The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Shot in the Dark" by the artist "Within Temptation"

In Within Temptation's song "Shot in the Dark," the lyrical heroine experiences profound emotional pain and loss. Left "all alone, like a criminal," she grapples with despair and struggles to find the strength to go on.

"Shot in the Dark" serves as a metaphor for a sudden blow of fate that has left her shattered and lost. Despite pleading for help, she feels alone in her struggle. The line "What was their aim, if not to the heart?" highlights that while the blow didn't kill her physically, it inflicted a deep emotional wound.

The heroine compares her state to drowning ("I'm breathing underwater"), emphasizing the feeling of hopelessness and suffocation. She questions the purpose of her fight, having lost faith in the possibility of happiness.

The recurring phrase "How I wish you were here" and the mention of a burning soul hint at the loss of a loved one, perhaps a lover. His absence causes her unbearable pain, and she clings to the hope of reunion.

Overall, "Shot in the Dark" is a song about pain, loss, struggle, and fragile hope. It conveys a sense of loneliness, despair, and the yearning to find light in darkness.