Guilty
Marina The Diamonds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hiding body parts
A broken dog, a broken leg
I left it cold, I left it dead
Oh I'm a guilty one
And know what I have done
Yeah, I'm a troubled one
Guilty on the run
And I know what I have done
Guilty on the run
And I'm never forgiven
I was just a kid
That you could not forgive
Because it's harder
I was just a kid
And all I really wanted
Was my father
I killed a dog so smart and rare
Touched his techni-coloured hair
I left it bruised and black and lame
I left it running full of shame
Oh I'm a guilty one
And know what I have done
Yeah, I'm a troubled one
And I won't be forgiven
Guilty on the run
And I know what I have done
Guilty on the run
And I'm never forgiven
I was just a kid
That you could not forgive
Because it's harder
I was just a kid
And all I really wanted
Was my father
Spent years singing to forget (to forget)
Spent years singing, "no regret"
Then suddenly it all becomes clear
I've been sorry all these years
I was just a kid
That you could not forgive
Because it's harder
I was just a kid
And all I really wanted
Was my father
Guilty on the run
And I know what I have done
Guilty on the run
And I'm never forgiven
Guilty on the run
And I know what I have done
Guilty on the run
And I'm never forgiven
The song "Guilty" by Marina The Diamonds speaks about the struggle to be forgiven for past mistakes and the lasting guilt that comes with it. The lyrics depict a dream in which the singer is hiding something dark, specifically body parts, and a broken dog with a broken leg. The dog with its techni-coloured hair is described as smart and rare, which makes the disposal of it all the more regretful. The lyrics suggest that the singer is guilty of causing harm to this dog and has not been able to move past it, as they recognize that they are a troubled one and won't be forgiven.
The lyrics then explore the pain of not being forgiven, particularly from a father figure. The singer acknowledges that they were just a kid and that this lack of forgiveness has made it harder for them. The chorus repeats the line "Guilty on the run, and I know what I have done, and I'm never forgiven," further emphasizing the burden and shame of past mistakes. The bridge of the song reveals that the singer has spent years trying to forget and singing "no regret." However, they finally recognize that they have been sorry all these years, but they still feel that they won't be forgiven for their mistakes.
Overall, "Guilty" captures the emotional turmoil of trying to come to terms with past wrongdoings and the residual feelings of guilt that can last a lifetime. It highlights the importance of forgiveness, particularly from parents or father figures, to fully move on from past mistakes.
Line by Line Meaning
I was dreaming something dark
The singer had a dark dream.
Hiding body parts
The singer dreamt about hiding body parts.
A broken dog, a broken leg
The dream included a broken dog and a broken leg.
I left it cold, I left it dead
The artist left the broken dog and leg alone and didn't try to fix them.
Oh I'm a guilty one
The artist feels guilty about something.
And know what I have done
The singer knows what they did wrong.
Yeah, I'm a troubled one
The singer has a lot of problems.
And I won't be forgiven
The artist doesn't expect to be forgiven for what they've done.
Guilty on the run
The artist is guilty and running from their past.
And I'm never forgiven
The artist believes they will never be forgiven.
I was just a kid
The singer was young when they did something wrong.
That you could not forgive
Someone, possibly the artist's father, could not forgive them for what they did wrong.
Because it's harder
It's harder to forgive someone when they're young and have done something wrong.
And all I really wanted
The singer just wanted something.
Was my father
The singer wanted their father, possibly for forgiveness or support.
I killed a dog so smart and rare
The artist killed a rare and intelligent dog.
Touched his techni-coloured hair
The artist interacted with the dog before killing it.
I left it bruised and black and lame
The dog suffered before its death.
I left it running full of shame
The dog was left feeling ashamed before its death.
Spent years singing to forget (to forget)
The artist tried to forget about what they did wrong by singing a lot for years.
Spent years singing, "no regret"
The artist sang a song about having no regrets to try to convince themselves.
Then suddenly it all becomes clear
The artist has a realization.
I've been sorry all these years
The singer has been sorry for what they did for a long time.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: RICHARD STANNARD, ASH FRANCES HOWES, MARINA DIAMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind