What Have You Done

Song Meaning

William Shatner's "Increible" isn't a song so much as a raw, spoken-word plunge into the icy depths of grief and regret. It's a stark, unflinching portrayal of loss, narrated from the perspective of someone grappling with the aftermath of a loved one's suicide. The lyrics paint a vivid, almost cinematic, picture of finding the body: "She was underwater / In the shadows / Was it there, was it not?" This opening immediately establishes a sense of disbelief and surreal horror. The narrator's attempt to save her, described with a chilling matter-of-factness ("I grasped her arm and floated upwards"), only underscores the futility of the effort. The song meaning hinges on the narrator's internal conflict. A powerful line reveals the narrator's own suicidal ideation: "Wanting to stay below in the warm forgiving waters." This hints at a shared struggle, a bond forged in the darkness that ultimately couldn't prevent the tragedy. The accusatory tone directed at some unnamed force ("What have you done / I screamed to the stars") is a common reaction to devastating loss, a desperate attempt to assign blame in the face of senselessness. The final verses are particularly poignant. The description of the deceased – "Smaller and more vulnerable than in life / Her curls wet around her ears and neck" – is both intimate and devastating. The clinical detail of "A finger in her throat sounded a click" is jarring, a stark reminder of the physical reality of death. Shatner's delivery, combined with these lyrics, transforms "Increible" into a visceral exploration of guilt, helplessness, and the agonizing question of whether love can truly protect someone from themselves. The repeated lines “My love was supposed to protect her / It didn't” and “You had said don't leave me / And I begged you not to leave me / We did” showcase the double-edged sword of love, its potential for both salvation and crushing disappointment when it fails to prevent the ultimate act of despair.