Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “I Have Made Mistakes” by The Oh Hellos
The Oh Hellos’ song “I Have Made Mistakes” is an honest admission of the singer’s imperfections. The song expresses the feelings of guilt and regret that come from making mistakes, with the singer reflecting on these experiences from the perspective of a mature adult.
The opening line – “Oh it’s been a long while since I’ve done something wrong” – shows that the singer has felt the weight of their mistakes for some time. These mistakes are now distant memories, but still carry a heavy significance. The chorus makes the admission of guilt even more direct – “I have made mistakes, I’m not the same as I was” – showing that the singer now sees an irreparable change in themselves as a result of their mistakes.
The song takes a progressive turn when the singer comes to terms with their mistakes, accepting their wrongdoings and looking to the future. The lyrics “Oh, it’s so hard to admit that I’ve made a mistake, but to learn from it it must be right” suggest the importance of learning from and accepting mistakes, no matter the difficulty of doing so. This idea is echoed lyrics like “Now I will do better” and “Now I can make a change”, revealing the singer’s newfound determination to be a better person.
Overall, “I Have Made Mistakes” captures the guilt and regret of making mistakes in life, and the importance of learning from them and improving our future choices. This song is an inspirational reminder that even in the face of our most difficult times we can take steps to better ourselves.