Understanding

From The Evanescence Reference

Across the Universe*
All That I'm Living For
Anything for You
Anywhere
Artifact/The Turn
Ascension of the Spirit
Away from Me
Before the Dawn
Better Without You
Bleed
Blind Belief
Breathe No More
Bring Me to Life
Broken Pieces Shine
Call Me When You're Sober
Catherine
Cloud Nine
Demise
Disappear
End of the Dream
Erase This
Eternal
Even in Death
Everybody's Fool
Exodus
Far From Heaven
Farther Away
Feeding the Dark
Field of Innocence
Forever You
Forgive Me
Give Unto Me
Going Under
Good Enough
Haunted
Hello
Hi-Lo
If You Don't Mind
Imaginary
Imperfection
Instrumental 1
Instrumental 2
Instrumental 3
Instrumental 4
Lacrymosa
Lies
Like You
Listen to the Rain
Lithium
Lose Control
Lost in Paradise
Made of Stone
Me & You
Missing
My Heart Is Broken
My Immortal
My Last Breath
Never Go Back
New Way to Bleed
Oceans
October
Origin
Overture
Part of Me
Perfect Dream
Say You Will
Secret Door
Sick
Snow White Queen
So Close
Solitude
Spanish
Surrender
Sweet Sacrifice
Swimming Home
Take Cover
Taking Over Me
The Chain*
The Change
The End
The Game is Over
The In-Between
The Last Song I'm Wasting on You
The Only One
The Other Side
Together Again
Tourniquet
Understanding
Unknown Title
Unraveling
Use My Voice
Wasted on You
Weight of the World
What You Want
Where Will You Go?
Whisper
Yeah Right
You Got a Lot to Learn
Your Love
Your Star
* Cover songs


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General information

Understanding is the sixth track from Evanescence's first EP, Evanescence EP (1998). It was written by Amy Lee and Ben Moody, and it's one of the first songs written as Evanescence.[1][2]

In August 1999, Understanding was released again, along with a new version of the song, on the Amy and Ben's second Evanescence EP, Sound Asleep EP (1999).

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).

Ben on the song:

Vin1.jpg 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.[2] Vin2.jpg


Amy was asked about the song in a 2003 PowerPlay interview:

Vin1.jpg You had a song called "Understanding" in the beginning, which was seven minutes long. Is that available now?

Of course not. I think when that was mentioned, it was a joke. 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, so I don't even consider that one of our songs.[1]

Vin2.jpg


This song, along with Solitude, was on a compact cassette which was said by Amy to be Evanescence's first "professional" recording.[3][4]

The band added Understanding to the setlist during their last leg of The Open Door tour from October to December 2007.[5][6]

Versions

Studio versions:

Understanding [Evanescence EP version]

RIM v.beta compilation (track #8)
Evanescence EP (track #6)
Sound Asleep EP (track #5)
  • Length: 7:21

Understanding [Sound Asleep EP version]

Understanding [Acoustic][7]

  • Recording date: 1997–1998
  • Status: Unreleased
  • Extra: Supposedly performed live on radio, however this version was actually pre-recorded.
  • Length: 3:14

Understanding [Remixed with Strings][8]

  • Recording date: 1998
  • Status: Unreleased
  • Released on: Vanish (scrapped project)


Live versions

Understanding [Live Whisper/Sound Asleep EP Version]

Understanding [2007 live][note 1]

  • Performing period: October 23 - December 8, 2007
  • Status: Unreleased
  • Example: Nissan Live Sets, West Los Angeles (November 12), and in other concerts in USA and Mexico[9]

Download

Lyrics

Evanescence EP version

You hold the answer deep within your own mind
Consciously you've forgotten it
That's the way the human mind works
Whenever something is too unpleasant
Too shameful for us to entertain we reject it [We wash it all away]
We erase it from our memory
But the imprint is always there [we wish it all away]
[We 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 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

We're supposed to try and be real
And when you feel alone, you are 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 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

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

Ooh, 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
Oh! It all away
Oh! It all away

But the imprint is always there
Nothing is ever really forgotten

God, just don't hate me
Because I'll die if you do
'Cause I'll die if you do
'Cause I'll die if you do
'Cause I'll die if you do
Because I'll die if you do

Sound Asleep EP version

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 super 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 version

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.

Guitar tabs & sheet music

Notes

  1. This live version sounds most like the Evanescence EP version.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Oei, Roland (August 2003). "Evanescence". PowerPlay: 10. http://galeria.evanescence.com.br/thumbnails.php?album=1547.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Evanescence". Net Music Countdown. Archived from the original on March 25, 2017. http://web.archive.org/web/20170325131627/http://netmusiccountdown.com/inc/artist.php?artist=Evanescence. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  3. Lee, Amy (April 27, 2010). "Ha! Look what I found in my attic- Ev's very first "professional" recording! Cutting edge cassette technology". Twitter. https://twitter.com/amyleeev/status/12966783964.
  4. Lee, Amy (April 27, 2010). "RT @emowolfboy: @AmyLeeEV what songs are on that cassette?!...". Twitter. https://twitter.com/AmyLeeEV/status/12967290924.
  5. Smith, Kenneth (October 31, 2007). "Concert review: Evanescence at Nokia Theater". Pegasus News. Archived from the original on November 9, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071109162945/http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2007/oct/31/evanescence-nokia-theater/. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  6. Fox, Doug (November 20, 2007). "Evanescence steps through 'Open Door' at UVSC". Daily Herald. http://www.heraldextra.com/lifestyles/evanescence-steps-through-open-door-at-uvsc/article_84ee1660-7e30-5796-956a-c10ecd888170.html. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  7. https://groups.google.com/g/rec.music.christian/c/E9JgcFDkjCs/m/i-oCk9RInSMJ
  8. According to an e-mail written by Brad Caviness on July 12, 1998, a remixed version of Understanding with strings was to be released on Evanescence's indie debut album, Vanish, in late 1998. However, the project was scrapped and turned into Origin much later.
  9. "Understanding by Evanescence Song Statistics". Setlist.fm