The follow-up was Darkest Days. Despite several strong singles including Save Yourself, It failed to sell as well as its predecessor, although it attracted attention in Canada and Australia, and the band was dropped from Columbia Records. They signed to Koch Records, issuing Stabbing Westward, which was a considerably more commercial effort than previous albums, but failed to make any impact on the mainstream charts. Before a fifth LP could be recorded, Stabbing Westward broke up in late 2002.
Since then, lead singer Hall has formed The Dreaming.
In 2019, the band reformed and began to release new (and archival) materials on COP International Productions intending to release a full-length album in 2022.
What Do I Have to Do?
Stabbing Westward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's as if I'm suffocating
And when you're next to me
I can feel your heartbeat through my skin
It makes me sad to think
This all could be for nothing
I wish there was a way
For you to see inside of me
About anyone or anything
Tell me
What do I have to do to make you happy?
What do I have to do to make you understand?
What do I have to do to make you want me?
And, if I can't make you want me
What do I have to do?
I know exactly what you're thinking
But I swear this time I will not let you down
I'm not as selfish as I used to be
That was a part of me that never made me proud
Right now I think I would try anything
Anything at all to keep you satisfied
God I hope you see what loving you would do to me
All I want is one more chance, so tell me...
What do I have to do to make you love me?
The lyrics of Stabbing Westward's song "What Do I Have to Do?" express the desperation of the singer towards the object of their affection. The song begins with the singer's inability to breathe or function normally in the presence of the person they desire. Despite feeling suffocated, the singer wants the person to see inside them and understand their feelings. They admit to never having felt this way before towards anyone.
The singer then pleads with the object of their affection, asking what they have to do to make them happy or understand their feelings. They express a willingness to change and do anything to make the other person satisfied. The song ends with the singer asking what they have to do to make the other person love them.
Overall, the song is a touching portrayal of unrequited love and the lengths one will go to try and win over their crush. It highlights the vulnerability and desperation that we often feel when we are in love.
Line by Line Meaning
You make it hard to breathe
Your presence is overwhelming and it feels like you're suffocating me.
It's as if I'm suffocating
Your presence is so intense that it's suffocating me.
And when you're next to me
I feel your proximity and it affects me deeply.
I can feel your heartbeat through my skin
Your heartbeat is so strong that I can feel it through my skin, it has a profound effect on me.
It makes me sad to think
I feel sad when I think about the possibility that our relationship may not work out.
This all could be for nothing
All our efforts can go to waste if things don't work out between us.
I wish there was a way
I wish there was a way for you to understand how I feel about you.
For you to see inside of me
I want you to understand me on a deeper level and connect with me emotionally.
I've never felt this way
I've never felt this way before, it's a new and intense feeling for me.
About anyone or anything
This feeling is unique and I've never experienced it with anyone or anything else.
Tell me
Please tell me.
What do I have to do to make you happy?
What do I have to do to make you happy and fulfilled in our relationship?
What do I have to do to make you understand?
What actions do I have to take to help you understand my feelings for you?
What do I have to do to make you want me?
What can I do to make you attracted to me and want to be with me?
And, if I can't make you want me
If I can't make you want me, then what else can I do to change that?
What do I have to do?
What else can I do to improve our relationship?
I know exactly what you're thinking
I understand what you're thinking and feeling about me.
But I swear this time I will not let you down
I promise to not let you down and to do everything in my power to make our relationship work.
I'm not as selfish as I used to be
I've improved and I'm not as self-centered as I used to be.
That was a part of me that never made me proud
I regret being selfish and it was a part of me that I never felt proud of.
Right now I think I would try anything
I am willing to try anything to make our relationship work and make you happy.
Anything at all to keep you satisfied
I'm open to doing anything to ensure that you're satisfied in our relationship.
God I hope you see what loving you would do to me
I hope you understand the impact that loving you would have on me and how it would change me for the better.
All I want is one more chance, so tell me...
I just want one more opportunity to show you how I feel and improve our relationship, so please tell me what I can do.
What do I have to do to make you love me?
What can I do to make you fall in love with me and have a successful, fulfilling relationship together?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANDY KUBISZEWSKI, CHRISTOPHER HALL, JAMES ERIC SELLERS, WALTER FLAKUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ab-dhulalifqadrmuhammad1949
Stabbing Westward is one of the bands that truly define the 1990s for me.
@mjb2157
Criminally underrated
@trailerwager8850
so much power. gravity kills as well. once nirvana died, these guys filled every void
@seanysean6183
wow...
@crazyjimheath
Without a doubt! i was 13 when they came out in '94 and thought they were brilliant after buying Ungod !! it was nice to see them have a good run through the 90's ! This album and Darker Days started getting some shine and the music was undeniable !! Still underrated by a Million miles but it was nice to see some others in my generation digging them and getting into their music !!
@jewel8425
I am so very, very lucky to have graduated in '00. A little kid in the 80s and coming up in the 90s?? I couldn't have asked for better music ever.
@Captain_Insano_nomercy
I was born in 93 and I really am jealous of people who got to come up in the 80s and 90s. If I could choose any year to be born in I think I would just do 1970, because 10-20 in the 80s and 20-30 in the 90s fuck yes
Sadly I have this nostalgia from an era I barely remember
@dpenduro8950
@Amanda McConnell first heard on 105.1 WTOSFM
The mountain Of Pure Rock
Maines only Rock Station.
Just recently hear on 99.1 the BONE
@benseabolt1939
@@Captain_Insano_nomercy class of '95 right here. It was indeed a great time for music. The soundtrack for my entire high school years was Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Sponge, Stabbing Westward, etc etc.
@Captain_Insano_nomercy
@@benseabolt1939 ahhh that pains me. I was born just too late to see the peak of America