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Tourniquet Lyrics

I tried to kill my pain
But only brought more (so much more)
I lay dying
And I'm pouring crimson regrets and betrayal

I'm dying
Praying
Bleeding
And screaming

Am I too lost to be saved?
Am I too lost?

My god, my tourniquet
Return to me salvation
My god, my tourniquet
Return to me salvation

Do you remember me?
Lost for so long
Will you be on the other side
Or will you forget me?

I'm dying
Praying
Bleeding
And screaming

Am I too lost to be saved?
Am I too lost?

My god, my tourniquet
Return to me salvation
My god, my tourniquet
Return to me salvation

(Return to me salvation)

(I want to die)

My god, my tourniquet
Return to me salvation
My god, my tourniquet
Return to me salvation

My wounds cry for the grave
My soul cries for deliverance
Will I be denied?
Christ
Tourniquet
My suicide
Song Info
Submitted by
juddc3891 On Mar 12, 2003
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This actually is a Christian song. Rocky Gray, a former band member,wrote it for his band, Soul Embraced, and Ev reworked it, and made it sound way better (I heard the original. It's just some growly scary man).

I think it's written from the point of view of someone who has just committed suicide, who was a Christian, but has drifted away from God. They don't know if they can be forgiven for all the drifting away and suicide n' such (some call suicide the unforgivable sin, as you've committed murder, but cannot beg forgiveness, as you're, well...dead).

Sorry if my comment has all actually been said before, I didn't read a lot of them. Oh yeah. Someone else said the same thing, only better. Ah well. XD

My Interpretation

Yes this song was originally done by Soul Embraced. Despite all their denial of being a Christian band, I find it interesting that when looking for a drummer they selected Rocky Gray (a well known Christian Metal GUITARIST) to play drums.

Not Valid
Cover art for Tourniquet lyrics by Evanescence

I don't think I agree with lostinadyingworld...a tourniquet is something that stops bleeding from a large wound, like a bandage. I think the song is begging to be saved from death rather than inviting death...they want a metaphorical tourniquet to stop their pain and bleeding and bring them salvation...

lilpunk8267. this song talks all about the salvation of Jesus Christ. that means that she prayed a prayer that accepted Jesus as her savior, understanding that he died on the cross to pay for the ENTIRE world's sins, and that she will become reborn, a new person, a follower of Christ. because God is completely holy, sin separates us from him forever. But he sent his only son to die (Knowing full well that he would rise from the dead) to pay for the sins of the world. This song is saying how she accepted salvation or got 'saved', but...

Not Valid

How about a compromise? it's about commiting suicide, changing your mind, not dying, and changing your life.

Not Valid

i agree with whoami13 though off the record...Lasorlight10, Amy Lee doesn't strike me as a religious person. though if you can find proof from her that this is about Jesus, I'll believe you. but as of what i know, she's not religious...at least not enough to write a song for it.

Not Valid
Cover art for Tourniquet lyrics by Evanescence

perhaps one can be christian and in a band without it being a christian band? it's not unheard of. also, one or two christian-themed songs does not a christian band make. i'm not in the band, so i can't really say, but i'd guess they're pretty damn secular.

though i agree that there is a definite religious theme in this song, the person in the lyrics expresses some doubts. "do you remember me lost for so long? will you be on the other side or will you forget me?" he/she isn't exactly sure there is a christ or god, or even if there is, if they will save them. the reason for this could be that christian dogma teaches that suicides go to hell..."will i be denied christ?" i see this as less of a typical "christian" song, and more of a song about christianity, dealing with the issues of belief and whether simple belief is enough.

Cover art for Tourniquet lyrics by Evanescence

Evanescence is not a Christian band.

“There are people that are hell-bent on the idea that we’re a Christian band in disguise, and that we have some secret message,” singer Amy Lee said. “We have no spiritual affiliation with this music. It’s simply about life experience.” Lee adds, “I guarantee that if the Christian bookstore owners listened to some of those songs, they wouldn’t sell the CD.” Guitarist Ben Moody added, “I’m not ashamed of my spiritual beliefs, but I in no way incorporate them into this band. We’re actually high on the Christian charts, and I’m like, What the fu** are we even doing there?”

Cover art for Tourniquet lyrics by Evanescence

To me, this song has biblical and Christian intonations. The woman singing is looking to be saved from her life of "death," or sin rather. The first verse refers to her own attempts to stop the pain of her own sinful life and the fact that it just caused more pain. So it seems she turned to God and now, she's looking to Him as a tourniquet, which is a device to stop bleeding, to prevent her from the self destruction from a sinful life. The "crimson regret and betrayal" refer to the action of sin. In other words, she feels she betrayed God with her sin and she regrets it. She also asks God whether she is too lost to be saved, and whether He remembers her, because she's been away from Him for so long. The last verse which refers to death and suicide may refer to the metaphorical "dying to the world" when a Christian decides to commit their life to God. In short, "Tourniquet" is a song about a woman seeking the Salvation of Christ to deliver her from sin and death. This, of course, is my take on it; this is what the song means TO ME. You're free to disagree, but this is what I think, anyway.

I totally agree with everything you've said, thankyou for explaining it to me.

Not Valid

Yeah, I totally agree. Some things I'd also like to point out that go along with you.

When Jesus was on the cross and paying the atoning sacrifice for our sins he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!"

And I think that Evanescence is alluding to that. My God (why have you forsaken me), My Tourniquet (Tourniquet has two definitions, first is the medical object that restricts blood flow, but second is a device used to pull together the different parts of wodden furniture, alluding to how her life is broken apart and...

Not Valid

I tried to kill my pain But only brought more (so much more) I lay dying And I'm pouring crimson regrets and betrayal

TO ME this means she tried to kill her self to solve her problems with the world vuts regrets because she is in more physical and mental pain than before. Then the bridge,

Im dying praying Bleeding And screamin am i too lost to be saved am i too lost? is about all the things she going through in that moment and is asking god if she is too late to late to be helped by him

My god, my tourniquet Return to me salvation My god, my tourniquet Return to me salvation

And in the chorus she asking god to save her.

Do you remember me? Lost for so long Will you be on the other side Or will you forget me?

In this verse she asking God does he remember her because her life was not focusing on him as it was before and she has been lost, being cuaght up in fame and worldiness. She is also asking God would he be able to help because of her past without him.

My wounds cry for the grave My soul cries for deliverance Will I be denied?

in this last verse she saying that her body is acheing and wants the pain to be stop by dieing but her hearts want to be saved with God.

Christ Tourniquet My suicide

in this three line its jus stating the options of stopping the blood by being saved with god or by suicide. This is just MY INTERPRETATION OF THE SONG AND I LOVE EVANESCENCE

Finally, someone who gets it! This is exactly what I interpreted :) u got very in detail xD

Cover art for Tourniquet lyrics by Evanescence

everyone has their own meanings to songs....but whatever this song rocks!

Cover art for Tourniquet lyrics by Evanescence

Soul Embraced is a christian death metal band...Soul Embraced - My Tourniquet does not sound all that much like this version. much heavier and add deep scream like singing...they are trying to spread the word of "Salvation through Jesus Christ"

Cover art for Tourniquet lyrics by Evanescence

I wonder why this non Christian band covered a song by a very openly Christian band.

Because the members are Christian.

Cover art for Tourniquet lyrics by Evanescence

this was prolly said already but. My favorite part of the song is when she says "Pouring Crimson Regret" I thought it meant that when you cut your self obviously you bleed-crimson and she regreted it. "cure the pain but only brought more." I personally went through all of this. and this song was on my CD player all the time. Not sure if all my interperations of the song are correct but to my personal belives this song is absoulely REAL and TRUE. I didnt know if god would forgive me for the acts I did. or i would be "denied Christ" im not very religious and im still confused with it all but i do apprciate everything that God has given me and i didnt want him to think that i wasnt even if i did kill myself. all i can say is that this is an amazing song so anyone who has not listened to it should. lol