Forbidden

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of unrequited love, a deep yearning for someone utterly out of reach. The speaker observes their beloved like "stars in the night," close enough to see but impossible to touch. This is a love that must be "hidden" and "suppress[ed]," a quiet, agonizing secret. The core tension lies in the speaker's intense desire clashing with an insurmountable barrier: the beloved is already taken. Phrases like "somebody who found you / Before we have met" highlight the cruel twist of fate, making the love feel predestined yet tragically delayed. The speaker is trapped between profound longing ("How I long for your kiss") and the painful reality of "her arms' still around you." The relentless repetition of "forbidden" in the chorus is particularly striking, transforming the beloved's attributes into symbols of inaccessibility. "Forbidden lips," "forbidden smile," and "forbidden face" aren't just descriptions; they are declarations of absolute boundaries. The line "Can't even touch your fingertips" underscores this physical and emotional barrier, emphasizing the smallest, most innocent contact as an impossible dream. These lyrics resonate by capturing the complete, agonizing arc of a love that can never be. The speaker moves from initial, hidden adoration to a desperate attempt to "forget," culminating in a heartbreaking plea for forgiveness and a self-imposed farewell: "It's forbidden, I know." This final act of resignation makes the emotional impact profound, portraying a love that sacrifices its own existence for the sake of its object.