I was dreaming something dark
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
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

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)
I spent years singing, "no regret"
Then suddenly it all becomes clear
I've been sorry all these years

Oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh

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


Lyrics submitted by leannajune, edited by csybird, ezmryder, iholdher

Guilty Lyrics as written by Marina Lambrini Diamandis Ash Frances Howes

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Guilty song meanings
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10 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment

    she said she dreamt just as unfeatured stated about care-sitting a group of technicolored dogs for a rich family while it was off attending a luxurious party...

    each time she went to pick up one of the dogs, however, as she was justified to do being the caretaker, she would harm them in some way. she said specifically that she broke one's leg. now she had the choice

    1. to be honest to the family about hurting the dog, risking her reputation but getting the dog help by bringing its injured body to a vet

    or 2. she could have stuffed the dog in a cupboard, saving her reputation, but killing the dog also by never having brought it to the vet

    she chose to stuff it in a cupboard and then run away. she later stated this was symbolic of an event in her past. i think the song is really incredibly deep and never having known this whole story one could conjure up some excellent translations for its meaning...to me it speaks very heavily because i am naturally a guilt-prone person + grew up without my father in my life, so i was bowing down to her when i heard this. bravissima.

    AlecsPenon June 27, 2010   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    I don't think that this what Marina's singing about but to me, it's about someone who's you know, done bad things, because they're messed up after being abandoned by their father. I think that 'Daddy Issues' are definitely implied throughout.

    It's an amazing song, possibly my favourite by her.

    w0nderfulon July 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Sounds like it's about her dad to me, troubled relationship? I can certainly relate.

    missmeon February 28, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Something has obviously happened to her when she was a child which she was punished for and she has carried the guilt all these years. Maybe something that isnt supposed to happen to a child which is why she says all she really wanted was her father, meaning she just wanted to be able to be 'daddys girl' like a normal typical young girl in childhood.

    I am cnfused about this verse, can anyone make any sense of it?:

    "I killed a dog so small and rare Touched his techni-coloured hair"

    Many references to a dog?????

    helsbellson May 09, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this is about a dream she had where she was supposed to be protecting the techni colored dogs and one died in her care. she was terrified of the consequences and went on the run. thats from what i have read and heard from her. the song seems to build from this and the dream state as though the dream was just bringing up thoughts of guilt about something else that she has been carrying for years. "i've been sorry all these years". we tell ourselves to move on and forgive/forget but things always get stirred up

    unfeaturedon June 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    so this song is about her killing a dog? and that doesn't seem to be all the lyrics

    ultra1indigoon March 28, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "Spent years singin' To forget (to forget) I spent years singin' No regrets

    Then suddenly, It all becomes clear. I've been sorry, All these years" These part were left off at the end, and the rest is just repeats from earlier in the song.

    To me, it sounds like she was abused as a child. During that abuse, she was blamed for things she didn't do. She felt guilty about them. She possibly sang to comfort herself. When she was older, she realized that she wasn't actually at fault and that she had no reason to be sorry.

    lazyXexperton June 04, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    She did something in the wrong way, and it went bad. Something she obviously did because she tried to get the attention of her father, that never came. It's about something she regrets. (sorry for my english..)

    sasha10000on April 25, 2014   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    i think this song is about a child who's father is in prison and she has broken him out of prison, but in doing so feels quite guilty because she knows that she's broken the law, when caught by police she is arrested even though she's only a child, hence the line "i was just a kid who you could not forgive because it's harder, i was just a kid and all i really wanted was my father." i believe the part with the dog is a metaphor to that in the attempt to get her father out of prison, she had to do even more crime, indicating that she obviously must have committed a crime to someone either rich, or someone very unique, this is why she refers to it as a rare dog, because with rare dogs people are very serious and want to conserve them, i believe that whatever crime she did must have injured the person in some way because it says that "she left it lame" but yeah that's how i see it, and coming from a child's perspective when you think about it it's not hard to imagine.

    libby10222on October 11, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The dog metaphors are really interesting, honestly

    “I left it running full of shame”

    I wonder what the dog is meant to represent honestly because I can just TELL this song is about something deep but I’m not that smart

    “I was just a kid who you could not forgive because it’s harder/I was just a kid and all I really wanted was my father” that’s such a good line

    “But suddenly it all becomes clear/I’ve been sorry all these years” GIVES ME CHILLS

    nihilillieon June 19, 2018   Link

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