The Unforgiven
Chords of Chaos Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

New blood joins this earth,
And quickly he's subdued.
Through constant pained disgrace
The young boy learns their rules.

With time the child draws in.
This whipping boy done wrong.
Deprived of all his thoughts
The young man struggles on and on he's known
A vow unto his own,
That never from this day
His will they'll take away.

What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never be.
Never see.
Won't see what might have been.

What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never free.
Never me.
So I dub thee unforgiven.

They dedicate their lives
To running all of his.
He tries to please them all –
This bitter man he is.

Throughout his life the same –
He's battled constantly.
This fight he cannot win –
A tired man they see no longer cares.

The old man then prepares
To die regretfully –
That old man here is me.

What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never be.
Never see.
Won't see what might have been.

What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never free.
Never me.
So I dub thee unforgiven.

What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never be.
Never see.
Won't see what might have been.

What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never free.
Never me.
So I dub thee unforgiven.

Never free.
Never me.
So I dub thee unforgiven.

You labelled me,
I'll label you.
So I dub thee unforgiven.

Never free.
Never me.
So I dub thee unforgiven.

You labelled me,
I'll label you.
So I dub thee unforgiven.

Never free.




Never me.
So I dub thee unforgiven.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Chords of Chaos's song The Unforgiven depict the story of a young boy who is born into a world that is quick to subdue him. He is forced to conform to the constantly changing rules of society and is punished constantly for any mistakes he might make. The child eventually grows up into a bitter and tired old man who has dedicated his life to pleasing others, only to find himself more alone than ever before. He now prepares to die, regretting the life he has lived, as he has never truly been able to express his true feelings and emotions.


The lines "What I've felt, What I've known, Never shined through in what I've shown" express the frustration of the singer as he realizes that he has never been able to truly express himself or be understood by others. The repeated refrain of "Never free, Never me" further enforces the theme of being trapped in a life where one is forced to conform to societal norms, and never truly being able to express oneself.


The song is a powerful commentary on the pressure we feel as individuals to fit in and conform to societal norms. It is a reminder that we must always strive to be true to ourselves, and not let others dictate our lives. The Unforgiven has become a favorite of many heavy metal fans around the world and cemented Chords of Chaos's place in the metal scene.


Line by Line Meaning

New blood joins this earth,
A new person is born and starts life on earth.


And quickly he's subdued.
But he is quickly taught to conform to societal norms and expectations.


Through constant pained disgrace
The young boy experiences repeated shame and anger for not fitting in.


The young boy learns their rules.
He is taught to understand and obey the customs and norms of society.


With time the child draws in.
As he grows up, he becomes inwardly focused and socially isolated.


This whipping boy done wrong.
He feels like a scapegoat who has been unfairly punished for his failures.


Deprived of all his thoughts
He feels robbed of a sense of self and individuality.


The young man struggles on and on he's known
Despite these challenges, he perseveres and makes a name for himself.


A vow unto his own,
He is determined to maintain his own identity and never be controlled by others.


That never from this day
He is resolved to never let anyone control him from this point forward.


His will they'll take away.
He refuses to let anyone else dominate him or his life's direction.


What I've felt,
The artist is about to reveal something deeply personal to him.


What I've known
He is about to expose the emotions and experiences that have been fundamental to shaping his identity.


Never shined through in what I've shown.
However, he feels like he has not been able to express himself fully or honestly to others.


Never be.
He feels like he has never truly been himself or pursued what he really wants in life.


Never see.
He has not been able to envision or take advantage of opportunities that could have led to a better life.


Won't see what might have been.
He is unable to imagine the alternate timelines and better outcomes that he might have experienced under different circumstances.


So I dub thee unforgiven.
He is frustrated by the limitations society has placed on him and other individuals who don't fit the mold.


They dedicate their lives
Some individuals are devoted to maintaining the status quo.


To running all of his.
They try to control every aspect of other people's lives, including those who resist conformity.


He tries to please them all –
The outcast still finds himself trying to satisfy others' unreasonable demands.


This bitter man he is.
But he feels trapped and bitter about his own self-imposed limitations and missed opportunities.


Throughout his life the same –
The cycle of feeling misunderstood, guilty, and isolated continues throughout his life.


He's battled constantly.
He has had to fight against the constant pressure of society to conform to its rules.


This fight he cannot win –
His own resistance and non-conformity have become an endless, unwinnable battle.


A tired man they see no longer cares.
The person is tired of struggling and has stopped caring about societal expectations.


The old man then prepares
The person has reached the end of their life.


To die regretfully –
He is filled with regret over the amount of his life he has wasted.


That old man here is me.
The artist has lived this life and is now aged and regretful.


You labelled me,
The singer has been ostracized and labeled by society as an outcast.


I'll label you.
But he has also come to understand and judge society's norms and expectations in a similar way.


So I dub thee unforgiven.
He judges society and renounces its power over his life.




Contributed by Anthony S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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iknowwhereulive


on Love Of A Lifetime

this is so good bro... btw who lives in Riverside Ca

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