I want to make two quick points here that I feel have gone unmentioned, even though I really liked and agreed with many of the other commentaries (and also disagreed with some).
First, I believe that the part of the chorus "I cannot cry cause the shoulder cries more, I cannot die, I, a whore for the cold world", can be understood very well and more deeply by looking at previous nightwish songs, especially Dead Gardens. Dead gardens states, "Tired, but I'm unable to give up, since I am responsible for the lives I've saved." This is quite literal, as Tuomas stated in the Biography that during the intermission between Wishmaster and Century Child, when he was thinking of ending the band altogether, one of his motivations to continue was that he had recived letters from fans stating that Nightwish lyrics had disuaded them from committing suicide and inspired them to keep living. Toumas has implied in many songs and interviews that it is exhausting to have to keep up his work, his inspiration to his fans, because he is responsible to them. How can he "cry", when he has such a desperate world to please and comfort because he is thier voice? How can he let down the masses?"
Secondly, I wanted to mention that there is a very interesting bit of timing hidden in the song: In The Pacific it states, "Now I only have three minutes and counting". This line ends at exactly 3:54 into the song. After the spoken part in Dark Passion Play, it says "Save Me!", Shhiiinnggggggg! That high pitched sound occurs at exactly 6:54 into the song, exactly 3 minutes, to the second, after it says "Three Minutes and Counting". This emplies that that sound is the pendulum cutting the songwriter in half, the ultimate realization of his fears expressed in the pacific when he is "Strapped down to the altar".
I want to make two quick points here that I feel have gone unmentioned, even though I really liked and agreed with many of the other commentaries (and also disagreed with some). First, I believe that the part of the chorus "I cannot cry cause the shoulder cries more, I cannot die, I, a whore for the cold world", can be understood very well and more deeply by looking at previous nightwish songs, especially Dead Gardens. Dead gardens states, "Tired, but I'm unable to give up, since I am responsible for the lives I've saved." This is quite literal, as Tuomas stated in the Biography that during the intermission between Wishmaster and Century Child, when he was thinking of ending the band altogether, one of his motivations to continue was that he had recived letters from fans stating that Nightwish lyrics had disuaded them from committing suicide and inspired them to keep living. Toumas has implied in many songs and interviews that it is exhausting to have to keep up his work, his inspiration to his fans, because he is responsible to them. How can he "cry", when he has such a desperate world to please and comfort because he is thier voice? How can he let down the masses?"
Secondly, I wanted to mention that there is a very interesting bit of timing hidden in the song: In The Pacific it states, "Now I only have three minutes and counting". This line ends at exactly 3:54 into the song. After the spoken part in Dark Passion Play, it says "Save Me!", Shhiiinnggggggg! That high pitched sound occurs at exactly 6:54 into the song, exactly 3 minutes, to the second, after it says "Three Minutes and Counting". This emplies that that sound is the pendulum cutting the songwriter in half, the ultimate realization of his fears expressed in the pacific when he is "Strapped down to the altar".