If it weren't for your maturity, none of this would have happened
If you weren't so wise beyond your years
I would've been able to control myself
If it weren't for my attention, you wouldn't have been successful and if
If it weren't for me you would never have amounted to very much

Ooh, this could be messy but
But you don't seem to mind and
Ooh, don't go telling everybody
And overlook this supposed crime
We'll fast forward to a few years later
And no one knows except the both of us
And I have honored your request for silence
And you've washed your hands clean of this

You're essentially my employee and I like you having to depend on me
You're kind of my protege and one day
You'll say you learned all you know from me
I know you depend on me like a young thing would to a guardian
I know you sexualize me like a young thing would and I think I like it

Ooh, this could get messy but
Ooh, you don't seem to mind
Dude, don't go telling everybody
And overlook this supposed crime
We'll fast forward to a few years later
And no one knows except the both of us
I've more than honored your request for silence
And you've washed your hands clean of this

What part of our history's reinvented and under rug swept?
What part of your memory is selective and tends to forget?
What with this distance it seems so obvious

Just make sure you don't tell on me, especially to members of your family
We best keep this to ourselves and not tell any members of our inner posse
I wish I could tell the world
'Cause you're such a pretty thing when you're done up properly
I might want to marry you one day if you watch that weight and keep your firm body

Ooh, this could be messy and
Ooh, I don't seem to mind
Ooh, don't go telling everybody
And overlook this supposed crime
We'll fast forward to a few years later
And no one knows except the both of us
And I have honored your request for silence
And you've washed your hands clean of this

Ooh, this could get messy but
Ooh, I don't seem to mind
Ooh, don't go telling everybody
And overlook this supposed crime
We'll fast forward to a few years later
And no one knows except the both of us
And I have honored your request for silence
And you've washed your hands clean of this


Lyrics submitted by Lamia

Hands Clean Lyrics as written by Alanis Morissette

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Hands Clean song meanings
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    General Comment

    I love this song. The emotion is so real. This is how I interpret it: As a teenager, Alanis is dating a much older man, quite possibly an executive in the music business, as other have mentioned. ("If it weren't for me you would never have amounted to very much"). She thinks he loves her, & keeps their relationship a secret as he asks, because it would be considered a crime. He tells her "I might want to marry you someday" but later she finds out that he was just using her, & has no intention of doing so. He acts like nothing happened. ("What part of our history's reinvented & under rug swept?")

    PolexiaAphrodesiaon July 27, 2007   Link

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