| When I look back upon my life | 
| It’s always with a sense of shame | 
| I’ve always been the one to blame | 
| For everything I long to do No matter when or where or who | 
| Has one thing in common, too | 
| It’s a, it’s a, it’s a, it’s a sin | 
| It’s a sin | 
| Everything I’ve ever done | 
| Everything I ever do Every place I’ve ever been | 
| Everywhere I’m going to It’s a sin | 
| At school they taught me how to be So pure in thought and word and deed | 
| They didn’t quite succeed | 
| For everything I long to do No matter when or where or who | 
| Has one thing in common, too | 
| It’s a, it’s a, it’s a, it’s a sin | 
| It’s a sin | 
| Everything I’ve ever done | 
| Everything I ever do Every place I’ve ever been | 
| Everywhere I’m going to It’s a sin | 
| Father, forgive me, I tried not to do it | 
| Turned over a new leaf, then tore right through it Whatever you taught me, I didn’t believe it Father, you fought me, 'cause I didn’t care | 
| And I still don’t understand | 
| So I look back upon my life | 
| Forever with a sense of shame | 
| I’ve always been the one to blame | 
| For everything I long to do No matter when or where or who | 
| Has one thing in common, too | 
| It’s a, it’s a, it’s a, it’s a sin | 
| It’s a sin | 
| Everything I’ve ever done | 
| Everything I ever do Every place I’ve ever been | 
| Everywhere I’m going to — it’s a sin | 
| It’s a, it’s a, it’s a, it’s a sin | 
| It’s a, it’s a, it’s a, it’s a sin | 
| (Confiteor Deo omnipotenti vobis fratres, quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, | 
| verbo, opere et omissione, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa) | 
| [trans. | 
| «I confess to almighty god, | 
| and to you my brothers, | 
| that I have sinned exceedingly | 
| in thought, word, act and omission, | 
| through my fault, through my fault, | 
| through my most grievous fault» |