A deep, beautiful, moving song; IMO though, this song is not about the separation of two people .. but the realisation that they're not alone, because now, they've found each other.
Here's my interpretation ..
"The pain that grips you ...
... releases life in me"
-- One person has just revealed to his deepest, heartbreaking secrets to his partner. I'm sure many of you have felt this: when you and another person you love have a moment where your heart's desires are poured out for each other to see, it's unbelievably liberating, and you're like "Oh my God, I'm not alone in this .. I never imagined I'd find someone to share this with." Sharing something mutual and so deep is like freeing yourself from the bonds of the silence that you've set upon these secrets ("Releases life in me").
"In our mutual shame ...
... from who we are"
-- Both these two people deal with their problems by withdrawing from the outside world, because no-one else understands them.
(nb: This isn't always true; just because no-one around you doesn't understand you, doesn't mean there's NO-ONE in the whole world who isn't feeling exactly what you feel - it just takes the hand of fate to find each other. Like the song says, "You're never alone honey .. never." :) Anyway ..
"Please don't be afraid ...
... screaming at our hearts"
-- She is telling him (or him to her, if you want :P), "Don't be scared when the next day dawns, because now that we've shared everything, we can get through this together, and not fight the battle alone anymore." The line "The dawn will break the silence screaming at our hearts" means that by the time morning comes, what they shared the previous night would have truly sunken in, and they now realised how to fight their fears.
"The life that flows inside of you,
Burns inside of me"
-- The life that he's endured, though it seems normal and the only reality for him, seems so utterly cruel to her and burns her inside, makes her sad for her partner's despair. :(
This line is the most powerful one in the whole song to me.
"Hold and speak to me ...
... bear it all alone"
-- The couple are exchanging vows of mutual trust; basically "Promise me you'll get through this and I promise you that I'll be with you until the end. Don't reject me, because I can't live without you." This also ties in with "God, please don't leave me .. because I'll die if you do."
"Can't wash it all away ..." etcetera.
-- No matter how hard they try, neither of them can erase the past.
With the intro ("You hold the answer ... ... the imprint is always there") it implies that whatever problems, secrets, dark and troubling thoughts you have locked away inside your soul, no matter what they are, ONLY YOU ALONE HAVE THE ANSWER TO BEING FREE OF THEM. And in this song, Understanding, the two people have found the answers to their social seclusion from the rest of humanity: each other.
A deep, beautiful, moving song; IMO though, this song is not about the separation of two people .. but the realisation that they're not alone, because now, they've found each other.
Here's my interpretation ..
"The pain that grips you ... ... releases life in me" -- One person has just revealed to his deepest, heartbreaking secrets to his partner. I'm sure many of you have felt this: when you and another person you love have a moment where your heart's desires are poured out for each other to see, it's unbelievably liberating, and you're like "Oh my God, I'm not alone in this .. I never imagined I'd find someone to share this with." Sharing something mutual and so deep is like freeing yourself from the bonds of the silence that you've set upon these secrets ("Releases life in me").
"In our mutual shame ... ... from who we are" -- Both these two people deal with their problems by withdrawing from the outside world, because no-one else understands them. (nb: This isn't always true; just because no-one around you doesn't understand you, doesn't mean there's NO-ONE in the whole world who isn't feeling exactly what you feel - it just takes the hand of fate to find each other. Like the song says, "You're never alone honey .. never." :) Anyway ..
"Please don't be afraid ... ... screaming at our hearts" -- She is telling him (or him to her, if you want :P), "Don't be scared when the next day dawns, because now that we've shared everything, we can get through this together, and not fight the battle alone anymore." The line "The dawn will break the silence screaming at our hearts" means that by the time morning comes, what they shared the previous night would have truly sunken in, and they now realised how to fight their fears.
"The life that flows inside of you, Burns inside of me" -- The life that he's endured, though it seems normal and the only reality for him, seems so utterly cruel to her and burns her inside, makes her sad for her partner's despair. :( This line is the most powerful one in the whole song to me.
"Hold and speak to me ... ... bear it all alone" -- The couple are exchanging vows of mutual trust; basically "Promise me you'll get through this and I promise you that I'll be with you until the end. Don't reject me, because I can't live without you." This also ties in with "God, please don't leave me .. because I'll die if you do."
"Can't wash it all away ..." etcetera. -- No matter how hard they try, neither of them can erase the past.
With the intro ("You hold the answer ... ... the imprint is always there") it implies that whatever problems, secrets, dark and troubling thoughts you have locked away inside your soul, no matter what they are, ONLY YOU ALONE HAVE THE ANSWER TO BEING FREE OF THEM. And in this song, Understanding, the two people have found the answers to their social seclusion from the rest of humanity: each other.
love Evanescence forever.