Evanescence: Understanding (Can't Wash It All Away) Meaning
Understanding (Can't Wash It All Away) Lyrics
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 erase it from our memorie.
But...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:I think this song is about someone in pain, and how they can't do anything to take it away. So they have to live with it, and it hurts. It's a world full of sadness, and regret. Very pretty song.
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2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:my interpretation of this song is that of a breakup. No matter how many years passes by, nothing can be really forgotten. There's nothing like forgetting. We do move on but 'the imprint is always here.' we feel safe in the dark, it feels so right but then tomorrow is a new day. We want to procrastinate but darkness has to fade eventually..well, this song is about nostalgia..and it will always remind
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3TOP RATED
#3 top rated interpretation:Well firstly, I agree with the others who posted this in that I believe the hallmark of a truly artistic and well written song is that it leaves some degree of mystery - the ability for people to relate to it in their own way is what makes it appealing to a broader audience. We all read into things based on our own bias due to our own personal experiences. We all have a story...music is the soundtrack of our lives giving us words for emotions that sometimes we just cannot express. If you can find comfort in the song, the more power to you!
With that said, the first time I heard this song I definetly read into it that it was about rape, but not just one time stranger rape, but a cronic long term, twisted abuse commited by someone who is close to the vitcim - again, mostly due to the fact that many of the lines are things that I personally would relate to and was like "ya, I felt exactly like that"
the version of this song I am referring to is the full 8 minute version with the introduction:
"You hold the answers deep within your own mind.
Consciously, you've forgotten it.
That's the way the human mind works.
Whenever something is too unpleasant, to shameful for us
to entertain, we reject it.
We erase it from our memories.
But the imprint is always there."
This part alone I find extrmely relatable...trauma doesn't integrate into our current existance, its so shocking and out of place that we just don't know how to accept it or understand it.
The Chorus' talking about trying to wash, scrath, cry etc everything away really hit home with me, as I have tried everything to rid myself of the feelings and memories of the abuse...no matter what you do you cannot escape yourself...it replays like a twisted movie over and over in your head, playing, pausing, rewinding and playing all over again. No amount of washing will get him off of you, no amount of crying will blind you from the trauma...
there is a lot more I could talk about but it appears I have already written a novel. The verses all seem to fit too, in ways you'll understand if you are in this situation. If I get bored, perhaps I can do part 2 and start dissecting them....but then again, this is my interpretation which means the world to me....but really is meaningless in regards to this world... -
Listened to it today, idk why but it seemed to me that it's as if the partner shared some of their pain /struggles with the singer, and that it mentally drains the singer so they feel like dying but like still wish that this will help the partner live, face their fears and be washed by the light of truth. And the singer just wishes to be with their partner and them not abandoning them, because even if it kills them it's the only thing they got.
As some people already said, this is more of a personal interpretation. Next year I might see it differently, will post another comment if I change view :3 -
I personally think it's about an ambiguous loss.
That means the loss of somebody who is still alive. It happens a lot when you breakup from a relationship that's not an ordinary relationship. A twisted kinda relationship with a lot of abuse and you have left but a part of you is still holding onto the "good" person they were at the start, that never existed and it feels like they actually died.
And when they remember the abuse, they think it's their fault and prays to God not to hate them. That's my personal interpretation. -
i truley think that its the best song that falled to my hands.
and i think that its a song about a tragety that exidently happend and her lover is dying because of her
(could be a car ecceident)
and her lover is dying
now for the proofs:
"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 from 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..."
this verse is about the tragety its self
and written in the hosbital
talking about the guilt and the shame that she have done
(this verse is not tellin me anything specific and could be anything like (rape)
"Lying beside you
Listening to you breathe
The life 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"
the next verse is all comes to standing neer him on the hosbital bed tring not to loose him
this verse however geting us throghu a fine path and could not be rape
"God, please don't hate me"
"Because I'll die if you do."
the end is the most sertinetly best part thats indicates on somthing that she have done because if he sepossed to hate her then its her fault at list in hers eyes -
Am I the only one who thinks this sounds like a person dying in a hospital? And, strangely enough, I think this song represents both sides: The dying and the loved one watching them die. Allow me to evaluate:
"You hold the answers 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 erase it from our memory.
But the imprint is always there..."
denying and forgetting all about the person's sickness even though they knew deep down one day the day would come.
The person is lying sick in the hospital about to day any day. This is their point of view:
"The pain that grips you
The fear that binds you
Releases life in me"
They feel more relaxed when they know someone is there for them, caring for them, knowing they will be missed when they die.
"In our mutual
Shame we hide our eyes
To blind them from the truth
That finds a way from who we are"
the sickly person explains that both of them were denying the truth that is people dying and the living have to move on. Not accepting this is denying their place and role given to them.
"Please don't be afraid
When the darkness fades away
The dawn will break the silence
Screaming in our hearts"
That's the sickly person saying don't worry, when you get over my death things will get better.
"My love for you still grows
This, I do for you
Before I try to fight the truth"
Accepting death and ready to watch over the person they love somewhere in the after life.
"my final time"
Their last time talking for the sickly person will die soon.
"Can't wash it all away
Can't wish it all away
Can't cry it all away
Can't scratch it all away"
Pretty self explanatory. Can't get rid of the person's disease. There is nothing they can do to stop this parting.
Now, their loved one is visiting them in the hospital, holding their pale cold hands. This is their point of view:
"Lying beside you
Listening to you breathe"
They are lying beside them near the hospital bed. Listening to them struggling for breath.
"The life that flows inside of you
Burns inside of me"
The little life left in them is causing the loved one to grieve.
"Hold and speak to me
Of love without a sound"
They are holding hands still. As the seconds go by the loved one wants them to still be alive and talking to them, giving hope that its not the end yet.
"Tell me you will live through this
And I will die for you"
Hoping they they will survive this disease, not likely.
"Cast me not away
Say you'll be with me"
The loved one doesn't want the sick person to die and leave them forever.
"I know I cannot
Bear it all alone"
Loved one needs them in their life.
"Can't fight it all away
Can't hope it all away
Can't scream it all away
It just won't fade away"
Self explanatory again. -
I think it's about loving someone more than anything. Love to me, is understanding a person, actually understanding. Basically feeling what this other person feels, thinking in the same ways. And after loosing a person like that, it is really hard to wash it all away. Honestly, it's quite impossible.
It is something stuck in your mind, that no matter what you do, that loss and pain you feel is immortal. -
Very intense song. Amy has really got a very beautiful voice. i feel that this song is about a couple who really love each other but can't be together. it really suits you whatever situation you are in. can't stop listening to it again n again.
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Evanescence freak i wanna talk to you u seem to know a lot about evanescence\ben moody/amy lee... I dunno if u will see this but, oh well, i have hopes
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Its abot God, we cant do things right always, but we inside know we can change that, cuz no1 is pointing us with a gun to do things wrong."you hold the answer deep in our minds, but. its ro shameful and unpleasant knowing you can change that and not wanting to so badly" and this shame of knowing this we idolise it, all we can do is love God. You cant hope it all away, you cant run from your acts, you cant cry cuz life is not fair, at the end " God plz dont hate me" cuz ill die if you do."
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I think it's about a girl and her friend in deep pain and she feels it to and they just can't get rid of it that's preety much it.
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The song is actually about pregnancy.
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I think it's about her breaking up with someone she really loves. She also wants to know that he'll be okay after they break up. Either that or she has to sacrifice herself to save someone's life.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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I have an idea that it is to do with grief, loss, anger, etc. Basically, an emotional wasteland of sadness and sorrow all scrunched up into a little ball and unleashed in a song. Beautiful.
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According to the words of Ben Moody. "Understanding was a ridiculous gothic anthem we wrote when we first became a ban" It supposed to mean something as to someone who has pain but can't get rid of it no matter what they do.
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