Linkin Park – What I've Done Lyrics - Genius

2025, In ReviewFeaturedChartsVideosPromote Your MusicSign Up62What I’ve DoneLinkin ParkProducersMike Shinoda & Rick RubinTrack 51 onStudio Collection 2000-2012 Apr. 2, 20073 viewers476.8K views98 ContributorsTranslations

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What I’ve Done Lyrics

This song shows one regretting over the bad things he has done. The video shows the effect of wars, poverty, murder, drugs, etc. etc. These are meant to depict that humanity has done a lot of wrong. During… Read More [Verse 1: Chester Bennington]In this farewellThere's no blood, there's no alibi'Cause I've drawn regretFrom the truth of a thousand lies[Pre-Chorus: Chester Bennington]So let mercy come and wash away[Chorus: Chester Bennington]What I've done, I'll face myselfTo cross out what I've becomeErase myselfAnd let go of what I've done[Verse 2: Chester Bennington]Put to restWhat you thought of meWhile I clean this slateWith the hands of uncertainty[Pre-Chorus: Chester Bennington]So let mercy come and wash away[Chorus: Chester Bennington]What I've done, I'll face myselfTo cross out what I've becomeErase myselfAnd let go of what I've doneSee Linkin Park LiveGet tickets as low as $97You might also like[Guitar Solo][Bridge: Chester Bennington]For what I've done, I start againAnd whatever pain may comeToday this endsI'm forgiving what I've[Chorus: Chester Bennington]Done, I'll face myselfTo cross out what I've becomeErase myselfAnd let go of what I've done[Outro: Mike Shinoda & Chester Bennington](Na-na na na, na-na na na)(Na-na na na, na-na na na)What I've done(Na-na na na, na-na na na)(Na-na na na, na-na na na)Forgiving what I've done(Na-na na na, na-na na na)(Na-na na na, na-na na na)62EmbedCancel

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AboutSong Bio5 contributors

This song shows one regretting over the bad things he has done. The video shows the effect of wars, poverty, murder, drugs, etc. etc. These are meant to depict that humanity has done a lot of wrong.

During the outro, he is optimistic. Optimistic that the time is not over to do the right thing.

The song was released as the first single from their third album, Minutes to Midnight. The song is composed in the key of G minor and is set in 4/4 time. The song was released as a radio single on April 1, 2007, as a digital download on April 2, and as a CD single on April 30. The live version of “What I’ve Done” from Road to Revolution: Live at Milton Keynes was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 52nd Grammy Awards, but did not win. It is also featured on the Transformers soundtrack, Transformers: The Album. The song is featured in the 2008 video game Guitar Hero World Tour and was released in a Linkin Park DLC pack for Rock Band 3 in January 2011. The song is also a b-side to the UK single of Iridescent.

Booklet notes: One of the last songs finished for the album, the lyrics for this song were intended to work on many levels, including freedom, art, and death metaphors.

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Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Ask a questionWhat did Linkin Park say about "What I've Done"?Genius Answer1 contributor

Chester Bennington described the track in a March 2007 interview with MTV:

Joe [Hahn] came up to Mike and me and asked us to take the whole idea of Minutes to Midnight and apply that to how the band has changed. So, in a way, it’s us saying goodbye to how we used to be…The lyrics in the first verse are ‘In this farewell, there’s no blood, there’s no alibi,’ and right away, you’ll notice that the band sounds different: The drums are much more raw, the guitars are more raw and the vocals aren’t tripled. It’s just us out there …. and that’s how Rick Rubin wanted it.

+28Live Performance Genius Answer1 contributor +5Who produced “What I've Done” by Linkin Park?When did Linkin Park release “What I've Done”?Who wrote “What I've Done” by Linkin Park?Studio Collection 2000-2012 (2013)Linkin Park

1. 1. Papercut
2. 2. One Step Closer
3. 3. With You
4. 4. Points of Authority
5. 5. Crawling
6. 6. Runaway
7. 7. By Myself
8. 8. In the End
9. 9. A Place for My Head
10. 10. Forgotten
11. 11. Cure for the Itch
12. 12. Pushing Me Away
13. 13. Foreword
14. 14. Don’t Stay
15. 15. Somewhere I Belong
16. 16. Lying from You
17. 17. Hit the Floor
18. 18. Easier to Run
19. 19. Faint
20. 20. Figure.09
21. 21. Breaking the Habit
22. 22. From the Inside
23. 23. Nobody’s Listening
24. 24. Session
25. 25. Numb
26. 26. Opening
27. 27. Pts.Of.Athrty
28. 28. Enth E Nd
29. 29. [Chali]
30. 30. Frgt/10
31. 31. P5hng Me A*wy
32. 32. Plc.4 Mie Hæd
33. 33. X-Ecutioner Style
34. 34. H! Vltg3
35. 35. [Riff Raff]
36. 36. WthᐳYou
37. 37. Ntr\mssion
38. 38. Ppr:kut
39. 39. Rnw@y
40. 40. MyᐸDsmbr
41. 41. [Stef]
42. 42. By_Myslf
43. 43. Kyur4 th Ich
44. 44. 1Stp Klosr
45. 45. Krwlng
46. 46. Wake
47. 47. Given Up
48. 48. Leave Out All the Rest
49. 49. Bleed It Out
50. 50. Shadow of the Day
51. 51. What I’ve Done
52. 52. Hands Held High
53. 53. No More Sorrow
54. 54. Valentine’s Day
55. 55. In Between
56. 56. In Pieces
57. 57. The Little Things Give You Away
58. 58. The Requiem
59. 59. The Radiance
60. 60. Burning in the Skies
61. 61. Empty Spaces
62. 62. When They Come for Me
63. 63. Robot Boy
64. 64. Jornada del Muerto
65. 65. Waiting for the End
66. 66. Blackout
67. 67. Wretches and Kings
68. 68. Wisdom, Justice, and Love
69. 69. Iridescent
70. 70. Fallout
71. 71. The Catalyst
72. 72. The Messenger
73. 73. LOST IN THE ECHO
74. 74. IN MY REMAINS
75. 75. BURN IT DOWN
76. 76. LIES GREED MISERY
77. 77. I’LL BE GONE
78. 78. CASTLE OF GLASS
79. 79. VICTIMIZED
80. 80. ROADS UNTRAVELED
81. 81. SKIN TO BONE
82. 82. UNTIL IT BREAKS
83. 83. TINFOIL
84. 84. POWERLESS

Minutes to Midnight (2007)Linkin ParkTransformers: The Album (2007)Various ArtistsGuitar Hero World Tour Soundtrack (2008)ActivisionLinkin Park Music Pack (2020)Beat SaberIridescent - Single (2011)Linkin ParkWhat I’ve Done - Single (2007)Linkin ParkRock Hits (2008)Various ArtistsPapercuts (2024)Linkin ParkWhat I’ve Done (Int’l 2 Track) (2007)Linkin ParkMinutes to Midnight (Deluxe Edition) (2007)Linkin ParkMinutes to Midnight (Spotify Release) (2007)Linkin ParkExpand CreditsProducersMike Shinoda & Rick RubinWritersRob Bourdon, Dave Farrell, Brad Delson, Mr. Hahn, Mike Shinoda & Chester BenningtonMastered AtDave Collins MasteringMixed AtParamount Recording StudiosPublisherBig Bad Mr. Hahn Music, Chesterchaz Publishing, Kenji Kobayashi Music, Nondisclosure Agreement Music, Pancakey Cakes Music, Rob Bourdon Music & Universal Music GroupLabelMachine Shop Records & Warner Music GroupCopyright ©Warner Music GroupPhonographic Copyright ℗Warner Music GroupGuitarBrad DelsonVocalsChester BenningtonKeyboardsMike ShinodaBackground VocalsMike ShinodaProgrammerMr. HahnMixing EngineerNeal AvronAssistant Mixing EngineerNicolas Fournier & George GumbsEngineerDana Nielsen, Andrew Scheps & Ethan MatesAssistant EngineerPhillip Brousard Jr.Mastering EngineerDave CollinsPianoMike ShinodaTurntablesMr. HahnRhythm GuitarMike ShinodaBass GuitarDave FarrellDrumsRob BourdonRecorded AtThe Mansion, Los Angeles, CA.Released onApril 2, 2007What I’ve Done SamplesGet Me Back On Time, Engine Number 9 (Pt. 1 & Pt. 2) by Wilson PickettSongs That Sample What I’ve DoneWall I've Done by David0Mario, Broke my heart on Halloween by Lil Liar, Descansem em Paz by 616 Jeff, Baby I’m Back III: The Finale by Pluffaduff, Aftermath by Notti Osama (Ft. Blockwork & DD Osama), Aftermath (Without Blockwork) by Notti Osama & DD Osama & What I've Done by M.L.J. Tha BeatmakerWhat I’ve Done InterpolationsBang Three (What I've Done Original Demo) by Linkin ParkSongs That Interpolate What I’ve DoneTransform by Alexis SaucedoWhat I’ve Done CoversWhat I've Done by J.Fla, What I've Done by First to Eleven, What I've Done by Brighter Than A Thousand Suns, What I’ve Done by Vitamin String Quartet, What I've Done by Besomorph & Behmer (Ft. LUNIS), What I've Done by Nitroverts & What I've Done by ZephicMusic (Ft. Aetherlight Melody)What I’ve Done RemixesWhat I've Done (Distorted Remix) by Linkin Park, What I've Done (M. Shinoda Remix) by Linkin Park & What I've Done (Instrumental) by Linkin ParkWhat I’ve Done Live PerformancesWhat I've Done (Live) [iTunes Festival: London 2011] by Linkin Park, What I've Done (Live) by Linkin Park, What I've Done (One More Light Live) by Linkin Park, What I've Done (Live at Milton Keynes) by Linkin Park, What I’ve Done (Live from La Caja Mágica, Madrid, Spain, 11/7/2010) by Linkin Park, What I've Done (Live from New York, 2008) by Linkin Park, What I've Done (Live from Third Encore Studio, North Hollywood, CA, 3/14/2007) by Linkin Park & What I've Done (Live 2017) by Linkin Park (Ft. blink-182)What I’ve Done TranslationsLinkin Park - What I've Done (Polskie Tłumaczenie) by Polskie tłumaczenia Genius, Linkin Park - What I've Done (Türkçe Çeviri) by Genius Türkçe Çeviriler, Linkin Park - What I've Done (Tradução em Português) by Genius Brasil Traduções, Linkin Park - What I've Done (Traduzione Italiana) by Genius Traduzioni Italiane, Linkin Park - What I've Done (বাংলা অনুবাদ) by Genius Bengali Translations (বাংলা অনুবাদ), Linkin Park - What I’ve Done (Deutsche Übersetzung) by Genius Deutsche Übersetzungen & Linkin Park - What I’ve Done (Srpski prevod) by Genius srpski prevodiView What I’ve Done samplesTagsRockPost-PunkAlternativeIn EnglishUSAAlternative RockExpand CommentsAdd a commentSign Up And Drop Knowledge 🤓Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love.Sign Up