"Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence, 2003, from Fallen.

Composers: Amy Lee, Ben Moody, David Hodges.

Bring Me to Life

Rondeau

Bring me to life... stanch my blood flow,

Spirit exsanguinating slow.

Stealthy leeching blanches soul numb,

Insensate wretch I have become,

Recidivist from long ago.

Crooked finger beckons follow,

Free will slavish to gleeful foe,

Evanescing 'neath spearing thumb,

Bring me to life....

Sly enticements could not forego,

Licentious pleasures would bestow.

Heedless blinded stumble succumb,

Denied condemned forgotten one.

Pray guide me, God, toward your glow,

Bring me to life.... Lisa Cole-Allen.

Sometimes, rock music hits me up side of the head with its poetry. The

poignant, dramatic words of Amy Lee, the gentle piano, passionate guitars

and pounding rhythms of "Bring Me To Life" from Evanescence's platinum

debut album, Fallen, shook me the first time I heard it. The song delivers

genres from alternative metal, rap rock and gothic metal, and is considered

a nu metal classic. In 2004, the band won two Grammy Awards for Best New

Artist and Best Hard Rock Performance for "Bring Me To Life."

Amy Lee has cited several meanings and inspirations for "Bring Me To Life" at

different times; to my mind all were vague and non-specific. Perhaps, Lee, like

many poets, writes lyrics spurred by her thoughts, experiences, dreams and

beliefs, then leaves it to the listener to interpret. The song has been interpreted

as a call for a new life in Jesus Christ, which helped it soar on the Christian Rock

charts. Lee has downplayed any spiritual interpretation of her lyrics and firmly

stated that Evanescence is a secular band. These statements moved me to study

the lyrics and repeatedly view Evanescence's music video of "Bring Me To Life."

How can you see into my eyes, like open doors
Leading you down into my core
Where I've become so numb, without a soul
My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home

Wake me up, wake me up inside I can't wake up,
Wake me up inside, save me,
Call my name and save me from the dark, wake me up
Bid my blood to run, I can't wake up
Before I come undone, save me
Save me from the nothing I've become

Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real, bring me to life

Wake me up, wake me up inside I can't wake up,
Wake me up inside, save me,
Call my name and save me from the dark, wake me up
Bid my blood to run, I can't wake up
Before I come undone, save me
Save me from the nothing I've become

Bring me to life, I've been living a lie
There's nothing inside, bring me to life

Frozen inside without your touch
Without your love, darling
Only you are the life among the dead

All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me

I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
I've got to open my eyes to everything

Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul

Don't let me die here
There must be something wrong, bring me to life

Wake me up, wake me up inside I can't wake up,
Wake me up inside, save me,
Call my name and save me from the dark, wake me up
Bid my blood to run, I can't wake up
Before I come undone, save me
Save me from the nothing I've become

Bring me to life, I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside
Bring me to life

My overall interpretation of "Bring Me To Life" both in its poetry and in the

music video is that it tells the story of a lost soul. In the first verse, the speaker

timidly addresses the Almighty: "How can you look into my eyes, like open doors

leading you down into my core, where I've become so numb, without a soul. My

spirit's sleeping somewhere cold, until you find it there and lead it back home."

The powerful words and music of the chorus, enhanced by the backup rap vocals

of Paul McCoy from the band, 12 Stones, is a plea for salvation of the soul before

it's too late: "Wake me up inside...call my name and save me from the dark...bid

my blood to run, before I come undone...save me from the nothing I've become."

The speaker begs God for deliverance in the next passage: "Now that I know

that I'm without, you can't just leave me. Breathe into me and make me real;

bring me to life."

In the bridge of the song, "Frozen inside without your touch, without your love,

darling," Lee utilizes the term of endearment, "darling," to give a secular

connotation to the passage, a rather ineffective red herring belied by the next

line: "Only you are the life among the dead."

The narrator realizes, "All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see, kept in the

dark, but you were there in front of me. I've been sleeping a thousand years,

it seems; I've got to open my eyes to everything." She has been "without a

thought, without a voice, without a soul, and begs God: "Don't let me die here.

There must be something wrong; bring me to life."

The song ends with the impassioned plea: "Bring me to life. I've been living a

lie, there's nothing inside. Bring me to life."

The images of resurrection of the soul and the awakening of faith in God are

clear and pervasive throughout the beautiful poetry in song, "Bring Me To Life."

Amy Lee was barely twenty years old when she wrote these fervent lyrics. She

desired and diligently pursued commercial success for Evanescence. Her youth

and inexperience caused her to disguise her purposeful writing and deny its

spirituality. It is we the audience that are left to hear and discern its message.

Message received, Amy.