Evanescence Wiki
Register
Advertisement
"Whisper"
Released November 4, 2000 (Origin)
March 4, 2003 (Fallen)
Length 3:56 (Origin)
5:12 (Fallen)
Producers Ben Moody (Origin)
Dave Fortman (Fallen)
Label Bigwig Enterprises
Wind-up Records
Chronology
'Origin'
"Origin" "Whisper" "Imaginary"

"Whisper" is a song by Evanescence with multiple releases, all entirely different versions. It originally made an appearance on their 1999 EP, Sound Asleep. Its next release was a year later on their demo album, Origin. Its studio release was on their 2003 debut studio album, Fallen. Its final release was on their 2004 live album, Anywhere But Home. There also exists three post-Origin demos from the 2001-2002 demo sessions that were leaked.

General Information[]

At the beginning of the Sound Asleep version, there is an introduction which is actually a part of the song itself played backward, culminating a sound clip from the movie My World Dies Screaming/Terror In The Haunted House (1958). The same film’s clips are heard on the song “Origin”, which eerily transitions into the next song, “Whisper”, in the Origin version.

According to Bigwig Enterprises' website, "Whisper" was Origin's lead single.[1]

A post-Origin demo opens with a sample of the score "Death Scene" from the movie Romeo + Juliet (1996).[2][3] The sample would be forcibly omitted from Fallen due to copyright infringements. However, Amy Lee wanted to make up for this by arranging a choir and orchestra outro. The choir in the Fallen version chants, "Servatis a periculum, servatis a maleficum", which is roughly translated from Latin as "Save us from danger, save us from evil".

All pre-Fallen versions of the song feature Ben Moody providing the eerie whispering vocals in the background. In the Fallen version, the backing vocals are either provided by Amy Lee or by the choir. On Anywhere But Home, the rest of the band assists with the backing vocals.

Amy Lee on the song in a EvClub interview:[4]

"Whisper" is something that we still play on stage a lot and I love playing it, it's a great live song. But lyrically it doesn't hold a ton of meaning for me anymore 'cause I'm not really at a very dark place in my life at all right now. I'm at a pretty positive place. So unless I'm really angry, I don't totally relate to "Whisper".

"Whisper" was an inspiration for "Overture", the opening song on Evanescence's fourth studio album, Synthesis.

In a Kerrang! cover story about the 20th anniversary of Fallen, Amy discussed the song:[5]

“I love how dramatic it is! And there’s a place for that. That was what we thought was our hit when I was graduating high school. When we did have a few gigs, that was our opener. We were playing shows, and I was like, ‘This is us!’ It’s very epic, very dramatic. No wonder I was so nervous getting onstage – I was like, ‘How do I live up to this ridiculousness!?’ (Laughs) So, when I get to the end of Fallen, my overwhelming final thesis is I’m so grateful. It is something bigger than me. I wouldn’t change anything about it. I had to go through that pain. We all have different lives that we have lived with this soundtrack being part of it. I’m just grateful to be part of that and I think I’m able to fully appreciate Fallen now in a way that I wasn’t previously able to. This is a huge gift.”


Lyrics[]

Origin[]

Catch me as I fall
Say you're here and it's all over now
Speaking to the atmosphere
No one's here and I fall into myself
This truth drives me into madness
I know I can stop the pain
If I will it all away

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

I'm frightened by what I see
But somehow I know
That there's much more to come
Immobilized by my fear
And soon to be blinded by tears
I can stop the pain
If I will it all away

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

Fallen angels at my feet
Whispered voices at my ear
Death before my eyes
Lying next to me I fear
She beckons me, shall I give in?
Upon my end, shall I begin?
Forsaking all I've fallen for,
I rise to meet The End [I rise to meet my end?]

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

Fallen[]

Catch me as I fall
Say you're here and it's all over now
Speaking to the atmosphere
No one's here and I fall into myself
This truth drives me into madness
I know I can stop the pain
If I will it all away,
If I will it all away

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

I'm frightened by what I see
But somehow I know
That there's much more to come
Immobilized by my fear
And soon to be blinded by tears
I can stop the pain
If I will it all away,
If I will it all away

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

Fallen angels at my feet
Whispered voices at my ear
Death before my eyes
Lying next to me I fear
She beckons me, shall I give in?
Upon my end, shall I begin?
Forsaking all I've fallen for,
I rise to meet The End [I rise to meet my end?]

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

[Servatis a periculum]
Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
[Servatis a maleficum]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
[Servatis a periculum]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
[Servatis a maleficum]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

[Servatis a periculum]
Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
[Servatis a maleficum]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
[Servatis a periculum]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
[Servatis a maleficum]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

Servatis a periculum
Servatis a maleficum
Servatis a periculum
Servatis a maleficum
Servatis a periculum
Servatis a maleficum
Servatis a periculum
Servatis a maleficum
Servatis a periculum
Servatis a maleficum
Servatis a periculum
Servatis a maleficum
Servatis a periculum

Whisper/Sound Asleep EP[]

Death in- Death in its most hideous form

Catch me as I fall
Say you're here and it's all over now
Speaking to the atmosphere
No one's here and I fall into myself
This truth drives me into madness
I know I can stop the pain
If I will it all away

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

I'm frightened by what I see
But somehow I know
That there's much more to come
Immobilized by my fear
And soon to be blinded by tears
I can stop the pain
If I will it all away

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

Fallen angels at my feet
Whispered voices at my ear
Death before my eyes
Lying next to me I fear
She beckons me, shall I give in?
Upon my end, shall I begin?
Forsaking all I've fallen for,
I rise to meet The End [I rise to meet my end?]

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

Demo Version #1 // We The Living Vol. 3[]

Catch me as I fall
Say you're here and it's all over now
Speaking to the atmosphere
No one's here and I fall into myself
This truth drives me into madness
I know I can stop the pain
If I will it all away

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

I'm frightened by what I see
But somehow I know
That there's much more to come
Immobilized by my fear
And soon to be blinded by tears
I can stop the pain
If I will it all away

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

Fallen angels at my feet
Whispered voices at my ear
Death before my eyes
Lying next to me I fear
She beckons me, shall I give in?
Upon my end, shall I begin?
Forsaking all I've fallen for,
I rise to meet The End [I rise to meet my end?]

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

Demo Version #2[]

I'm sure it's getting darker
Don't close your eyes
Don't make a sound
Don't make a sound

Catch me as I fall
Say you're here and it's all over now
Speaking to the atmosphere
No one's here and I fall into myself
This truth drives me into madness
I know I can stop the pain
If I will it all away

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

I'm frightened by what I see
But somehow I know
That there's much more to come
Immobilized by my fear
And soon to be blinded by tears
I can stop the pain
If I will it all away

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

Fallen angels at my feet
Whispered voices at my ear
Death before my eyes
Lying next to me I fear
She beckons me, shall I give in?
Upon my end, shall I begin?
Forsaking all I've fallen for,
I rise to meet The End [I rise to meet my end?]

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

Demo Version #3[]

Catch me as I fall
Say you're here and it's all over now
Speaking to the atmosphere
No one's here and I fall into myself
This truth [this truth] drives me into [into] madness [madness]
I know I can stop the pain
If I will it all away [will it all away]

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

I'm frightened by what I see
But somehow I know
That there's much more to come
Immobilized by my fear
And soon to be blinded by tears
I can stop the pain
If I will it all away [will it all away]

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

Fallen angels at my feet
Whispered voices at my ear
Death before my eyes
Lying next to me I fear
She beckons me, shall I give in?
Upon my end, shall I begin?
Forsaking all I've fallen for,
I rise to meet The End [I rise to meet my end?]

Don't turn away [Don't give in to the pain]
Don't try to hide [Though they're screaming your name]
Don't close your eyes [God knows what lies behind them]
Don't turn out the light [Never sleep, never die]

References[]


Advertisement