My Immortal
General Information
Written by: A. Lee and B. Moody
One of the most popular songs ever recorded by the band. This song lasts the entire span of Evanescence’s recording history. It is credited as the 4th song ever written for Evanescence. Ben Moody wrote the original in full when he was 15 years old. It is the second song that he wrote for the band (Understanding is credited as his first). In the later versions of the song, Amy Lee is credited to have written the bridge and the coinciding piano part to the song. There are seven different recorded versions of the song. The Fallen version of the song has strings by composer Graeme Revell.
The song has many different interpretations. Ben wrote a short story before writing the lyrics to the song. The song according to Ben is about a spirit staying with you after its death and haunting you until you actually wish that the spirit were gone because it won't leave you alone. Ben dedicated the song along with the Fallen album to his grandfather. The song peaked at #2 on the pop chart just behind Britney Spears’ Toxic, and was #1 on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart for 3 weeks.
The video was directed by David Mouldy and was filmed in Barcelona, Spain. The video touches upon the theme of solitude and loneliness. The video was filmed 2 weeks before Ben Moody walked away.
The band version of My Immortal is Ben Moody's last recording with Evanescence before his departure in October of 2003.
Commercial release: December 8, 2003/December 30, 2003
This song has been nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance by Duo or Group for the 47th Annual Grammy Awards.
Versions
Studio versions:
- My Immortal [Fallen version]
Recording date: August - November 2002
Status: Released
Released on:
Fallen (track #4) – the first single off the album
Daredevil: The Album (track #17)
most of Bring Me To Life singles
- My Immortal [Mystary version]
Recording date: 2002
Status: Released
Released on: Mystary EP (track #2)
Note: The Mystary version is similar to the Band version because the string arrangement was made by Beck Hanson’s father, David Campbell (also known for making the string arrangement to Linkin Park’s “Breaking the Habit”).
- My Immortal [band version]
Recording date: September 2003
Status: Released
Released on:
re-release of Fallen (track #12, sometimes track #13)
all Bring Me To Life singles and numerous compilation CDs
Note: two versions of the band version were recorded for radio play in late September 2003. One with Campbell’s string arrangement and one without strings through the first 2 verses.
- My Immortal [Origin version]
Recording date: 1999
Status: Released
Released on: Origin (track #4)
Note: The Origin one is similar to the Fallen version. The Origin version has no strings and features a louder backup vocal by David Hodges.
- My Immortal [original version]
Recording date: 1997-1998
Status: Unreleased
Note: this version was a piano/vocal only.
Live versions:
- My Immortal [Anywhere But Home DVD live]
Performing period: 2000-2004
Status: Released
Recording date: May 25, 2004
Released on: Anywhere But Home (track #9)
- My Immortal [live in Cologne]
Performing period: 2000-2004
Status: Released
Recording date: October 17, 2003
Released on: My Immortal commercial single
- My Immortal [acoustic]
Performing period: 2003
Status: Released
Released on: Bring Me To Life DVD
Lyrics
My Immortal - Fallen, Origin, & Band Version
I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'Cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
[CHORUS:]
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me
You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All the sanity in me
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase-
[Chorus]
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along
[Chorus]
My Immortal - Piano - Vocal (Original) Version
I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
I would give the very breath from my chest
To give you all the things that my mind couldn't bear
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'Cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me
You used to captivate me by your resonating light
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All the sanity in me
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me
I'd love to walk away and pull myself out of the rain
But I can't leave without you
I'd love to live without the constant fear and endless doubt
But I can't live without you
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me
