"'Studio 99' are a collective of highly talented and often famous session players and singers. It is not unusual for performers recorded on these albums to appear on major hits as backing musicians, singers or producers. To bring you these high quality, low price tribute albums, the names of the famous and infamous are withheld. We thank all of those who have given their time and talent to these albums and trust you will enjoy their interpretation of the world's best sellers."
- from Led Zeppelin tribute album
Unforgiven II
Studio 99 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me what they've done
Speak the words I want to hear
To make my demons run
The door is locked now
But it's opened if you're true
If you can understand the me
Lay beside me, under wicked skies
Through black of day, dark of night
We share this paralyze
The door cracks open
But there's no sun shining through
Black heart scarring darker still
But there's no sun shining through
No there's no sun shining through
No there's no sun shining
What I've felt, what I've known
Turn the pages, turn the stone
Behind the door, should I open it for you?
Yeah, what I've felt, what I've known
Sick and tired, I stand alone
Could you be there
'Cause I'm the one who waits for you
Or are you unforgiven too?
Come, lay beside me
This won't hurt, I swear
She loves me not, she loves me still
But she'll never love again
She lay beside me
But she'll be there when I'm gone
Black heart scarring darker still
Yes she'll be there when I'm gone
Yes she'll be there when I'm gone
Dead sure she'll be there
What I've felt, what I've known
Turn the pages, turn the stone
Behind the door, should I open it for you?
Yeah, what I've felt, what I've known
Sick and tired, I stand alone
Could you be there
'Cause I'm the one who waits for you
Or are you unforgiven too?
Lay beside me
Tell me what I've done
The door is closed, so are your eyes
But now I see the sun
Now I see the sun
Yes now I see it
What I've felt, what I've known
Turn the pages, turn the stone
Behind the door, should I open it for you?
Yeah, what I've felt, what I've known
So sick and tired, I stand alone
Could you be there
'Cause I'm the one who waits
The one who waits for you
Oh, what I've felt, what I've known
Turn the pages, turn the stone
Behind the door, should I open it for you?
Oh, what I've felt
Oh, what I've known
I take this key and I bury it in you
Because you're unforgiven too
Never free, never me
'Cause you're unforgiven too.
The song Unforgiven II by Studio 99 is about feeling guilty and shameful for past mistakes, and the desire to be forgiven and free from the burden of those mistakes. The singer is asking someone to lay beside them, to tell them what they’ve done wrong and say the words they want to hear, to make their demons go away. The door is locked, but if the other person can understand and empathize with them, then they can understand the other person too. They share the experience of feeling paralyzed by their mistakes and regrets, with no sunlight shining through to offer hope.
As the song progresses, the singer is still haunted by their past, but there is a glimpse of hope as they see the sun shining through. They ask again for someone to lay beside them, to tell them what they’ve done, and this time they can see the sun. They take a key and bury it in the other person because they too are unforgiven. The song ends with the chilling reminder that they are never free and never themselves, because they are unforgiven too.
Overall, the song is a powerful reflection on the human experience of guilt, shame, and the longing for forgiveness and freedom, and it is clear why it resonates with so many people.
Line by Line Meaning
Lay beside me
The singer is asking someone to lay beside them.
Tell me what they've done
The singer wants to know what bad things the other person has done.
Speak the words I want to hear
To make my demons run
The singer wants the other person to say certain words that will help them overcome their internal demons.
The door is locked now
But it's opened if you're true
The singer's heart is locked, but it can be opened only if the other person is sincere and true.
If you can understand the me
Then I can understand the you
The singer believes that if the other person can understand them, they can also understand the other person.
Lay beside me, under wicked skies
Through black of day, dark of night
We share this paralyze
The singer wants the other person to lay beside them, no matter what time it is, and share their burdens and paralysis together.
The door cracks open
But there's no sun shining through
Black heart scarring darker still
But there's no sun shining through
No there's no sun shining through
No there's no sun shining
The singer's heart is slightly opening up, but there is no hope or light, and their heart is still black and scarred.
What I've felt, what I've known
Turn the pages, turn the stone
Behind the door, should I open it for you?
Yeah, what I've felt, what I've known
The singer is contemplating whether to open up and reveal what they have felt and known to the other person behind the locked door.
Sick and tired, I stand alone
Could you be there
'Cause I'm the one who waits for you
Or are you unforgiven too?
The singer is tired and alone, and they wonder if the other person can be there for them because they have been waiting for them, or if the other person is also unforgiven and unable to help.
Come, lay beside me
This won't hurt, I swear
She loves me not, she loves me still
But she'll never love again
The singer asks the other person to lay beside them and assures them that it won't hurt. They reveal that someone they loved no longer loves them back and will never love again.
She lay beside me
But she'll be there when I'm gone
Black heart scarring darker still
Yes she'll be there when I'm gone
Yes she'll be there when I'm gone
Dead sure she'll be there
The singer reveals that the person who used to lay beside them will still be there after they're gone, and their heart is still black and scarred. They are dead sure that this person will outlive them.
Lay beside me
Tell me what I've done
The door is closed, so are your eyes
But now I see the sun
Now I see the sun
Yes now I see it
The singer wants the other person to lay beside them and tell them what they have done wrong. They reveal that the door and the other person's eyes are closed, but they finally see the light and positivity in the situation.
So sick and tired, I stand alone
Could you be there
'Cause I'm the one who waits
The one who waits for you
The singer is sick and tired of being alone and once again asks if the other person can be there for them, because they are the one who is waiting for them.
Oh, what I've felt, what I've known
Turn the pages, turn the stone
Behind the door, should I open it for you?
The singer repeats their earlier lyrics about turning the pages and the stone, and again wonders if they should open the door for the other person.
Oh, what I've felt
Oh, what I've known
I take this key and I bury it in you
Because you're unforgiven too
The singer can't forgive the other person for what they've felt and known, and they want to bury the key to their heart deep inside the other person because they are also unforgiven.
Never free, never me
'Cause you're unforgiven too.
The singer reveals that they and the other person are both unforgiven, which means they can never be free and true to themselves.
Contributed by Kylie D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@douglasemmerhoff8294
the song from the album is pretty amazing...but this verson of is a little bit better than the one in Reload. I love the original too <3
@johnnyblack6061
This version is a little better, Studio 99 tried to make it better.