anonymous February 28th, 2006 10:45AM  

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.

daughter_of_a_gun April 15th, 2006 05:53AM  

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.

Evanescencefreak August 12th, 2006 11:04PM  

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.

anonymous December 21st, 2006 07:40PM  

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.

anonymous March 1st, 2007 08:50PM  

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...

anonymous August 30th, 2008 06:59PM  

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.