| "Lost in Paradise" | ||||||||||||
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| Song by Evanescence from the album Evanescence | ||||||||||||
| Recorded | 2011; Blackbird Studio, Nashville, Tennessee | |||||||||||
| Genre | Rock[1] | |||||||||||
| Length | 4:42 | |||||||||||
| Label | Wind-up | |||||||||||
| Writer | Amy Lee | |||||||||||
| Producer | Nick Raskulinecz | |||||||||||
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"Lost in Paradise" is a song by American rock band Evanescence. It is the seventh track from their self-titled third studio album, Evanescence. It was written by frontwoman Amy Lee and produced by Nick Raskulinecz. A snippet of song premiered on July 15, 2011 on MTV News. Musically, the song is a rock ballad that begins with piano, strings, and Lee's vocals before the band kicks in during the climax. Lyrically, it is inspired by the struggles in Lee's life.
The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised Lee's vocals and its piano accompaniment, with some highlighting it as one of the album's best tracks. Following the digital sales of Evanescence, the song charted at number 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 9 on the UK Rock Chart. It also charted at number 31, 89, and 174 on the Swiss Singles Chart, Canadian Hot 100, and UK Singles Chart respectively. The band also added the song to the set list of their third worldwide tour.
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"Lost in Paradise" was written by Amy Lee while production was handled by Nick Raskulinecz.[3] The song was recorded at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Tennessee in 2011. A snippet of the song premiered prior to the release of the album on July 15, 2011 on MTV News.[2] During an interview Lee said, "That's the one that made us cry ... like, literally, just in here, working on it, there have been tears. I love that song. When I was writing it, it wasn't anything; it was just pure, it was just for me. I was literally just writing it for me, to soothe my own feelings by expressing them. And I just thought, 'Piano, vocals, I can record it by myself at my house, and that'll be the track. ... It'll be a B-side somewhere or something.'"[2]
She further described the process of the recording of the song: "[But] then ... as we were working on other songs — focusing more on rock songs — I kept listening to it for fun, because it was mine, and I sent it to [producer] Nick [Raskulinecz] and I was like, 'I want you to listen to this. ... The more I listen to it, the more I think it means something'. And he, instantly, was like, 'We have to do that song.' And it was his idea to bring the band into it, and at first, I was totally like, 'I don't get that.' But once we did, it just blew the thing wide open, in a way I had never thought about before. It's perfect; it's meant to be the way it is."[2] Lee went to Toronto's Liberty Studios on August 22, to preview five mastered songs from Evanescence to a selected crowd of thirty people.[4][5] "Lost in Paradise" was one of the five previewed songs.[4][5]
"Lost in Paradise" is a symphonic music,[6], rock,[1] piano[7] and power ballad,[8] inspired by Lee's love for Evanescence and personal reflection on her past struggles.[2][9] She revealed that after deciding to take a break, she spent a lot of time with her husband and doing normal things in her life, but still feeling like she was not "whole".[10] Instead, she felt lost and missed her work with the band and the writing process.[10] Later, she decided to write the song as an apology to her fans for being gone for so long.[11] Starting with piano and Lee's vocals, the song slowly builds, "layering on stirring strings, booming timpani and, at the climax, some thunderous guitar chords" as stated by James Montgomery of MTV News.[2] James Montgomery of MTV News stated that the song had similarities with the song "Jóga" (1997) by Icelandic recoring artist Björk which Lee confirmed by saying, "That's a big inspirational song for me. That's a song through my life that I've listened to a whole bunch. And to me, Björk, what makes her style are the strings, the orchestral elements, and that passion that it creates. ... It makes your heart pour out. That totally inspired me, and that song inspired me."[2] NME's Tom Goodwyn found similarities between "Lost in Paradise" and "My Immortal", a song by the band's first studio album Fallen, "before it was re-recorded with that massive guitar breakdown."[7]
The song received generally positive reviews from contemporary critics. James Montgomery of MTV News wrote that the song "is unapologetically epic and uncompromisingly raw, a song that manages to seem both all-encompassing and intimate, often at the same time."[2] In his review of Evanescence, Rick Florino of Artistdirect concluded "The record's centerpiece is the elegantly dark ballad, 'Lost in Paradise'. It's in 'Paradise' that Lee's genius floats to the forefront most prominently. She paints a poignant picture of yearning for redemption from heartache crooning, 'We've been falling for all this time and now I'm lost in paradise.'"[12] In another review, he called the song "the record's standout ballad."[10] That was somewhat echoed by Kerrang!'s Steve Beebee who called the song a "majestic ballad."[9] Dane Prokofiev of PopMatters said that the song was one of the two along with "Erase This" which "really caught" his attention.[6] Edna Gundersen of USA Today put the song on her list of songs to consider downloading.[13] Mark Lepage of The Gazette concluded that Lee's intention was to write the song for the girls.[14]
Chad Grischow of IGN wrote: "Lee's skyward vocals suit the album's obsession with the emotional frustration and devastation of a break-up well, ripe with romantically longing tunes like gorgeous power ballad "Lost In Paradise", where her breathy vocals in the beginning awaken as she passionately apologizes for not sticking with the guy who believed in her."[8] Digital Spy's Lewis Corner said that the song "continues the trend as a black-eyed rock ballad of towering string sections and lyrics of despair and heartbreak."[1] A more mixed review for the song was given by Marc Hirsh of The Boston Globe who wrote that the slow tempo of the song provided by piano and strings made it a drag where "the band itself gets very little breathing room."[15] Billboard magazine's Christa Titus wrote that Lee's voice was "powerful and flexible as ever" in "the deep croons that introduce 'Lost in Paradise'."[16]
Following the digital release of the album, "Lost in Paradise" peaked at number 39 on the Swiss Singles Chart on October 23, 2011.[17] On the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, the song debuted at number 99 on the week ending October 16, 2011.[18] The same week it peaked on the Hot Digital Songs and Canadian Hot 100 at numbers 53 and 89 respectively.[19] The song also debuted at number nine on the UK Rock Chart for the week ending October 22, 2011.[20]
The band added "Lost in Paradise" to the set list on their third worldwide tour in support of Evanescence.[21] While reviewing a performance of the song, Rick Florino of Artistdirect said, "Speaking of vocal prowess, Lee reached the level of legends during 'Lost In Paradise'. Sitting at a piano center stage, she entranced with a shimmering melody and heartbreaking, hypnotic hook. Stripped of any pomp and circumstance, Lee's talents transfixed. As the song built, the band entered rounding out the timeless ballad with a distinct heaviness."[22] Serene Dominic of The Arizona Republic wrote: "The biggest shrieks came when the piano movers made their first appearance and wheeled a baby grand onstage for 'Lost in Paradise.'"[23] Along with "Bring Me To Life" the song was played in the band's performance with a live orchestra for the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway on December 11, 2011.[24][25]
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Hot 100[19][26] | 89 |
| Swiss Singles Chart[17] | 39 |
| UK Rock Chart[20] | 9 |
| UK Singles Chart[27] | 174 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[18][26] | 99 |
| Book: Evanescence (album) | |
| Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print. | |
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