Raised in a musical home – her father was a music teacher – Doane mastered many instruments, including the piano, bass, mandolin and violin, at a young age. In 1993, she recorded an EP titled HARVEST TRAIN and released it independently. The songs made their way to executives at Sony Music Canada, and soon after Doane signed to Sony and began working on her debut album, SHAKESPEAREAN FISH. While the album received critical praise and garnered a loyal following, it wasn't until the release of Melanie's sophomore album that her music made a mainstream impact.
ADAM'S RIB (her second album with Sony), was released in Canada in 1998. The title track and first single, a rocking anthem about a rib wanting to have its own independence from a man, displayed Doane's vocal, violin, and songwriting talents. The song was a success at radio stations nationwide, and Doane earned a spot on the Lilith Fair concert tour. The following year, she walked away with the 1999 Juno Award for Best New Solo Artist. Subsequent singles "Waiting For The Tide", "Goliath" and "Happy Homemaker" each charted Top 40. In August of 1999, the album was released in the United States under the Columbia Records label.
Following promotion and touring for ADAM'S RIB, Doane took a break from recording to have a baby and work on other projects, including writing for other artists and acting in the independent film Black Swan. She also released a live album, MELVIN LIVE, featuring Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies in 2001.
In 2003, Doane announced that she had parted ways with Sony and signed with Actorboy Records, an independent label created by her husband, theatre director and actor, Ted Dykstra, and actor, Gary Sinise. Her latest album, YOU ARE WHAT YOU LOVE, was released that year by Warner Music Canada. The music video for lead single "Still Desire You" featured clips from her role in Black Swan. The video reached #1 on the MuchMoreMusic Top 10 countdown, and the song reached #5 on the national radio charts. During touring and promotion for YOU ARE WHAT YOU LOVE, Melanie became pregnant with her second child.
In 2008, Melanie returned with the critically acclaimed album A THOUSAND NIGHTS, inspired by Melanie’s experiences with motherhood. The album features a lush assortment of original songs and cover tunes, including beloved tracks by Fleetwood Mac, The Everly Brothers, Tom Waits, and Leonard Cohen. Tracks "Every Little Thing" and "Chopin Ballad" were later featured in hit TV shows "Being Erica" and "Flashpoint".
On June 16, 2009, Melanie released her new single "Back To L.A." on her independent label Prairie Ocean, distributed by Conveyor/Universal.
forgive me
Melanie Doane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never thought I'd hear
So another layer of innocence disappears
For so long I've been waiting
For you to come to me
Offering your most humble apology
But I stand before you now
And I see so clearly now
To find that you're not perfect
Is to find I've been unfair
So I'm asking you to forgive me
And then one day it will all be forgotten
Except for the knowing, we will go on
If you forgive me
I was blind to the only side that you could see
Feeling forsaken,
Feeling you no longer needed me
But I stand before you now
With my heart out on my sleeve
And I see so clearly now
We have left behind a sweet love
And a new love has come to be
So I'm asking you to forgive me
And then one day it will all be forgotten
Except for the knowing, we will go on
If you forgive me
Is our love all gone I have wondered lying
Side by side in silence, tears running down
To the pillows so much to say but I can't seem to
Say it, to say
That I'm asking you to forgive me
And then one day it will all be forgotten
Except for the knowing, we will go on
If you forgive me
Will you forgive me
Please forgive me
The lyrics to Melanie Doane's song "Forgive Me" tell the tale of a relationship that has hit a rough patch. The singer is waiting for her partner to apologize for something they have done, and when they finally do, she realizes that she has been unfair in expecting perfection from them. She acknowledges her own blindness to their perspective and asks for their forgiveness. The song is a plea for understanding, an expression of the hope that they can move forward and leave the hurt behind.
The imagery in the song is powerful, from the disappearing layers of innocence to the heart on the sleeve. The idea of leaving behind a sweet love and finding a new love is a beautiful sentiment, as well as the notion that forgiveness can lead to a brighter future.
The song is a beautiful representation of the complexities of relationships and the importance of forgiveness and understanding. It highlights the fact that all of us are imperfect and that love requires patience and perseverance.
Line by Line Meaning
From your lips came the words
You said something unexpected that changed everything
I never thought I'd hear
I was not prepared for what you said
So another layer of innocence disappears
The truth has been revealed and it changes how I see things
For so long I've been waiting
I have been waiting a long time to hear from you
For you to come to me
I wanted you to reach out to me and clear things up
Offering your most humble apology
I wanted you to apologize sincerely for what you did
But I stand before you now
I am here face to face with you
All the wiser for the wear
I have learned from my experience and grown as a person
And I see so clearly now
I have gained perspective on the situation
To find that you're not perfect
I have realized that you are not infallible
Is to find I've been unfair
I have been holding you to an impossible standard and judging you harshly
So I'm asking you to forgive me
I am apologizing to you for my own mistakes and misjudgments
And then one day it will all be forgotten
We can move on from this and leave it in the past
Except for the knowing, we will go on
We will continue our lives and our relationship, knowing what we know now
If you forgive me
I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me
I was blind to the only side that you could see
I was unaware of your perspective and point of view
Feeling forsaken,
I felt abandoned and alone
Feeling you no longer needed me
I thought you didn't care about me anymore
With my heart out on my sleeve
I am being vulnerable and honest with you
We have left behind a sweet love
Our relationship has changed and we can't go back to how it was before
And a new love has come to be
We have the opportunity to start fresh and build something new together
Is our love all gone I have wondered lying
I have been questioning whether our love is still there
Side by side in silence, tears running down
We are both emotional and not speaking to each other
To the pillows so much to say but I can't seem to
I have a lot to say but I am struggling to find the right words
Say it, to say
I am having trouble expressing my thoughts and feelings
Will you forgive me
I am asking you once again to forgive me
Please forgive me
I am begging you to forgive me
Contributed by Aaron A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.