What Have I Done
Les Misérables: 3 Lyrics
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Sweet Jesus, what have I done?
Become a thief in the night!
Become a dog on the run!
Have I fallen so far
And is the hour so late
That nothing remains but the cry of my hate,
The cries in the dark that nobody hears,
If there is another way to go
I missed it twenty long years ago.
My life was a war that could never be won
They gave me a number and murdered Valjean
When they chained me and left me for dead
Just for stealing a mouthful of bread.
Yet why did I allow that man
To touch my soul and teach me love?
He treated me like any other.
He gave me his trust.
He called me Brother.
My life he claims for God above.
Can such things be?
For I had come to hate the world.
This world that always hated me!
Take an eye for an eye.
Turn your heart into stone.
This is all I have lived for.
This is all I have known.
One word from him and I'd be back
Beneath the lash, upon the rack.
Instead, he offers me my freedom.
I feel my shame inside me like a knife,
He told me that I had a soul.
How does he know?
What spirit comes to move my life?
Is there another way to go?
I am reaching, but I fall,
And the night is closing in,
And I stare into the void,
To the whirlpool of my sin.
I'll escape now from the world
From the world of Jean Valjean.
Jean Valjean is nothing now.
Another story must begin!
The lyrics to Les Misérables: 3's song "What have I done?" explore the inner turmoil of the character Javert, who is questioning all that he knows to be true. He is a man who has always lived by the law, seeing the world in black and white, with no room for gray. However, after encountering Jean Valjean, a man he had once arrested for stealing bread, he begins to question his beliefs. Valjean showed him kindness and love, treating him as a brother and even saving his life. Javert cannot reconcile these actions with his belief that Valjean is a criminal who should be punished.
The lyrics "What have I done?" are both rhetorical and introspective, asking whether his actions and beliefs are truly just. He feels as though he has fallen so far from his beliefs and the rigid code he has always lived by. He even contemplates revenge and violence, but he finds himself unable to follow through. The song ends with Javert breaking down and escaping from the world of Jean Valjean, his previous worldview shattered and a new story beginning.
Line by Line Meaning
What have I done?
Expressing regret and remorse for past actions.
Sweet Jesus, what have I done?
Desperately seeking forgiveness and understanding for past mistakes.
Become a thief in the night!
Acknowledging the shameful and immoral nature of one's actions.
Become a dog on the run!
Feeling powerless and hunted, like an animal.
Have I fallen so far And is the hour so late That nothing remains but the cry of my hate, The cries in the dark that nobody hears, Here where I stand at the turning of the years.
Feeling utterly alone and consumed by anger and despair, with no hope for redemption.
If there is another way to go I missed it twenty long years ago.
Reflecting on missed opportunities for change and growth in the past.
My life was a war that could never be won They gave me a number and murdered Valjean
Feeling victimized by society and trapped in a cycle of violence.
When they chained me and left me for dead Just for stealing a mouthful of bread.
Describing the cruel and unjust treatment that led to a life of crime.
Yet why did I allow that man To touch my soul and teach me love? He treated me like any other. He gave me his trust. He called me Brother.
Expressing gratitude for a transformative influence in one's life, despite past wrongdoing.
My life he claims for God above. Can such things be? For I had come to hate the world. This world that always hated me!
Questioning the possibility of redemption and forgiveness, given past mistakes and a lifetime of mistreatment.
Take an eye for an eye. Turn your heart into stone. This is all I have lived for. This is all I have known.
Embracing a cycle of violence and retribution, as a response to past injustices.
One word from him and I'd be back Beneath the lash, upon the rack. Instead, he offers me my freedom.
Expressing surprise and confusion at a gesture of kindness and mercy, after a lifetime of harsh treatment.
I feel my shame inside me like a knife, He told me that I had a soul. How does he know? What spirit comes to move my life?
Struggling to reconcile a newfound sense of dignity and worth with deep-seated shame and guilt.
Is there another way to go? I am reaching, but I fall, And the night is closing in, And I stare into the void, To the whirlpool of my sin.
Desperately seeking a path to redemption, but feeling lost and overwhelmed by past mistakes and struggles.
I'll escape now from the world From the world of Jean Valjean. Jean Valjean is nothing now. Another story must begin!
Deciding to leave behind a life of crime and punishment, and seek a new path forward.
Contributed by Isaac P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@forge4452
What have I done?
Sweet Jesus, what have I done?
Become a thief in the night,
Become a dog on the run
Have I fallen so far,
And is the hour so late
That nothing remains but the cry of my hate,
The cries in the dark that nobody hears,
Here where I stand at the turning of the years?
If there's another way to go
I missed it twenty long years ago
My life was a war that could never be won
They gave me a number and they murdered Valjean
When they chained me and left me for dead
Just for stealing a mouthful of bread
Yet why did I allow this man
To touch my soul and teach me love?
He treated me like any other
He gave me his trust
He called me brother
My life he claims for God above
Can such things be?
For I had come to hate the world
This world that always hated me
Take an eye for an eye!
Turn your heart into stone!
This is all I have lived for!
This is all I have known!
One word from him and I'd be back
Beneath the lash, upon the rack
Instead he offers me my freedom
I feel my shame inside me like a knife
He told me that I have a soul,
How does he know?
What spirit comes to move my life?
Is there another way to go?
I am reaching, but I fall
And the night is closing in
And I stare into the void
To the whirlpool of my sin
I'll escape now from the world
From the world of Jean Valjean
Jean Valjean is nothing now
Another story must begin!
@user-tc6kk3py6x
自分用ですまねぇです。。。同時に歌詞が見たかったんや。
m(_ _)m
What have I done?
Sweet Jesus, what have I done?
Become a thief in the night
Become a dog on the run
Have I fallen so far
And is the hour so late
That nothing remains but the cry of my hate
The cries in the dark that nobody hears
Here where I stand at the turning of the years?
If there's another way to go
I missed it twenty long years ago
My life was a war that could never be won They gave me a number and murdered Valjean When they chained me and left me for dead
Just for stealing a mouthful of bread
Yet why did I allow that man
To touch my soul and teach me love?
He treated me like any other
He gave me his trust
He called me brother
My life he claims for God above
Can such things be?
For I had come to hate the world
This world that always hated me
Take an eye for an eye
Turn your heart into stone
This is all I have lived for
This is all I have known
One word from him and I'd be back
Beneath the lash, upon the rack
Instead he offers me my freedom
I feel my shame inside me like a knife
He told me that I have a soul
How does he know?
What spirit comes to move my life?
Is there another way to go?
I am reaching, but I fall
And the night is closing in
As I stare into the void
To the whirlpool of my sin
I'll escape now from that world
From the world of Jean Valjean
Jean Valjean is nothing now
Another story must begin
@andywaston
Waapa lessons hard faught and won and lost.... Drink woman love drugs. 😊
Bells Beach.
I gave up alc weed etc 2001 02.
Then it consumed me and literally destroyed my dreams.
I apologize to anyone in yhe dance theatre industry from Perth Adelaide Melbourne if my sinof Alcohol and additicton has affected you.
Sorry
Andrew.
@sandrastevens4418
Hugh Jackman and Russel Crowe, are so miscast.
They just don't have the voice ranges needed for the roles.
I am spoiled because I saw colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean and Alfie Boe, and Norm Lewis.
Eponiene is from the London cast. She was Eponiene when I saw the show the second time in London she and Aaron Tveit are the only two out of this entire movie who can actually sing.
If you compare this movie and all the attention and Oscar nominations it got.
To the Phantom of the Opera movie which has much more talented singers and how little attention that got.
It just shows what money does in Hollywood.
If you want to truly see a great performance of Les Missarables I would suggest buy the 25th anniversary version it's the entire show with the London cast and Lea Solonga guest stars as Fantine, you Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean and Norm Lewis as Javert.
It's a better internet than the movie you won't be disappointed.
@franzaldwinrodriguez7221
What have I done?
Sweet Jesus, what have I done?
Become a thief in the night
Become a dog on the run
Have I fallen so far
And is the hour so late
That nothing remains but the cry of my hate
The cries in the dark that nobody hears
Here where I stand at the turning of the years?
If there's another way to go
I missed it twenty long years ago
My life was a war that could never be won
They gave me a number and murdered Valjean
When they chained me and left me for dead
Just for stealing a mouthful of bread
Yet why did I allow that man
To touch my soul and teach me love?
He treated me like any other
He gave me his trust
He called me brother
My life he claims for God above
Can such things be?
For I had come to hate the world
This world that always hated me
Take an eye for an eye
Turn your heart into stone
This is all I have lived for
This is all I have known
One word from him and I'd be back
Beneath the lash, upon the rack
Instead he offers me my freedom
I feel my shame inside me like a knife
He told me that I have a soul
How does he know?
What spirit comes to move my life?
Is there another way to go?
I am reaching, but I fall
And the night is closing in
As I stare into the void
To the whirlpool of my sin
I'll escape now from that world
From the world of Jean Valjean
Jean Valjean is nothing now
Another story must begin
@Isosceles-Triangle
" He told me that I have a soul...how does he know?" gets me every time. Jean Valjean will always be one of my favorite characters in any piece of fiction, and so inspiring.
@hillarysweeney3081
Same. That exact line puts me into tears every single time.
@Isosceles-Triangle
@@hillarysweeney3081 yes! such a broken man due to victimization from horrible circumstances...this whole musical/book is a true testament to the resilience of the human self
@alexwood4695
But not in this movie the singing is abhorrent not because of the cast but because of the director doing amazingly stupid choices, sideways has a great video on why the singing and music is quite terrible in this movie including the actors dehydrating themselves and singing for 10 hours straight at max effort which can severely damage your vocal chords permanently
@Theflameblast22
I came to this video almost just to hear that line because it hits so hard. I was thinking about it while I was at work and started tearing up due to how devastatingly vulnerable that line is combined with the slight falter in "he called me brother"
@InSaNoDaCloWn
@@alexwood4695 well if you read the comment they said in fiction, not musicals. You do realize this was novel long before it was on Broadway, right?
@catarinaxedits8000
"He gave me his trust... he called me brother" I love that phrase
@thecaribbeanbelle6733
That part caught me off guard when I first saw this I started crying! The world can be so cruel and especially back then when you could be chained up for 20 yrs for stealing a loaf of bread.
@Metrion77
When confronted with his descent, Jean chose to grow and change his story. Doubt was water on his dry soul.
When confronted with his descent, Javert chose to die and end his story. Doubt was the waves that dashed his stone heart.
@foggyforest2625
That was why valjean met his salvation and javert just had a cold and lonely death