My Heart Is Broken

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General Information

Written by: A. Lee, T. Balsamo, T. McCord and Z. Williams

My Heart is Broken is the 4th track on Evanescence's self-titled album. It was chosen to be the second single, and it was released on November 11, 2011. The song was sent to pop, hot adult contemporary and Hot/Mod/AC radio stations in the United States on October 31, 2011. It was also sent to mainstream radio stations on November 1, 2011, and it was sent to Alternative and Modern Rock radio on February 13, 2012.

The song's working title was "Metalocalarp".

In the Spotify chat, you said the working title for “My Heart is Broken” was ‘Metalocalarp’. Can you tell us more about it? "Tim, Terry and I wrote the song together at my house in NY. Tim programmed a simple drum beat on the computer and looped it, and I started jamming that piano riff on the harp, and then Terry came in w the guitar. We loved it right away, and once we got together with the rest of the band, it really came to life. We almost always have stupid temporary names for songs before we get the lyrics written and name it for real. Metalocalypse plus harp equals Metalocalarp."

The name of the song was announced along with Secret Door and Oceans in a Spin.com interview, in which it was said to be a harp ballad. In a track-by-track interview with NME.com, Amy explained why the song turned out to not be a harp ballad:

Let's see, this is another one from that session when we wrote What You Want. Actually the song at first we were jamming Tim and Terry and I. I actually used to play that piano part on the harp because it was a lot slower and a little bit easier. And then it just got faster and faster at pre-production with the band. And when we get into recording I was cool, get in the harp and I was like 'Nah, this is not possible anymore, it's way fast'! So it's a piano part, actually I think it sounds better as a piano part. It's more prominent, it's a stronger instrument so you're hearing it a little bit more. I love that song, it's definitely one of the more passionate tracks on the album. And I hope that that's the second single, I think it might be.

Amy also said this about the song in an MTV interview:

A lot of times when I write, I just sort of make up words, and something will stick, and I'll be like, "Oh, that's from my subconscious. That's what I need to write the song about." And that's sort of what happened [with the song]. I was like, "I think I'm writing about this thing; it's on my heart," just imagining being in such a trapped place and how that might feel, so the song was actually inspired by that idea.

In another interview with Kerrang Magazine, Amy noted that the song was inspired by her involvement with the organisation Restore NYC rather than romantic heartbreak as the title of the song might suggest.

"A good friend of mine heads up an organisation in New York that rescues victims of sex trafficking", Amy clarifies. "My husband and I got involved and were really moved and horrified. As I was writing the song I was putting myself in that place - what would it be like to be trapped? Threatened? Alone? Unable to tell anyone what was happening because you're afraid of what would happen?"

In an MTV interview the band said that they wanted the song to be included the soundtrack to the movie The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. Will said:

I've been screaming for [new song] 'My Heart Is Broken' to land in that, because I think it would fit the story so well. I got sucked into the "Twilight" vortex by the girls at home, so by default, I've got to watch it.

And Amy also said:

"Fine, I read the books; everybody hates me now," Lee laughed. "I didn't watch the first movie — I was like, 'Yeah, whatever. I got over vampires in high school' — then they were like, 'Maybe you should write a song for the movie,' so I read the book and I wrote some songs, and it didn't work out because they have all these cool hipster people that are doing the 'Twilight' stuff. But then I was kind of into it, so I read the next books." And after reading the books, Lee actually found herself at odds with her bandmates, most of whom are avowed members of Team Edward. Seems she's got a soft spot for the frequently shirtless werewolf, though not for reasons you'd probably expect. "Jacob [is my favorite], for sure," she said. "He's the good guy, he's the sweetheart."

Different Versions

There are nine known versions of this song. There is the demo version which was written with the harp instead of the piano. The Single version is the same as the version on the album, only without the guitars from The Change flowing into it. In the Rock Mix the piano and strings are less prominent while the drums and guitars are more prominent. The song overall sounds more dirty compared to the album version. In the Pop Mix, the intro is cut. It has a Amy singing and playing the piano for the first minute of the song, with the band kicking in in the second verse.

In the Rock Mix Edit and Alternate Mix, the piano parts in the intro are cut and one of the choruses in the ending of the song is cut. The Pop Remix Edit is mostly the same as the Pop Mix, the only difference being that one of the choruses in the ending of the song is cut. The Radio Edit/Radio Mix cuts the intro and begins with the drum playing. One of the choruses in the ending of the song is also cut. On the UK Radio Single, there is the official instrumental version of the song.

Versions

Studio versions: My Heart is Broken Recording Date: February 2011 - July 2011 Status: Released Released On: Evanescence (track #4) Length: 4:29 My Heart is Broken [Demo] Recording Date: 2011 Status: Unreleased Length: Unknown My Heart is Broken [Single Version] Recording Date: February 2011 - July 2011 Status: Released Released On: My Heart is Broken Digital Single (track #1) My Heart is Broken radio singles Length: 4:30 My Heart is Broken [Rock Mix] Recording Date: February 2011 - July 2011 Status: Released Released On: My Heart is Broken Digital Single (track #2) Length: 4:29 My Heart is Broken [Pop Mix] Recording Date: February 2011 - July 2011 Status: Released Released On: My Heart is Broken Digital Single (track #3) Length: 4:02 My Heart is Broken [Rock Mix Edit/Alternate Mix] Recording Date: February 2011 - July 2011 Status: Released Released On: My Heart is Broken radio singles Length: 3:50 My Heart is Broken [Pop Remix Edit] Recording Date: February 2011 - July 2011 Status: Released Released On: radio singles My Heart is Broken [Radio Edit/Radio Mix] Recording Date: February 2011 - July 2011 Status: Released Released On: radio singles Length: 3:45 My Heart is Broken [Instrumental Version] Recording Date: February 2011 - July 2011 Status: Released Released On: radio singles Length: 4:30 Live versions: My Heart is Broken [Live] Performing Period: October 2, 2011 - November 9, 2012 Example: Rock In Rio 2011 My Heart is Broken [Acoustic] Performing Period: December 7, 2011 - 2012 Example: Live @ Octane Artist Confidential, SiriusXM Radio My Heart is Broken [Restore Freedom Gala Acoustic] Performing Date: April 10, 2012 Performed at: Restore Freedom Gala 2012, City Winery NYC Lyrics Album, Single and Rock Mix Versions I will wander till the end of time torn away from you I pulled away to face the pain I close my eyes and drift away over the fear that I will never find a way to heal my soul and I will wander till the end of time torn away from you My heart is broken sweet sleep, my dark angel deliver us from sorrow's hold Over my heart I can't go on living this way But I can't go back the way I came chained to this fear that I will never find a way to heal my soul and I will wander till the end of time half alive without you My heart is broken sweet sleep, my dark angel deliver us Change Open your eyes to the light I denied it all so long, oh so long Say goodbye Goodbye My heart is broken release me, I can't hold on deliver us My heart is broken sweet sleep, my dark angel deliver us My heart is broken sweet sleep, my dark angel deliver us from sorrow's hold Pop Mix Version I pulled away to face the pain I close my eyes and drift away Over the fear that I will never find A way to heal my soul And I will wander till the end of time Torn away from you My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us from sorrow’s hold (Over my heart) I can’t go on living this way But I can’t go back the way I came Chained to this fear that I will never find A way to heal my soul And I will wander till the end of time Half alive without you My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us Change Open your eyes to the light I denied it all so long Oh so long Say goodbye, goodbye My heart is broken Release me, I can’t hold on Deliver us My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us from sorrow’s hold Pop Remix Edit and Radio Edit/Radio Mix Versions I pulled away to face the pain I close my eyes and drift away Over the fear that I will never find A way to heal my soul And I will wander till the end of time Torn away from you My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us from sorrow’s hold (Over my heart) I can’t go on living this way But I can’t go back the way I came Chained to this fear that I will never find A way to heal my soul And I will wander till the end of time Half alive without you My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us Change Open your eyes to the light I denied it all so long Oh so long Say goodbye, goodbye My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us from sorrow’s hold Rock Mix Edit/Alternate Mix Version I will wander till the end of time Torn away from you I pulled away to face the pain I close my eyes and drift away Over the fear that I will never find A way to heal my soul And I will wander till the end of time Torn away from you My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us from sorrow’s hold (Over my heart) I can’t go on living this way But I can’t go back the way I came Chained to this fear that I will never find A way to heal my soul And I will wander till the end of time Half alive without you My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us Change Open your eyes to the light I denied it all so long Oh so long Say goodbye, goodbye My heart is broken Release me, I can’t hold on Deliver us My heart is broken Sweet sleep, my dark angel Deliver us from sorrow’s hold Video My Heart is Broken video. The video for My Heart is Broken, shot in Los Angeles, California by Dean Karr, began shooting on December 1, 2011 and was released on January 24, 2012. "We have an air conditioner this time," she laughed. "This [video] is going to look a lot different. Actually, I kind of wanted it to be the opposite. The first video, for 'What You Want,' was very real, and this is very surreal." Amy playing the piano in the video. To help get that surreal feel, Lee explained that she drew inspiration from a decidedly below-the-radar source: the 1988 British fantasy/horror film "Paperhouse," which stuck with her since she first saw it as a teen. "[It's about] this girl, and everything that she would draw would come to life in her dreams, and she was creating this dream world for herself. And at first, it was cool, but then it's like this nightmare," she explained. "So I sort of thought it would apply, and be cool, to have it be this dream that you're trapped in. So you're in a place that, at first, is a magical world, but at the same time, you're isolated and trapped there, and that's the reason you want to come back to reality after a time. "We're playing with fiber optics, and so it's basically like I'm drawing the world around me from nothingness, and when I draw things with my hands, it's like they actually come to life," she continued. "So it's a lot of fun with creating this surreal dream world, and the guys' performance is sort of like the dream within the dream, in an abyss of darkness; it's very cool." The dress worn by Amy while playing the piano was designed by the artist Dawn Ritz. My Heart Is Broken Lyric Video Lyric Video A lyric video was released on Evanescence's channel in January 31, 2012 on YouTube, a week after the the music video was released. Notes and References