Stained

"Stained"
Song by Linkin Park
from the album From Zero
Format:	Digital
Length:	3:05
Writer:	Linkin Park, Cal Shapiro
Producer:	Mike Shinoda, Colin Brittain, Brad Delson
Label:	Warner Records
From Zero tracklist
From Zero (Intro) The Emptiness Machine Cut The Bridge Heavy Is The Crown Over Each Other Casualty Overflow Two Faced Stained IGYEIH Good Things Go

"Stained" is the ninth track from Linkin Park's eighth studio album, From Zero.

Background

"Stained" is a mid-tempo pop-leaning song on the album. It was cowritten with songwriter Cal Shapiro, who is part of the group Timeflies. "Stained" features a lot of back-and-forth vocals from Emily and Mike.

Versions

Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.

Studio

Title	Album	Length	Recorded	Released	Notes
Stained	From Zero	3:05		November 15, 2024

Live

"Stained" has not been performed live by Linkin Park.

Personnel

Linkin Park is

• Mike Shinoda
• Brad Delson
• Dave "Phoenix" Farrell
• Joseph Hahn
• Emily Armstrong
• Colin Brittain

Production

• Written by Linkin Park, Cal Shapiro
• Produced by Mike Shinoda
• Co-Produced by Brad Delson, Colin Brittain
• Additional Production by Matias Mora
• Recording Engineering by Mike Shinoda, Ethan Mates
• Vocals by Mike Shinoda, Emily Armstrong
• Guitar by Brad Delson
• Bass by Dave "Phoenix" Farrell
• Programming by Joseph Hahn
• Drums by Colin Brittain
• Mixed by Neal Avron
• Assistant Engineering by Scott Skrzynski
• Mastered by Emerson Mancini

Lyrics

Album Version

Hand on my mouth, I shouldn't have said it
Gave you a chance, already regret it
Trying so hard to be sympathetic
But I know where it's gonna go if I let it
And I let it
Knowing you're hiding what no one else sees
Close lipped smile 'cause there's blood on your teeth
What you forget you are gonna repeat
You don't get to make amends like your hand's still clean

Because you're stained
You try to hide the mark but it won't fade
You and lie and lie like I was nothing
Pretend you're spotless
But I don't wash away
And now you're stained
And now you're stained

Sweat in your hands while the time starts ticking
Tripping on words, alibi starts slipping
Wanna wake from the nightmare you've been living
But we both know forgotten doesn't mean forgiven
Forgiven
Knowing you're hiding what no one else sees
Close lipped smile 'cause there's blood on your teeth
What you forget you are gonna repeat
You don't get to make amends like your hand's still clean

Because you're stained
You try to hide the mark but it won't fade
You and lie and lie like I was nothing
Pretend you're spotless
But I don't wash away
And now you're stained

And someday
Knowing you're hiding what no one else sees
And someday
Close lipped smile over blood on your teeth
And someday
What you forget you are gonna repeat
Trying to make amends like your hand's still clean

And someday
Your hands will be too red to hide the blame
You'll realize you had it coming
Pretend you're spotless
But I don't wash away
And now you're stained
And now you're stained
And now you're stained