What have I done?
I broke the sweetest heart of the only man/
That’s ever loved me.
In “What Have I Done?”, LeAnn Rimes has remorse for breaking the heart of her first love. It is a different take on the “lost love” theme in that it is clear that she is the one who broke his heart, but she is the one who is expressing the angst. Great concept.
Rimes believes she made the right decision, but still she is in pain. She says she hopes he will look back on her with happy feelings someday because “I loved you enough to let you go”.
At the same time, she says she wants to smash the mirrors in her house because she can’t stand to see her face because she is unhappy with herself for causing him pain. Can you feel you are making the right decision in leaving someone yet still hate yourself for doing it? Rimes thinks so.
Leann RimesRimes vocals on “What Have I Done” are strong and clear and accompanied by the standard country arsenal: banjo, slide guitar, bass and in a twist: a shaker rather than a drum for percussion! That gives the song a unique, mellow sound. This is Leann Rimes’ best song. It is also some of her more recent work, so perhaps there is more songs like this to come.
There are a couple country songs on this list. If a song is great, I don’t care what genre it is, it will make this list (except classical…I left those off this list. That seems like a list for another day. They don’t seem comparable.)
What Have I Done? Lyrics
Oh my love what have I done?
Oh my love what have I done?
I shot an arrow in your heart that
I can’t take back.
When I said, “You were my first love
But you are not my last”.
For far too long I hid my face,
I fed off your forgiving grace.
Well I know your pride it must’ve
Took a beating,
When I used your love to rob your freedom,
What have I done?
Oh what have I done?
What have I done?
There’s a hurt in me I don’t understand.
What have I done?
What have I done?
I broke the sweetest heart of the only man
That’s ever loved me.
I don’t know what I’ve become.
I need to get back to where I’m from.
I’m gonna smash every mirror in this empty house,
‘Cause like you I don’t wanna see myself.
Oh what have I done?
What have I done?
There’s a hurt in me I don’t understand.
What have I done?
What have I done?
I broke the sweetest heart of the only man
That’s ever loved me.
I hope you find someone new,
Someone who’s worthy of you.
Oh when you look back and I know you will
I hope you find a little good in me still,
‘Cause I loved you enough to let you go,
I’ll always regret,
I hope you know,
What I have done?
Oh what have I done?
What have I done?
There’s a hurt in me I don’t understand,
What have I done?
What have I done?
I broke the sweetest heart of the only one
That’s ever loved me.
Oh my love what have I done?
Oh my love what have I done?
Songwriters: Darrell R Brown / Leann Rimes / David Francis Baerwald