What Have I Done
Kittie Lyrics


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These tears I've cried a thousand
I'm slowly losing ground

Oh, what have I done?
Oh, a setting sun
Oh, what have I done?
Oh, a setting sun
In silence Cold December
Just barely treading water
If to live is to suffer,
I have lived a thousand lives

Over and over, had my happiness denied
Lifeless and soulless and
Loveless and hopeless
A pathetic mess in a heap on the floor




I am the catalyst,
Destroyer of my own world

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kittie's song "What Have I Done?" revolve around themes of regret, self-destruction, and despair. The opening two lines, "These tears I've cried a thousand, I'm slowly losing ground," suggest that the singer has been going through a prolonged period of emotional turmoil that has worn her down. The repetition of the phrase "a thousand" emphasizes the weight of her suffering, while the image of "losing ground" implies that she feels like she's losing control of her life.


The chorus then poses the question, "Oh, what have I done?" and answers it with the metaphor of a "setting sun," suggesting that the singer feels like she's reached the end of something and can't go back. This sense of finality is underscored by the repetition of the phrase "oh, a setting sun."


The second verse adds to the feeling of hopelessness, with the singer describing herself as being "just barely treading water" in "cold December." The line "If to live is to suffer, I have lived a thousand lives" suggests that the singer has experienced an overwhelming amount of pain, to the point where it feels like she's lived many lifetimes.


The bridge of the song, with its repetition of the phrases "over and over" and "lifeless and soulless and loveless and hopeless," emphasizes the cyclical nature of the singer's suffering and her sense of being trapped in a cycle of misery. The final line, "I am the catalyst, destroyer of my own world," suggests that the singer blames herself for her problems and feels powerless to change them.


Line by Line Meaning

These tears I've cried a thousand
I have cried so many tears that it feels like it's been a thousand times


I'm slowly losing ground
I am losing my grip on reality and my mental state is deteriorating


Oh, what have I done?
I am questioning my actions and the consequences that have come from them


Oh, a setting sun
My life is coming to an end and everything is slowly fading away


In silence Cold December
It's a cold, lonely December night and I am silently suffering


Just barely treading water
I'm just barely keeping my head above water and surviving


If to live is to suffer,
The act of living is full of pain and suffering


I have lived a thousand lives
I've been through so much pain that it feels like I've lived multiple lives


Over and over, had my happiness denied
Time after time, I've been denied happiness and cannot catch a break


Lifeless and soulless and
I feel as if I have no purpose or soul left in me


Loveless and hopeless
I'm devoid of love and completely hopeless


A pathetic mess in a heap on the floor
I am a mess, lying on the ground in a heap, feeling powerless and alone


I am the catalyst,
I am the reason behind my own destruction and struggles in life


Destroyer of my own world
My own actions have destroyed my life and everything around me




Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARIO ANTHONY RUSSO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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