What do you think Forgiven means?

Alanis Morissette: Forgiven Meaning

Album cover for Forgiven album cover

Forgiven Lyrics

You know how us Catholic girls can be
We make up for so much time a little too late
I never forgot it, confusing as it was
No fun with no guilt feelings
The sinners, the saviors, the loverless priests
I'll see you next Sunday

We all had...

  1. anonymous
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    Jun 10th 2010 !⃝

    I think it's about having a religious upbringing as a Catholic, although not every listener will not interpret it in that way.

  2. anonymous
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    Feb 23rd 2008 !⃝

    I agree that she was raised Catholic and grew to reject the faith she was raised in. Stating that "We all had our reasons to be there" insinuating that we used religion to answer questions about existence in an easy fashion or that we all need a stronger arm to lean on. She feels that in her youth her religion was forced on her. She also states "What I learned I rejected. But I believe again." and seeks forgiveness for her sin of rejection. A very insightful look into what many of us experience.

  3. Minver
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    Aug 8th 2007 !⃝

    The song is not really about being brought up Catholic. It's about someone who is Catholic and in a sense is suppose to believe in forgiveness, however, something so horrible has happened to her, that she has a hard time coming to terms with it. I've always gotten the impression that it was something like a rape. She is sitting in the Confessional booth talking with the priest, she knows she should forgive but there is just too much hate and pain in her heart to do so. It's about the struggle of forgive and forget. Using Catholic analogy was just convenient.

  4. wilymanc
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    Feb 16th 2007 !⃝

    As I understand it, that one line about her brothers is about masturbation, but the song in general is about a Catholic upbringing, (I always assumed it was about her upbringing but I have nothing to support this). 'You know how us Catholic girls can be...' the lyrics sum up the experiences of many a Catholic!

  5. anonymous
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    Feb 11th 2007 !⃝

    The song is just about someone who has broken free from a religion that was confining them. They are making up for what they perceive as lost time.

  6. anonymous
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    Oct 10th 2006 !⃝

    I've seen this song listed on severl site as a song about masturbation. The lyric "my brothers they never went blind for what they did" seems to reinforce this.

  7. anonymous
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    Jul 18th 2006 !⃝

    If you listen to this song (which you really should, it's fantastic,) it's all about religion. I gathered that it was alanis' point of veiw about her religion (catholic?) and how she was brought up to belive it, but left the faith later on in life. 'my brothers, they never went blind for what they did, but I may have well have...' illustrates my point.
    Listen to the song! Love it!


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