“It's about breaking up. There are a lot of relationship struggles on the record. I always write about what I was feeling, because then it's genuine. I was struggling with a relationship and felt like a waste of space. The first lyric says it all, "If you want to live, let live/ If you want to go, let go/ What are we doing here?/ Because I can live without you."
Terry talked about how they recorded the song:
"If it’s something like the song "Cloud Nine," we got a cool drum beat that we liked. Then she came up with a vocal melody. It was cool because I just took the bass and started writing the bass line to the actual vocal melody. That was something different that I had never really done. We never really had any set way. If there was an idea, we would just do whatever we could to move forward with it."
Cloud Nine
Evanescence Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you want to go, let go
I'm not afraid to dream
To sleep, sleep forever
I don't need to touch the sky
I just want to feel that high
And you refuse to lift me
Guess it wasn't real after all
Guess it wasn't real all along
If I fall and all is lost
It's where I belong
If you want to live, let live
If you want to go, let go
I'm never gonna be your sweet, sweet surrender
Guess it wasn't real after all
Guess it wasn't real all along
If I fall and all is lost
No light to lead the way (never thought that it would end this way)
Remember that all alone
Is where I belong
In a dream
Will you give your love to me?
Beg my broken heart to beat
Save my life, change my mind
If I fall and all is lost
No light to lead the way (never thought that it would end this way)
Remember that all alone
Is where I belong
The song "Cloud Nine" by Evanescence is a powerful and poignant reflection on the themes of love, loss, and the search for a sense of belonging. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song, with the lyrics "if you want to live, let live, if you want to go, let go". These lines could be seen as an admonition to let go of things that are holding you back, whether that be a person, a situation, or a past mistake.
The second stanza continues with the theme of wanting to feel alive and fulfilled, but being held back by someone or something else. The line "I'm never gonna be your sweet, sweet surrender" is a powerful assertion of independence and the refusal to be controlled by others. However, the final stanza of the song adds a certain nuance to this idea of independence, with the lines "in a dream, will you give your love to me, beg my broken heart to beat, save my life, change my mind?". This suggests that while the singer may not want to be controlled, they do still desire a sense of connection and intimacy with another person.
Overall, the lyrics to "Cloud Nine" are a heartfelt and emotional exploration of the human experience. They reflect the struggle to find a sense of purpose and belonging in a world that can often be isolating and harsh, and they speak to the power of love and human connection to provide meaning and solace in difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
If you want to live, let live
If you want to survive, let others survive too
If you want to go, let go
If you want to leave, don't hold onto anything or anyone
I'm not afraid to dream to sleep, sleep forever
I'm not scared of dreaming because it feels like a peaceful, eternal sleep
I don't need to touch the sky
I don't need to reach the very top or achieve greatness
I just want to feel that high
I just want to feel happy and uplifted
And you refuse to lift me
And you don't want to help me feel better
Guess it wasn't real after all
Maybe it wasn't genuine or true from the beginning
If I fall and all is lost
If I fail and everything seems hopeless
It's where I belong
That might be where I best fit or feel comfortable
I'm never gonna be your sweet, sweet surrender
I'm never going to give up everything for you or let you completely control me
No light to lead the way
No guidance or direction to follow
Remember that all alone
Don't forget that being isolated or by yourself
Is where I belong
Might be what is best for me
In a dream
In a fantasy or alternate reality
Will you give your love to me
Will you show me affection?
Beg my broken heart to beat
Plead with my shattered heart to keep functioning
Save my life, change my mind?
Rescue me and alter my way of thinking?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Terry Balsamo, Amy Lee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marie McLellan-Hasty
on My Immortal
These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real. There's too much that time cannot erase...But you still have all of me
Marie McLellan-Hasty
on Bring Me to Life
Frozen inside without your touch, Without your love...All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see..you were there in front of me. Bring me to life, I've been living a lie, there's nothing left inside...Save me from the nothing I've become.