Guilty
Mel Tormé Lyrics

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Though you've decided that our love is wrong
And think that we should part
It seems as though I have loved you so long
You'll always be in my heart.

Is it a sin
Is it a crime
Loving you dear like I do

If it's a crime then I'm guilty
Guilty of loving you.

Maybe I'm wrong dreaming of you
Dreaming the lonely night through
If it's a crime then I'm guilty
Guilty of dreaming of you

What can I do
What can I say
After I've taken the blame?
You say we're through
You'll go your way
But I'll always feel just the same.

Maybe I'm right
Maybe I'm wrong
Loving you dear like I do

If it's a crime then I'm guilty
Guilty of loving you.

Overall Meaning

Mel Tormé's song "Guilty" is a poignant ballad about the singer's forbidden love for another person. Although their love is deemed "wrong" by society, the singer still can't help but feel deeply for their beloved. They express this sentiment when they say, "Though you've decided that our love is wrong and think that we should part, it seems as though I have loved you so long, you'll always be in my heart." Despite the potential consequences, the singer cannot deny their feelings and will carry this love with them for a long time.

The chorus of the song highlights the guilt and shame that often comes with taboo attraction. The singer acknowledges that loving someone who they shouldn't love is seen as a crime, but they can't help feeling the way they do. They repeat the phrase "If it's a crime then I'm guilty" several times throughout the chorus, emphasizing the weight of their emotions. The second verse further underscores this guilt by saying, "Maybe I'm wrong dreaming of you, dreaming the lonely night through/ If it's a crime then I'm guilty, guilty of dreaming of you." Here, the singer is not just guilty of loving the other person but even guilty of simply thinking about them.

In summary, Mel Tormé's "Guilty" is a powerful song about the complexity of forbidden love. The lyrics express the pain and guilt that comes with loving someone who society deems "wrong."

Line by Line Meaning

Though you've decided that our love is wrong
Although you have concluded that our love is unacceptable

And think that we should part
And believe that we should end our relationship

It seems as though I have loved you so long
It appears to me that I have been fond of you for a very long time

You'll always be in my heart.
You will always have a special place in my heart

Is it a sin
Is it a moral offense

Is it a crime
Is it a punishable offense according to the law

Loving you dear like I do
Being in love with you as much as I am

If it's a crime then I'm guilty
If it is considered a wrongdoing, then I am responsible for it

Guilty of loving you.
Accountable for caring about you deeply

Maybe I'm wrong dreaming of you
Perhaps I am mistaken for fantasizing about you

Dreaming the lonely night through
Spending the whole night lost in thought about you