The Game is Over

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General Information

Written by: A. Lee, T. McCord, T. McLawhorn and W. Hunt

The Game is Over is the third track and second single from Evanescence's fifth studio album, The Bitter Truth, which was released on July 1, 2020. The title was published on the music repertoire website, ASCAP, before its confirmation of being an official song. This was the first song written for the album when the band got together to write in 2019. Its working title was Farts In St. Barts.

The song is described as "a protest against the facades we are pressured to put on by society. In the face of depression and anxiety - and especially in a world that seems to crumble further each day - it’s a cry to end the charade that everything’s fine." Amy also added:

This song is about being sick of the facade. The disguises we wear for others to make them feel comfortable, the inside feelings being so different than what we show on the outside to fit within the boundaries of what’s socially acceptable, or what’s not going to make you unpleasant or too ‘weird’ to be around. “The Game is Over” is a promise to myself and out loud that I’m going to be more of my real, inner self on the outside–not lock her up because she can’t be contained anymore. It’s also a prayer to become better, to not feel so messed up, locked up, and hurt inside.

Fans who pre-saved the song on streaming services entered for a chance to join a Zoom call with the band and hear the song before its release. Watch a clip from the Zoom call here.

On July 15, 2020, the signed lyric sheets from the Zoom premiere of the song were auctioned on eBay and all the proceeds were donated to Black Lives Matter. Each lyric sheet was handwritten and signed by Amy on the back of a rare Evanescence poster.

Versions

Studio version

The Game is Over

• Recording date: January - February 2020
• Status: Released, Available
• Released On: July 1, 2020 as the second single from The Bitter Truth

The Bitter Truth (Track #3)

• Length: 4:22

The Game is Over [Instrumental]

• Recording date: January - February 2020
• Status: Released
• Released On: The Bitter Truth Evolution cassette (B1)
• Length: 4:22

GIO [The Bitter Truth Evolution demo]

• Recording date: 2019-2020
• Status: Released
• Released On: The Bitter Truth Evolution cassette (A2)
• Length: 2:14

Live version

The Game is Over (A Live Session From Rock Falcon Studio)

• Status: Released
• Recording date: October 2020
• Released On: The Bitter Truth CD2: A Live Session From Rock Falcon Studio (Track #2)
• Length: 4:23

The Game is Over (Driven to Perform Livestream Concert by Cooper Tire)

• Performing period: May 13, 2021
• Example: Driven to Perform Livestream Concert by Cooper Tire, Nashville, TN, USA

The Game is Over [Live]

• Performing period: November 5 - December 9, 2021; June 5 - July 18, 2022; May 9 - June 15, 2024
• Example: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA, USA (November 7, 2021)

Lyrics

Had enough, I've really
Had enough
Had enough of denial
I'm not alright but I'm not gonna lie
I don't know that I ever was

All alone, I've waited, all alone
Held it in as I played by your rules
I've been biting my lip
But I'm losing my grip
I'm coming down, down, down

When all the hate burns off, I'm left here with the pain
Behind our vain devices, are we all the same?
Ooh, ah, ah, ah, ah
Change me into something I believe in
Change me so I don't have to pretend

Take a breath and try to play along
But I'm a terrible liar
I feel the world like a brick on my chest
And the party's just begun

Throw the rope, I'm wading through the mud
From your mouth flow a thousand truths
But you know
There's only one

When all the hate burns off, I'm left here with the pain

Change me into something I believe in
Change me so I don't have to pretend

Sweet words they mean nothing, they're not true
'Cause the game is over

I want it all, or I want nothing at all
Maybe I can
Change me into something I believe in
Change me so I don't have to pretend
Your sweet words they mean nothing, save your breath
The game is over

Video

Screenshots from 'The Game Is Over' music video.

The official music video for The Game is Over was premiered on YouTube on July 3, 2020 at 12N ET / 9AM PT, with Amy also taking part in a fan Q&A. The clip is described as a nightmarish, effects-laden look at the emotional havoc that this period has wrought. Despite being restricted to shooting themselves on iPhones, the band, in collaboration with director P.R. Brown, managed to create a stylish video capturing the metaphorical monsters within us.

In the live comments just before the video's premiere, Amy explained the theme and inspiration behind the video:

Like WOY, we self- filmed this in quarantine. But this time we didn't want it to look so self made. We wanted to make a real art piece with FX and we all spent about 3 weeks filming separately. A big theme in the song is about holding in your true self- hiding it from the outside world to protect ourselves, or others from our deepest struggles, and big parts of our honest, raw selves. ​So each of us had a private confessional with Paul (director), about our individual demons- the monster within, the struggle, the thing we can't contain. None of us knew the other band member's theme, until seeing the edit. When you watch the video, you'll be seeing each of us in our individual struggle with what lies within.

P.R. Brown posted this to his Instagram account:

I know we all want to be back to normal, and I am itching to return to set again. In the meantime, you have creative geniuses like Evanescence who will push through to make their voice be heard, even in these weird circumstances. Amy hit me up and said she wanted an acid trip of a graphic video that dealt with the demons we all have inside us. During this time, those demons are even stronger over the frustration of the state of the world we are in. I have to hand it to the band as they each filmed themselves on their phones in uncomfortable roles with things that are incredibly personal to them, and did it beautifully. You could spend hours trying to unpack the references in here. They could have easily chosen to wait until things normalize to shoot a larger production, but wanted to express themselves through the tools they have now in a ridiculously creative way. What's fascinating is that each member dug deeper than I could have ever pulled out of them on a traditional set. Throughout my career I have done many graphic videos and these days tend to shy away from them. But in this case it completely made sense. It's not supposed to be pretty, it's meant to be intentionally uncomfortable, to put you in their shoes and feel the anxiety ripping them apart so they can move forward in the end like a phoenix. Some will get that and some will say oh god not another heavy fx video. To make the latter claim completely misses the point entirely. At the end of the day the band wanted to express themselves in this way and I have nothing but complete respect and love for their love of creating art. 5 band members, all around the world, worked together to make a beautifully poignant piece that points out the misgivings of perfection. That is pretty damn incredible and inspiring. Based on the responses I have seen so far, the band really knows how to push the right buttons to get much needed dialog moving forward. A huge congrats to them on a job well done!! I have nothing but love and admiration for this creative band of brothers and sisters. Watch “The game is over” on youtube.

• Watch the music video here.

Commercial Release

Main article: The Game is Over Single

The digital single was released on July 1, 2020.

Tracks released with the single include:

• "The Game is Over"