Guiltless

i think it's about doing something bad, but feeling good about it. this song is great. has a very different sound to open heart zoo. "father says, i'll always be, a mess you see, it's my destiny." great lyric!

:) I really like this song, I've taken it up as my duty to send it to heaps of people and reccomend our beloved Martin's material to those who like it... good work, good work indeed.

Great song from a very underrated talent. If you liked NIN from their 'The Downward Spiral' period, you'll love this.

Oh how i love my nine inch nails, how i love my martin grech.... but they're both grand in their own sense. my mind can't choose whom to like more! probably martin...

one mistake in teh lyrics, just the one! "NEVER SPIT on your wishes" ;) i like to correct teh mistakes

Brilliant song. Both musically and lyrically. To me, it sounds as if Martin is talking about innocence lost. 'Guiltless' implies the pure, untainted young child, who remains untarnished by 'stigma'. But this pure entity will inevitably fall victim to the 'evils' of life.

taste of purest roses you cut me and it feels good i felt the breath of stigma like every little boy should

This verse sets the scene for childhood- perhaps 'cut me and it feels good' renders a double meaning, not just the masichistic/sensual sense but also the way a baby's umbilical cord is cut so that he/she becomes an independent human being. 'Feel the breath of stigma/Like every little boy should' - this could relate to puberty? The first instance of stigma corrupting youth.

The chorus is my favourite part of the song, listing the various vices/virtues of life- alchemy - experimentation of drugs, loyal- an endearing 'good' quality to family and friends, sensual- the development of sexual feelings, holy- faith/religion, debauchery, fortune, godly, joy- all these connote the fluctuating nature of life- what emotions/actions we humans embark upon.

The last part about his father is poignant- an undermining figure who calls his son a failure, blaming 'destiny'- like other posters said, this is the most powerful part of the song.

I totally agree with the above comments, it definitely sounds like a loss of innocence to me. I think the "cut me and it feels good" lyric is a sort of foreshadow into the child's future of sick thoughts. (Not that sadomasochism is particularly sick or anything... i just think that the way Martin sings the words makes it sound like a sick version of it.)

He was in a relationship with a girl who really messed him up around the time of this album. He actually carved the word guiltless into his arm at one point. This whole album is relevant to that relationship.