Freedy Johnston (born 1961) is a New York City-based singer-songwriter orig… Read Full Bio ↴Freedy Johnston (born 1961) is a New York City-based singer-songwriter originally from Kinsley, Kansas. Johnston's first album, "The Trouble Tree" was released in 1990, and features the guitar playing of the roots musician and author, David Hamburger. Johnston sold some of his family's farmland to finance the recording of his second album, Can You Fly (an event he wrote about in a song on that album, "Trying To Tell You I Don't Know"). Johnston followed up with his 1994 major label debut This Perfect World, which received rave reviews and led to Rolling Stone Magazine naming him "songwriter of the year". That album also spawned a minor alternative hit with the song "Bad Reputation".

Johnston's songs are often about troubled loners, and cover topics like heartbreak, alienation and disappointment. Known for the craftsmanship of his songs, he has sometimes been called a "songwriter's songwriter".

He has contributed songs to the soundtracks for movies including Kingpin and Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead. Johnston and fellow musicians Jay Moran, James "Pie" Cowan, Duke Erikson, and Butch Vig perform occasional shows as a covers band called "The Know-It-All Boyfriends."

Johnston latest release is a covers album titled "Rain on the City", It includes selections from Tom Petty, Paul McCartney, Matthew Sweet and The Hollies.

Innocent
Freedy Johnston Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

We're going back, I know it's true
We're going back, I wish you only knew
How innocent
This boy is innocent
He's innocent

We're going back, I know it's true
We're going back, I wish you only knew

How innocent
This boy is innocent
He's innocent

Come on

Innocent
This boy is innocent
He's innocent
Uh huh, alright
Innocent
This boy is innocent
And now he's going to prove it

You work so long
I know it's hard
You work so long
You are so innocent
And now you know, you know me well

And now you know, I wish you only knew how
Innocent
This boy is innocent
He's innocent
Uh huh, alright
Innocent
This boy is innocent
And now he's going to

Innocent
This boy is innocent
He's innocent
Uh huh, alright
Innocent

This boy is innocent
And now he's going to prove it

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in "Innocent" by Freedy Johnston speak of a young boy who is innocent despite some past actions which may have suggested otherwise. The lyrics speak of going back, and the wish that the person the song is addressed to, knew how innocent the boy is. The repetition of the phrase "This boy is innocent" emphasizes the song's subject matter, while the repetition of the line "We're going back, I know it's true" suggests that there is some kind of journey happening in the song. Towards the end, the song takes on a confident tone, with the young boy vowing to prove his innocence.

One possible interpretation of the song is that it is about a young person who has made mistakes in the past but is now attempting to atone for them. The repeated line "We're going back" could suggest a regression into past actions, or it could represent a return to innocence, as the lyrics suggest. The lyrics "You work so long, You are so innocent, And now you know" could suggest that the person addressed in the song is the parent or caretaker of the young boy and that they have been working hard to take care of him. The song may be an attempt to reassure this person that the boy is essentially good and that he will work hard to prove it. The confident ending of the song could suggest that the boy is ready to take responsibility for his actions and step into manhood, having learned from his past mistakes.

Line by Line Meaning

We're going back, I know it's true
We are revisiting a past memory or period of time, and I have no doubt that it will happen

We're going back, I wish you only knew
I want you to understand how important this journey is, and how much it means to me

How innocent
I want to convey how pure, unadulterated, and faultless everything feels right now

This boy is innocent
I am the embodiment of this feeling of purity and innocence that I am trying to express

He's innocent
I am reiterating my innocence

Come on
I want to urge you to join me on this journey of innocence and purity

And now he's going to prove it
I am determined to show you that I am truly innocent and that there is no malice in me

You work so long
I know how hard you work and I appreciate it

I know it's hard
I acknowledge how difficult your work is and how much you overcome to get it done

You are so innocent
I appreciate your purity and your good heart

And now you know, you know me well
I hope that by sharing my thoughts and feelings with you, you understand me better now