I had an idea to start doing a lyric focus discussion about songs that seem to have some deeper meaning other than pure entertainment value. I find that we often hear things, but we don't actually listen past the fact that it's pleasing to the ears. So, with this in mind I present todays topic of discussion, The Unforgiven by Metallica.
New blood joins this earth,
And quickly he's subdued.
Through constant pained disgrace,
The young boy learns their rules.
With time the child draws in.
This whipping boy done wrong.
Deprived of all his thoughts,
The young man struggles on and on he's known.
A vow unto his own,
That never from this day,
His will they'll take away.
What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never be. Never see.
Won't see what might have been.
What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never free. Never me.
So I dub thee unforgiven.
They dedicate their lives
To running all of his.
He tries to please them all
This bitter man he is.
Throughout his life the same
He's battled constantly.
This fight he cannot win
A tired man they see no longer cares.
The old man then prepares
To die regretfully
That old man here is me.
What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never be. Never see.
Won't see what might have been.
What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never free. Never me.
So I dub thee unforgiven
I believe the song is about abusive parents. The first verse, we find is very descriptive of an environment in which a child is "subdued" through humiliation and scapegoating. He is stripped of the very thoughts they develop of individuality and there is an attempted indoctrination of becoming subservient to the authoritative figures, ie parents. Because of this abuse, the child becomes withdrawn and a spirit of rebellion is developed. In turn, the child decides that they will never take away his will/drive. This essentially means he will never give up his anger at the measures of control used against him.
In the second verse, we find that he has somewhat given up his fight against the abusive authority over him. They have dedicated themselves to controlling every aspect of his life, and he is now attempting to appease his abusers to which they are (assumedly) never pleased. This leads to the boy/man becoming bitter, because it appears that nothing will ever change. The cycle cannot be broken, he is angry and resentful, and is now consigning himself to the fact he cannot change it and it is not worth trying to. So he "no longer cares." The singer also admits at this point that this bitter old man is him. It is quite the powerful disclosure.
In the chorus, the feelings, thoughts, and results of this abuse surface. All of this abuse has left the victim feeling invalidated about his feelings, thoughts, and accomplishments. He never felt like he meant anything to the authority over him and now, he labels them "unforgiven." He has been controlled by pain so thoroughly that he cannot forgive them. He became truly trapped, by assuming that his anger was his will, that he dwelled in it until it became a part of his very essence. His abusers have passed on so his chance at redemption and escape has left with them. He will never have the opportunity to confront and disclose his truth to them, and he is their victim forever.
Thanks for reading! Please comment your thoughts and opinions below!
Oh yeah, heres the video if you wanna watch/listen ...
New blood joins this earth,
And quickly he's subdued.
Through constant pained disgrace,
The young boy learns their rules.
With time the child draws in.
This whipping boy done wrong.
Deprived of all his thoughts,
The young man struggles on and on he's known.
A vow unto his own,
That never from this day,
His will they'll take away.
What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never be. Never see.
Won't see what might have been.
What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never free. Never me.
So I dub thee unforgiven.
They dedicate their lives
To running all of his.
He tries to please them all
This bitter man he is.
Throughout his life the same
He's battled constantly.
This fight he cannot win
A tired man they see no longer cares.
The old man then prepares
To die regretfully
That old man here is me.
What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never be. Never see.
Won't see what might have been.
What I've felt,
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown.
Never free. Never me.
So I dub thee unforgiven
I believe the song is about abusive parents. The first verse, we find is very descriptive of an environment in which a child is "subdued" through humiliation and scapegoating. He is stripped of the very thoughts they develop of individuality and there is an attempted indoctrination of becoming subservient to the authoritative figures, ie parents. Because of this abuse, the child becomes withdrawn and a spirit of rebellion is developed. In turn, the child decides that they will never take away his will/drive. This essentially means he will never give up his anger at the measures of control used against him.
In the second verse, we find that he has somewhat given up his fight against the abusive authority over him. They have dedicated themselves to controlling every aspect of his life, and he is now attempting to appease his abusers to which they are (assumedly) never pleased. This leads to the boy/man becoming bitter, because it appears that nothing will ever change. The cycle cannot be broken, he is angry and resentful, and is now consigning himself to the fact he cannot change it and it is not worth trying to. So he "no longer cares." The singer also admits at this point that this bitter old man is him. It is quite the powerful disclosure.
In the chorus, the feelings, thoughts, and results of this abuse surface. All of this abuse has left the victim feeling invalidated about his feelings, thoughts, and accomplishments. He never felt like he meant anything to the authority over him and now, he labels them "unforgiven." He has been controlled by pain so thoroughly that he cannot forgive them. He became truly trapped, by assuming that his anger was his will, that he dwelled in it until it became a part of his very essence. His abusers have passed on so his chance at redemption and escape has left with them. He will never have the opportunity to confront and disclose his truth to them, and he is their victim forever.
Thanks for reading! Please comment your thoughts and opinions below!
Oh yeah, heres the video if you wanna watch/listen ...
