While many think this song is just about his recent divorce with Tameka Foster, Usher set the record straight with Billboard:
People immediately thought, ‘Oh, damn, he’s about to talk about what happened in his marriage’, but it would be too shortsighted to just talk about my relationship. A lot of...
[Intro: Usher]
He said, "You swear to tell the truth
The whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"
I said, "Yeah, man
Right hand high, never tell a lie"
[Verse 1: Usher]
Y-Y-Your Honor, I didn't know that I hurt her
I didn't know she was crying
I didn't know that it was killing me slow
And-And your honor, she can't say I ain't love her
Can't say I ain't try
But I guess my love wasn't good enough
[Chorus: Usher]
I guess I'm guilty for wanting to be up in the club
I guess I'm guilty 'cause girls always wanna show me love
I guess I'm guilty for living and having a little fun
Well, I'm guilty, for that, girl, I'm guilty
Don't take me to jail, don't take me to jail
Don't take me to jail
(I ain't did nothing to her, gave everything to her
For that)
Don't take me to jail, don't take me to jail (take me)
Don't take me to jail
(I ain't done a crime, why you make me do the time?)
[Verse 2: Usher]
Your Honor, she accused me of cheating
It was all in her thinking
She gon' believe what she want to
So what the hell am I gon' do?
Turn my life around, it ain't going down
She knew 'bout the life that I live, why she crying now?
This shit is so silly to me, but I won't plead that
[Chorus: Usher]
I guess I'm guilty for wanting to be up in the club
I guess I'm guilty 'cause girls always wanna show me love
I guess I'm guilty for living and having a little fun
Well, I'm guilty, for that, girl, I'm guilty
Don't take me to jail, don't take me to jail (take me)
Don't take me to jail
(How we supposed to get along with her going through my phone?
In her mind, she decided I did it)
Don't take me to jail (don't take me)
Don't take me to jail (don't take me)
Don't take me to jail
(Don't wanna cop a plea, I swear it wasn't me
It don't matter 'cause to her, I'm guilty)
[Verse 3: T.I.]
Let's go, right hand to the sky, strike me down if I lie
If she saying she the victim in this case, well, what am I?
If I hurt her, I ain't try to, the club I may decide to
Ride through, she got proof? Well, I got alibis too
A couple million dollar worth of bags and full of shoes
Seven-carat solitaire, Caribbean, water blue
Range Rover, Porsche Panamera, and the Bentley Coupe
All the shit I did for her and this who you gon' listen to?
And her life, I submit to you as evidence, I never been on bullshit
She ain't caught me on no Tiger Woods shit
Knew what I expected when she met me, should have left me then
Balling against the law? Shorty, go on and arrest me then
[Chorus: Usher]
I guess I'm guilty for wanting to be up in the club
I guess I'm guilty 'cause girls always wanna show me love
I guess I'm guilty for living and having a little fun
Well, I'm guilty, for that, girl, I'm guilty
Don't take me to jail, don't take me to jail (take me)
Don't take me to jail
(If you gon' treat me like a crook, putting money on my books
Never mind, forget it)
Don't take me to jail, don't take me to jail (take me)
Don't take me to jail
(Tired of your little games, fuck it, I'll take the blame
I did it, guilty)
Guilty was written by USHER & T.I. & Keith Thomas & Ester Dean & PrettyBoiFresh (Producer).
Guilty was produced by PrettyBoiFresh (Producer).