The Guilty Ones
Spring Awakening [Original Broadway Cast] Lyrics
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Something’s started crazy
Sweet and unknown
Something you keep in a box on the street
Now it’s longing for a home
And who can say what dreams are?
Wake me in time to be lonely and sad
And who can say what we are?
And now our bodies are the guilty ones
Our touch will color the hours
Night won’t breathe, oh how we
Fall in silence from the sky
And whisper some silver reply, woahh
MELCHIOR
Pulse is gone and racing
All fits and starts
Window by window, you try and look into
This brave new you that you are
And who can say what dreams are?
Wake me in time to be out in the cold
And who can say what we are?
This is the reason for dreaming
BOTH
And now our bodies are the guilty ones
Our touch will color hours
Night won’t breathe, oh how we
Fall in silence from the sky
And whisper some silver reply, woahh
And now our bodies are the guilty ones
In "The Guilty Ones" by Spring Awakening, the lyrics describe the overwhelming feeling of passion and desire between two people, even though they might not fully understand what they are feeling. The song begins with the character Wendla describing that something has started to consume her, something that is both sweet and unknown, and which she tries to keep in a box on the street. This thing now longs for a home, and she questions what dreams are, asking to be woken up in time to be lonely and sad. It is as if the dream she is referring to is a metaphor for the emotions she is feeling, which she is not quite able to comprehend.
The character Melchior then chimes in, also feeling overwhelmed by the emotions he is experiencing. He explains that his pulse is racing, and he feels like he is fitting and starting. He tries to look into the brave new version of himself that he has become, but it is difficult to understand fully. Like Wendla, he questions what dreams are and asks to be woken up in time to be out in the cold, suggesting that he is afraid of fully embracing his feelings. Finally, both characters come together to sing that now their bodies are the guilty ones, suggesting that they will give into their desires and explore their passion further, even though they are unsure of what the consequences may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Something’s started crazy
There is something wild and novel happening that is difficult to understand
Sweet and unknown
This new thing is both pleasant and unfamiliar
Something you keep in a box on the street
The new thing was hidden away, perhaps considered shameful by society
Now it’s longing for a home
The new thing wants to be accepted and embraced by someone or something
And who can say what dreams are?
The nature and meaning of dreams are mysterious and open to interpretation
Wake me in time to be lonely and sad
Let me experience the full range of emotions, including sadness and loneliness
And who can say what we are?
The essence of our being is elusive and cannot be easily defined
And this is the season for dreaming
This is a time for creativity and exploration
Pulse is gone and racing
The heart is beating rapidly, indicating strong physical and emotional responses
All fits and starts
Things are moving in a stop-and-go fashion, making it hard to establish a clear path
Window by window, you try and look into
You are trying to see into the future, one step at a time, but it is not clear
This brave new you that you are
You are discovering a new identity, perhaps one that is rebellious or unconventional
And now our bodies are the guilty ones
Our physical desires and actions come with moral consequences
Our touch will color the hours
Our actions will affect not just the present, but also the future
Night won’t breathe, oh how we
Our passion is so intense that it takes up all the air, leaving us breathless
Fall in silence from the sky
Our emotions are so strong that they consume us like a falling meteor, making us feel isolated and alone
And whisper some silver reply, woahh
We offer a response to the world in the form of poetic, mystical language
And now our bodies are the guilty ones
Our physical desires and actions come with moral consequences
Contributed by Ruby V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.