Waking up, I see that everything is okay
The first time in my life, and now it's so great
Slowing down, I look around, and I am so amazed
I think about the little things that make life great

I wouldn't change a thing about it
This is the best feeling

This innocence is brilliant
I hope that it will stay
This moment is perfect
Please don't go away
I need you now
And I'll hold on to it
Don't you let it pass you by

I found a place so safe, not a single tear
The first time in my life, and now it's so clear
Feel calm, I belong I'm so happy here
It's so strong, and now I let myself be sincere

I wouldn't change a thing about it
This is the best feeling

This innocence is brilliant
I hope that it will stay
This moment is perfect
Please don't go away 'cause
I need you now
And I'll hold on to it
Don't you let it pass you by

It's a state of bliss; you think you're dreaming
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling
It's so beautiful, it makes you wanna cry
It's a state of bliss; you think you're dreaming
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling
It's so beautiful, it makes you wanna cry

It's so beautiful, it makes you wanna cry
This innocence is brilliance
It makes you wanna cry
This innocence is brilliance
Please don't go away
'Cause I need you now
And I'll hold on to it
Don't you let it pass you by

This innocence is brilliant
I hope that it will stay
This moment is perfect
Please don't go away
I need you now
And I'll hold on to it
Don't you let it pass you by


Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes

Innocence Lyrics as written by Evan Taubenfeld Avril Lavigne

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Innocence song meanings
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46 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    awww omg this is such a nice song! I want to hear it! I guess it's about that feeling of absolute happyness and everything feeling perfect and not wanting that feeling to go away. Because when it does you crash hard and feel terrible.

    XOsweetsacrificeOXon April 14, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This song is really good, listen to it for an hour straight, its just really good. I think this song is aobut a child's innocence. I think...

    firedark60on May 24, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    A twist from Avril's other two albums. This, and the other songs on this album are HAPPY! You can tell she's at a great point in her life with Derek, and she's just trying to express that in this song.

    hopeful_canyonon April 26, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i love this song espeacially when she says " its so beautiful it makes you want go cry" i feel this feeling when im with a guy i really like and you just think its not real your just so happy you dont want the moment to go away i love this song avril rocks!

    star1988on June 05, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    okay, to be honest the FIRST time i heard this song i thought it was about sex lol but now the more i listen to it i know its about enjoy every little moment of life and dont let anything pass you by cause you have one life to live. but yeah i can see how it is also bout a guy cause its how i feel when im with a guy i really care bout and like

    mish.imaqton June 29, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This whole album just rocks basically :P LOOOVEEE ITTTT. I think the innocence part relates to her looking through the world through kids eyes, coz they see everything as a positive and see that everything is beautiful. And shes seeing that everything is beautiful and good. It's a bit hard 2 explain but yeah. hope is made sense :P

    -hayles-

    hayles89on July 09, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    To me, this song is about when everything is going wrong, and you finally feel some sort of peace and happiness it feels like innocence and you're finally happy again. I've been having a rough time, and this song has helped from the start.

    pandab94on September 17, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    My interpretation is that the song is about a time in your life when everything is perfect and couldn't be better. I don't think it's necessarily about a person even though it says "I need you know", "you" could be the thing that is bringing happiness to your life. Althought it's about a moment of sheer bliss, I think that moment could be a long amount of time, depending on how the listener interprets it. It's one of Avril's best in my opinion and I'm glad she went back and changed it from it's over-produced original version.

    acerejecton March 09, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    It's those moments in life that are so pure it feels like childhood (it doesn't necessarily have to be). In a world of violence, endless stress, cynicism, and emotional scars coming left and right, it's very hard to see something as innocent as a child would see it. But when you do, it's beautiful in its purity. It's not stained with depravity or smut. And you should try to "hold on" to these moments, because they're rare. And just like that, they could be gone.

    One of Avril's best, if not very best.

    chattereron April 03, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i personally think this is about the first time she has sex, and she wakes up in the same bed as whoever she did it with, and now all the fears of doing it the first time are gone, and she is happy she cant go back.

    StopAndDreamon April 06, 2011   Link

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