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)
Jillian (Alb...
Within Temptation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To find a meaning to understand.
The secret of life,
Why am I here to try again?
Will I always, will you always
See the truth when it stares you in the face?
Will I ever, will I never free myself
I'd give my heart, give my soul
I'd turn it back, it's my fault.
Your destiny is forlorn,
Have to live till it's undone.
I'd give my heart, give my soul
I'd turn it back and then at last I'll be on my way.
I've been living for so long,
Many seasons passed me by.
I've seen kingdoms through ages
Rise and fall, I've seen it all.
Seen the horror, seen the wonders
Happening just in front of my eyes.
Will I ever, will I never free myself by making it right?
I'd give my heart, give my soul
I'd turn it back, it's my fault.
Your destiny is forlorn,
Have to live till it's undone.
I'd give my heart, give my soul
I'd turn it back and then at last I'll be on my way.
Jillian our dream ended long ago.
All our stories and all our glory I held so dear.
We won't be together
For ever and ever, no more tears.
I'll always be here 'til the end.
Jillian, no more tears...
Jillian, no more tears...
I'd give my heart, give my soul
I'd turn it back, it's my fault.
Your destiny is forlorn,
Have to live till it's undone.
I'd give my heart, give my soul
I'd turn it back and then at last I'll be on my way.
The lyrics of Within Temptation's "Jillian" speak about the quest for meaning and understanding in life, as well as the struggle to break free from the chains that hold us back. The singer reflects on how much time has passed, and how much she has seen - kingdoms rise and fall, wonders and horror happening in front of her eyes. This introspection leads to a desire to make things right, to undo the mistakes that have been made and free oneself from the burden of destiny.
The chorus features a repetition of the lines "I'd give my heart, give my soul, I'd turn it back, it's my fault". This can be interpreted as a feeling of regret and a desire to change the past. The singer is willing to do whatever it takes to break free from the chains that hold her back and "be on her way". The song ends with a bittersweet acknowledgement that certain dreams and stories have come to an end, but with a promise to always be there until the end.
Overall, "Jillian" is a powerful reflection on the human condition and the desire for meaning and freedom in life. The lyrics are moving and thought-provoking, and the music perfectly complements the emotions conveyed in the words.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been dreaming for so long,
To find a meaning to understand.
The singer has been searching for a long time to find a purpose and comprehension for their existence.
The secret of life,
Why am I here to try again?
The singer is searching for the reason they have been given another opportunity at life and the purpose behind existence.
Will I always, will you always
See the truth when it stares you in the face?
The singer is questioning if they and others will continue to avoid the obvious truth that is apparent right in front of them.
Will I ever, will I never free myself
By breaking these chains?
The artist is wondering if they will ever be able to break free from the constraints that have been holding them back.
I'd give my heart, give my soul
I'd turn it back, it's my fault.
The artist is willing to sacrifice everything they have and take responsibility for their mistakes in order to turn back time.
Your destiny is forlorn,
Have to live till it's undone.
The singer acknowledges that their fate seems hopeless but they have no choice but to keep going until they can find a way to change it.
I've been living for so long,
Many seasons passed me by.
The singer has been alive for a long time and has seen the passage of many years.
I've seen kingdoms through ages
Rise and fall, I've seen it all.
The artist has lived through the rise and fall of many civilizations and has witnessed everything.
Seen the horror, seen the wonders
Happening just in front of my eyes.
The artist has witnessed both the incredible and the awful happenings of the world firsthand.
Will I ever, will I never free myself by making it right?
The artist is wondering if they will ever be able to correct their mistakes and finally be free.
Jillian our dream ended long ago.
All our stories and all our glory I held so dear.
The singer reminisces on past endeavors with someone named Jillian and the memories they shared that they still hold close.
We won't be together
For ever and ever, no more tears.
The artist accepts that they and Jillian will not be together forever and are ready to let go without shedding any more tears.
I'll always be here 'til the end.
Jillian, no more tears...
Jillian, no more tears...
The singer proclaims that they will always be there until the end but reassures Jillian that they don't need to cry anymore.
I'd give my heart, give my soul
I'd turn it back and then at last I'll be on my way.
The singer reiterates their willingness to do anything to turn back time and correct their mistakes so they can finally move on with their life.
Contributed by Tristan W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
lanae morris
I absolutely love how people still listen to both Evanescence and Within Temptations old music and still want more today
Travis Benson
Ya
Parlina Susi Siswanti
Yeah...
Mary Santos
Yeah
Victoria Marie Parker
21 and still listening!
J C
Next year thse two fucking amazing bands and female leaders together! 😍
Epictemptation7
The Silent Force is more than just an album, It's an experience and in my opinion the bands best album to date. It's truly iconic and an important work in rock/heavy metal.
Within Temptation
Our brand new album 'RESIST' is officially out now! Listen to it on Spotify: http://bit.ly/WTRESIST
Itka Toruk Makto
I loved this album
Cherryblossom
Can't believe Resist came out 2 years ago