The live performance from May 7th, 1999 features lyrics from "Missing" at the end, and the song features a guitar in the beginning.
Amy talked about the song on EvThreads, saying:
"...Its just hard because you're your own worst critic and I hear myself say "my black backpack stuffed with broken dreams" and want to shoot myself. I seriously can't listen to the verses to that song without squinting. But I don't deny that there was a magic in those early songs. Each one was so exciting to us, we were just learning that we had the ability to make our favorite music"
Exodus
Evanescence Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Twenty bucks should get me through the week
Never said a word of discontentment
Thought it a thousand times but now I'm leaving home
Here in the shadows
I'm safe, I'm free
I've nowhere else to go but
Two months pass by and it's getting cold
I know I'm not lost, I'm just alone
But I won't cry, I won't give up, I can't go back now
Waking up is knowing who you really are
Here in the shadows
I'm safe, I'm free
I've nowhere else to go but
I cannot stay where I don't belong
Show me the shadow where true meaning lies
So much more dismay in empty eyes
The lyrics of the song "Exodus" by Evanescence are about leaving home to find a place where one truly belongs. The first verse describes the singer's situation, how they have nothing but a backpack filled with shattered dreams, and just enough money to survive the week. Despite having never expressed their discontent, they have thought about leaving home countless times, and now they must finally do it.
The chorus talks about the comfort of the shadows because the singer is free there, and there's nowhere else to go. However, they cannot stay in the shadows because they don't belong there. In the second verse, two months have passed, and it's getting colder, but the singer isn't lost, simply alone. They won't cry, won't give up, and can't go back because they know that waking up means realizing who they genuinely are.
The bridge mentions the search for true meaning and how empty eyes hold a lot of despair. The song ultimately showcases someone's journey towards self-discovery and belonging. The lyrics resonate with many individuals who may have felt similar emotions in their lives at some point.
Line by Line Meaning
My black backpack's stuffed with broken dreams
I carry my past disappointments and shattered hopes with me in my backpack.
Twenty bucks should get me through the week
I have very little money and just enough to survive one week.
Never said a word of discontentment
Although I felt unhappy many times, I never complained about my situation.
Thought it a thousand times but now I'm leaving home
I have contemplated leaving home and starting over so many times, and now I've finally decided to act on it.
Here in the shadows
In the darkness and uncertainty of this new world I am in,
I'm safe, I'm free
I feel protected and unburdened by the expectations and judgments of others.
I've nowhere else to go but
I have no other option but to keep moving forward and try to find a place where I belong.
I cannot stay where I don't belong
I refuse to settle for a life that doesn't bring me joy or a sense of purpose.
Two months pass by and it's getting cold
As time passes by, the harsh reality of my situation becomes more apparent with each passing day.
I know I'm not lost, I'm just alone
I am not lost in the physical sense, but I feel lost and isolated from the world around me.
But I won't cry, I won't give up, I can't go back now
Despite the difficulties and uncertainty, I refuse to give up or look back. I must keep moving forward.
Waking up is knowing who you really are
I am slowly discovering my true identity and purpose as I navigate this new chapter in my life.
Show me the shadow where true meaning lies
I am searching for the hidden truths and deeper meaning in life.
So much more dismay in empty eyes
There is profound sadness and disappointment in a life that lacks purpose or meaning.
Contributed by Gavin R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@SweeneyXskellington
"waking up is knowing who you really are" I love that part.
@jessicaabbott10
It’s disheartening how much Amy herself dislikes this song today, because it’s one of my favorites from her. It got me through a lot over the years.
@sharki9876
She changed as a person as she got older, and who you are is reflected in your music
That's why I like the younger Amy as a person more than the current one
@carpediemearth
@@sharki9876You don't know and have never known Amy Lee or any other artist. That's a ridiculous thing to claim. "I prefer young abused Amy" 🤢. Amy went through deeply hard and traumatic times in her early years including sibling death, mental health, abuse. And all musicians and creators have a right to evolve and dislike their early child material, it's their material not yours. If you created, you would understand about not liking some things you made as a kid.
@ale_98_
@@sharki9876and that’s why you’re a selfish and horrible piece of human being
@pokerq3601
Really? I didn’t know she does…. I think that album was her best
@angelagaviria6448
"I'm not lost, I'm just alone"
@ArkaeaFCL3
My life exactly
@Monik995
So alone
@tommyk.7594
people need music like this..thx evanescence...