After the release of their debut album Enter in 1997, the band became prominent in the Dutch underground scene. It was not until 2001 that they became known to the general public, with the single "Ice Queen" from their second album Mother Earth, which reached No. 2 on the Dutch charts. This was followed by the band winning the Conamus Exportprijs, a Dutch music award, four years in a row, and a fifth in 2016. Their next albums The Silent Force (2004) and The Heart of Everything (2007) debuted at No. 1 on the Dutch charts and expanded their international recognition. In 2008, they released Black Symphony, a live album recorded with the Metropole Orchestra. This was followed in 2009 by An Acoustic Night at the Theatre, another live album, this time with acoustic renditions of the songs.
The band's fifth studio album, The Unforgiving, was released in March 2011 and was one part of a transmedia effort, alongside both a comic book series and a series of short films that together encompass a story. The album saw the band increasingly venturing on new musical territories outside symphonic metal. Their sixth studio album, Hydra, was released in early 2014 in Japan, Europe, and the United States. The album advanced the band's exploration of new musical genres and features guest appearances from various artists: Finnish singer Tarja Turunen, who appears in the lead single "Paradise (What About Us?)"; Howard Jones, former vocalist of American metalcore band Killswitch Engage; Dave Pirner, lead vocalist of American alternative rock band Soul Asylum; and American rapper Xzibit. The band had extensive airplay on BBC Radio 2 in the United Kingdom with one of the songs from the album, "Whole World Is Watching" featuring Pirner.
Their latest studio album, Resist, was released in February 2019 and incorporates influences from other musical styles such as industrial and EDM. By 2016, the band had already sold more than 3.5 million albums worldwide.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Within_Temptation
Studio albums
Enter (1997)
Mother Earth (2000)
The Silent Force (2004)
The Heart of Everything (2007)
The Unforgiving (2011)
Hydra (2014)
Resist (2019)
Bleed Out (2023)
Crucify
Within Temptation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna spit in their faces
Then I get afraid what that could bring
I got a bowling ball in my stomach
I got a desert in my mouth
Figures that my courage would choose to sell out now.
I've been looking for a savior in these dirty streets
I've been raising up my hands
Drive another nail in
Just what God needs
One more victim
Why do we crucify ourselves
Every day I crucify myself
And nothing I do is good enough for you
Crucify myself
Every day I crucify myself
And my heart is sick of being
Said my heart is sick of being in chains
Chains
Got a kick for a dog beggin' for love
I gotta have my suffering
So that I can have my cross
I know a cat named Easter
He says will you ever learn
You're just an empty cage girl if you kill the bird
I've been looking for a savior in these dirty streets
Looking for a savior beneath these dirty sheets
I've been raising up my hands
Drive another nail in
Got enough guilt to start
My own religion
Why do we crucify ourselves
Every day I crucify myself
And nothing I do is good enough for you
Crucify myself
Every day I crucify myself
And my heart is sick of being
Said my heart is sick of being in chains
Chains
Please be
Save me
I cry
Looking for a savior in these dirty streets
Looking for a savior beneath these dirty sheets
I've been raising up my hands
Drive another nail in
Where are those angels
When you need them
Why do we crucify ourselves
Every day I crucify myself
And nothing I do is good enough for you
Crucify myself
Every day I crucify myself
And my heart is sick of being
Said my heart is sick of being in chains
Chains
(Why do we ...) Why do we (...chains...) crucify ourselves (crucify ourselves...)
(...Everyday...) Why do we crucify ourselves
Why do we (...chains...) crucify ourselves
Why do we (...chains...) crucify ourselves
Why do we (...never going back again to...) crucify ourselves (...crucify myself again...)
Why do we (...never going back again to...) crucify ourselves (...crucify myself again...)
Why do we crucify ourselves
(Everyday)
The lyrics to Within Temptation's song Crucify offer a glimpse into the inner turmoil and self-doubt of the singer. The song begins with the singer feeling judged and attacked by those around them. They express a desire to lash out in anger but fear the consequences. The image of a bowling ball in the stomach and a desert in the mouth evoke feelings of intense stress and anxiety.
As the song continues, the singer reveals they have been searching for a savior, someone to relieve their pain and suffering. They seem to be seeking redemption for some past wrong but feel as though they will never be good enough. The line "got enough guilt to start my own religion" suggests a deep-seated sense of remorse and perhaps even self-hatred.
The repeated refrain "why do we crucify ourselves" begs the question of why we constantly put ourselves through emotional pain and suffering. The final lines of the song express a plea for help and a longing for the comfort of angels, suggesting that the singer feels lost and alone.
Overall, the lyrics to Crucify offer a raw and vulnerable look into the struggles of the human experience, particularly the burden of self-doubt and the longing for acceptance and redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
Every finger in the room is pointing at me
I feel that everyone is blaming me for something
I wanna spit in their faces
I feel angry and want to retaliate against those who are blaming me
Then I get afraid what that could bring
I am scared of the potential consequences of my actions
I got a bowling ball in my stomach
I am feeling very nervous and uneasy
I got a desert in my mouth
I feel very thirsty and dry, likely due to anxiety
Figures that my courage would choose to sell out now.
I feel disappointed in myself for not being able to stand up for myself
I've been looking for a savior in these dirty streets
I am searching for someone to save me from my current struggles
Looking for a savior beneath these dirty sheets
I am searching for someone to comfort me in private, where I can let my guard down
I've been raising up my hands
I have been reaching out for help
Drive another nail in
I am continuing to punish myself, or allow others to harm me
Just what God needs
Sarcastically suggesting that my self-punishment is what God wants
One more victim
I feel like a victim in my current situation
Why do we crucify ourselves
Questioning why we put ourselves through pain and suffering
Every day I crucify myself
Feeling like I am punishing myself every day
And nothing I do is good enough for you
Feeling like I am constantly failing to meet someone's expectations
And my heart is sick of being
Feeling tired and exhausted from the emotional pain
Said my heart is sick of being in chains
Feeling trapped and unable to break free from my emotional struggles
Got a kick for a dog beggin' for love
Feeling like I am desperate for love and attention
I gotta have my suffering
Feeling like I need to suffer to feel alive or worthy
So that I can have my cross
Comparing my self-punishment to Jesus carrying his own cross
I know a cat named Easter
Referencing the pagan origins of the Easter holiday
He says will you ever learn
Suggesting that I am not learning from my mistakes or struggles
You're just an empty cage girl if you kill the bird
Metaphorically saying that if I continue to punish myself, I will become an empty and lifeless shell
Got enough guilt to start
Feeling very guilty and responsible for my struggles
My own religion
Comparing my self-punishment to religious devotion
Please be
Hoping for something or someone to help or save me
Save me
Desperately asking for help or rescue
I cry
Feeling very sad and emotional
Where are those angels
Wondering where the help or comfort is that I so desperately need
When you need them
Feeling let down by the fact that no one is there to help or support me
(...) Why do we (...chains...) crucify ourselves (...)
Repeating the chorus and questioning why we continue to put ourselves through pain and emotional suffering every day
(...never going back again to...) crucify myself (...crucify myself again...)
Suggesting that I do not want to continue punishing myself, but feel like I am trapped in this cycle
Contributed by Mila C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Valdaemonium
Never had heard the original, but this version was always good enough for me to search Tori Amos' one. After listening the original, I feel like as Tori bring vitality, rage and energy, good, but, Sharon brings a 'I feel nostalgic for nothing from the past' mood, kinda melancholy I am used to, and such a comfort I cannot describe through words...
@IronSly1
This is not WT. This is Sharon den Adel performance on some tv studio with some session band and this is a great performance. I can't keep myself from pushing replay button. Magnetic.
@RavenArya
As a person who hasn't heard the original yet, I enjoy this.
@IronSly1
I love her singing, always!
@ukenbike
Nice work! Captures the groove of the original!
@itisthefear
both version are epic <3
@squatch545
Even though she doesn't have that Diva swagger that Tori brings, she did a good job.
@Possienke
Tori Amos is the on artist wich can not be covered adequate! And beside that this version is to gentle. THere is no rage like in the original!
@nikamini6
Tori Amos brought me here, I know Sharon and I'm a fan, I had no clue this cover existed! So cool I'm so happy! <3
@GenossinAyla
I like the performance, I think Sharon did a great job =) Nevertheless, I'm just used to that sovereign attitude of Tori ... it's not the same.