to be reworked for the band's then-untitled third album in 2010, but this was not confirmed. It's likely to be a rumor created by fans.

Performances

The first live recording of the band playing this song was in 1999 at Vino's diner. In 2007, the band added "Understanding" to the set-list of the last leg of The Open Door Tour.

Lyrics

Evanescence EP

You hold the answers deep within your own mind Consciously, you've forgotten it That's the way the human mind works Whenever something is too unpleasant, to shameful for us to entertain, we reject it We erase it from our memories But the imprint is always there [Can't wash it all away,] [Can't wish it all away,] [Can't hope it all away,] [Can't cry it all away] The pain that grips you The fear that binds you Releases life in me In our mutual Shame we hide our eyes To blind them from the truth That finds a way from who we are Please don't be afraid When the darkness fades away The dawn will break the silence Screaming in our hearts My love for you still grows This I do for you Before I try to fight the truth My final time We're supposed to try and be real And I feel alone, and we're not together, and that is real Can't wash it all away Can't wish it all away Can't cry it all away Can't scratch it all away Lying beside you Listening to you breathe The life that flows inside of you Burns inside of me Hold and speak to me Of love without a sound Tell me you will live through this And I will die for you Cast me not away Say you'll be with me For I know I cannot Bear it all alone You're not alone, honey Never... Never.... Can't fight it all away Can't hope it all away Can't scream it all away It just won't fade away, no, no Can't wash it all away Can't wish it all away Can't cry it all away Can't scratch it all away Can't fight it all away Can't hope it all away Can't scream it all away Ooh, it all away Ooh, it all away Oohhh.. But the imprint is always there Nothing is ever really forgotten God, please don't hate me Because I'll die if you do Because I'll die if you do Because I'll die if you do Because I'll die if you do

Sound Asleep EP

You hold the answer... The pain that grips you The fear that binds you Releases life in me In our mutual shame we hide our eyes To blind them from the truth that finds a way for who we are Please don't be afraid When the darkness fades away The dawn will break the silence Screaming in our hearts My love for you still grows This I do for you Before I try to fight the truth My final time Can't wash it all away Can't wish it all away Can't cry it all away Can't scratch it all away Lying beside you Listening to you breathe The light that flows inside of you Burns inside of me Hold and speak to me Of love without a sound Tell me you will live through this And I will die for you [I'll die for you] Cast me not away Say you'll be with me For I know I cannot bear it all alone Can't fight it all away Can't hope it all away Can't scream it all away It just won't fade away I've tried so hard [I have tried so hard] Tried to be without you for so many years No, no, no And I have cried [So many words I have saved for someone, for sometime] I love you, I love you, and I want you to stay

Acoustic

The pain that grips you The fear that binds you Releases life in me In our mutual shame we hide our eyes To blind them from the truth that finds a way for who we are Can't wash it all away Can't wish it all away Can't cry it all away Can't scratch it all away Lying beside you Listening to you breathe The light that flows inside of you Burns inside of me Cast me not away Say you'll be with me For I know I cannot bear it all alone Can't fight it all away Can't hope it all away Can't scream it all away It just won't fade away Can't wash it all away Can't wish it all away Can't cry it all away Can't hope it all away

Live Version

Can't wash it all away Can't wish it all away Can't hope it all away Can't cry it all away The pain that grips you The fear that binds you Ooh, releases life in me In our mutual shame we hide our eyes To blind them from the truth that finds a way for who we are Please don't be afraid When the darkness fades away The dawn will break the silence Screaming in our hearts My love for you still grows This I do for you Before I try to fight the truth My final time Can't wash it all away Can't wish it all away, oh Can't fight it all away Can't hope it all away Lying beside you Listening to you breathe The light that flows inside of you Burns inside of me Hold and speak to me Of love without a sound Tell me you will live through this And I will die for you Cast me not away Say you'll be with me For I know I cannot bear it all alone Can't fight it all away Can't hope it all away Can't scream it all away It just won't fade away, yeah, no Ooh, can't wash it all away Can't wish it all away, yeah, no Can't cry it all away Can't scratch it all away Can't fight it all away Can't hope it all away Can't scream it all away Oh! It all away Oh! It all away, yeah, yeah Oh, ooh.

References

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The Bitter Truth Artifact/The Turn • Broken Pieces Shine • The Game is Over • Yeah Right • Feeding The Dark • Wasted On You • Better Without You • Use My Voice • Take Cover • Far From Heaven • Part of Me • Blind Belief Synthesis Overture • Never Go Back • Hi-Lo • My Heart Is Broken • Lacrymosa • The End of the Dream • Bring Me To Life • Unraveling (Interlude) • Imaginary • Secret Door • Lithium • Lost In Paradise • Your Star • My Immortal • The In-Between (Piano Solo) • Imperfection Evanescence What You Want • Made Of Stone • The Change • My Heart Is Broken • The Other Side • Erase This • Lost In Paradise • Sick • End Of The Dream • Oceans • Never Go Back • Swimming Home Deluxe Edition A New Way To Bleed • Say You Will • Disappear • Secret Door Outtakes (2010 sessions) Perfect Dream • You Got a Lot to Learn • Take Cover • Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing The Open Door Sweet Sacrifice • Call Me When You're Sober • Weight of the World • Lithium • Cloud Nine • Snow White Queen • Lacrymosa • Like You • Lose Control • The Only One • Your Star • All That I'm Living For • Good Enough iTunes pre-order bonus track The Last Song I'm Wasting On You B-Sides Together Again • If You Don't Mind Fallen Going Under • Bring Me To Life • Everybody's Fool • My Immortal • Haunted • Tourniquet • Imaginary • Taking Over Me • Hello • My Last Breath • Whisper B-Sides Farther Away • Missing • Breathe No More Pre-Fallen Material Mystary EP (2003) My Last Breath (Mystary EP Version) • My Immortal (Mystary EP Version) • Farther Away (Mystary EP Version) • Everybody's Fool (Mystary EP Version) • My Immortal Origin (2000) Origin • Whisper • Imaginary (Origin Version) • My Immortal • Where Will You Go (Origin Version) • Field Of Innocence • Even In Death • Anywhere • Lies • Away From Me • Eternal Whisper/Sound Asleep EP (1999) Give Unto Me (Sound Asleep Version) • Whisper (Demo Version #1) • Understanding (Sound Asleep version) • Forgive Me • Ascension Of The Spirit Evanescence EP (1998) Where Will You Go? (Evanescence EP Version) • Solitude • Imaginary (Evanescence EP version) • Exodus • So Close • Understanding (Evanescence EP version) • The End Evanescence EP Outtakes My Immortal (Evanescence EP Version) • Give Unto Me (Evanescence EP version) • October • Untitled Song