Unforgivable Sinner

Birmingham Evening Mail called the song a "mature" debut, describing it as the "sort of mid-tempo, intense material somebody like Natalie Imbruglia would release.""Pick of the Week". Birmingham Evening Mail. 3 August 1999. Retrieved 1 December 2020. Håkon Moslet from Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet said in his review of Playing My Game, that "Unforgivable Sinner" is a "clear highlight" of the album. He added that "with its slightly dark and disconcerting atmosphere and a refrain you never seem to get bored with, it is one of a kind."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/cd-lene-marlin/65512357|title=CD: Lene Marlin|magazine=Dagbladet|date=20 March 1999|access-date=17 March 2020}} Geir Rakvaag from Dagsavisen noted that the song, with "Sitting Down Here" and "Where I'm Headed" are the "most earcatching" songs of the album.{{cite news|first= Geir |last= Rakvaag |title= Pent og pyntelig fra Lene Marlin |newspaper= Dagsavisen |issue= 78 |date= 20 March 1999 |page= 15 |access-date= 31 March 2020 |url= https://www.nb.no/items/f02e11cf0724c6ad20bc5b7b0c3433a7 |language= no}} Terje Carlsen from Fredrikstad Blad called it "immaculate".{{cite news|first= Terje |last= Carlsen |title= Ikke helt ferdig |newspaper= Fredrikstad Blad |issue= 81 |date= 23 March 1999 |page= 42 |access-date= 31 March 2020 |url= https://www.nb.no/items/817a64983e0ccd22d5bd2a826249ab5b |language= no}}

Pia M. Isaksen from Moss Dagblad was less enthustiastic, noting it as "traditional folk", adding that the melody is "nice".{{cite news|first= Pia M. |last= Isaksen |title= Fint, men kjedelig |newspaper= Moss Dagblad |issue= 87 |date= 29 March 1999 |page= 13 |access-date= 31 March 2020 |url= https://www.nb.no/items/27ee3274ef2f2bc553ccfba06ada9298 |language= no}} New Straits Times called it an "outstanding" tune "set to a pop-hiphop beat with a strong arrangement powered by acoustic guitars".{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XqJOAAAAIBAJ|title=IT'S ABOUT BOYS AND GIRLS - Compilation|magazine=New Straits Times|date=7 March 1999|access-date=15 March 2020}} Kjell Nordeng from Nordlands Framtid noted the song with "Sitting Down Here" as "cream of the crop" of the album.{{cite news|first= Kjell |last= Nordeng |title= Fin debut |newspaper= Nordlands Framtid |issue= 69 |date= 23 March 1999 |page= 60 |access-date= 31 March 2020 |url= https://www.nb.no/items/d16aa3e431951bbe1b7c6c7c29e3ccfd |language= no}} Rune Slyngstad from Nordlandsposten gave it 4 out of 6, noting it as a "fresh, nice and sauntering pop-song".{{cite news|first= Rune |last= Slyngstad |title= SINGELNYHETER |newspaper= Nordlandsposten |issue= 188 |date= 18 August 1998 |page= 40 |access-date= 31 March 2020 |url= https://www.nb.no/items/0a6c730918175dd52a9d36fae20a171f |language= no}} Lasse Jangås from Nordlys described it as "wonderful".{{cite news|first= Lasse |last= Jangås |title= Så fin, Lene Marlin |newspaper= Nordlys |issue= 239 |date= 13 October 1998 |page= 19 |access-date= 30 March 2020 |url= https://www.nb.no/items/cb1ddd7df741410e8124f78fa79640c5 |language= no}} Pop Rescue wrote, "This one definitely fits in with the likes of [Natalie] Imbruglia’s hit Torn. It has plenty of acoustic strumming, but also plenty of ‘go’ in it too. It's up-beat, catchy, and deserved to be a bigger hit than it was."{{cite web|title=REVIEW: "PLAYING MY GAME" BY LENE MARLIN (CD, 1999)|publisher=Pop Rescue|date=5 June 1995|access-date=31 March 2020|url=https://poprescue.com/2015/06/05/pop-rescue-playing-game-lene-marlin-cd-1999/}} Linda Nilsen from Tromsø gave the song 6 out of 6, noting that it is "simply something of the best I have ever heard from a Norwegian artist."{{cite news|first= Linda |last= Nilsen |title= Strålende, Lene Marlin |newspaper= Tromsø |issue= 236 |date= 10 October 1998 |page= 31 |access-date= 30 March 2020 |url= https://www.nb.no/items/668027b4e3b94929c5e3b2156fa86581 |language= no}}

The first video for "Unforgivable Sinner" was filmed in Norway on 10 July 1998.{{cite news|url=https://www.nb.no/items/6e7549d3adceeaabe4a138f846b9e3a7?page=23|title=Popdronninga jubilerer: Den uforglemmelige karrieren|trans-title=The Pop Queen Celebrates:The Unforgettable Career|last=Matland|first=Helge|newspaper=Trosmø|language=no|date=15 August 2000|access-date=6 August 2022}} It features Marlin performing with her guitar at a subway station in Oslo. She also performs while walking in a dark tunnel. Some small scenes in between show her dressed like an angel. Clips from the movie Schpaa are shown through the video. At the end, Marlin as an angel sits atop of a high building looking out over the city.

The second and international version of the video was directed by Stephen Scott and shot at a train station in Toronto, Canada. It has a blue tone and shows Marlin performing inside the station building. A story of a man that is haunted by memories from his childhood is being told in the video. Now grown-up, he keeps seeing the face of a young girl he once knew as a kid. Something happened to her, and he feels guilty. He "sees" her among the crowd of passing people at the station, but then she is gone. In the end the man and Marlin, standing next to each other, are watching the board with train timetables. Then the words "Take Hold Now -- The Future Will Not Remember -- The Past Does Not Forget" suddenly appear on the board.

The third version was directed by Jamie Morgan and features a darkhaired Marlin performing in New York City. In some scenes, she performs in a car that is driving through the city. Other scenes show her at a camping site, where a group of young people are staying, by a caravan. Occasionally a girl wearing wings appears at different sites in the city. The day turns into night and then again to day. The video ends with Marlin strumming on her guitar in the driving car.

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single, Norway (1998)

| title1 = Unforgivable Sinner

| note1 =

| length1 = 4:02

| title2 = Maybe I'll Go

| note2 =

| length2 = 4:37

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single, Europe (1998){{cite AV media notes|title=Unforgivable Sinner|others=Lene Marlin|year=1998|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Virgin Records|id=7243 8 95710 2 8, DINSDE180}}

| title1 = Unforgivable Sinner

| note1 =

| length1 = 3:59

| title2 = Maybe I'll Go

| note2 =

| length2 = 4:33

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD-maxi, Europe (1998)

| title1 = Unforgivable Sinner

| note1 =

| length1 = 4:02

| title2 = Maybe I'll Go

| note2 =

| length2 = 4:37

| title3 = The Way We Are

| note3 = acoustic

| length3 = 4:50

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD maxi, Japan (1999){{cite AV media notes|title=Unforgivable Sinner|others=Lene Marlin|year=1999|type=Japanese maxi-CD single liner notes|publisher=Virgin Records|id=VJCP-12121}}

| title1 = Unforgivable Sinner

| note1 =

| length1 =

| title2 = Maybe I'll Go

| note2 =

| length2 =

| title3 = I Know

| note3 =

| length3 =

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single (CD1), UK (2000){{cite AV media notes|title=Unforgivable Sinner|others=Lene Marlin|year=2000|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=Virgin Records|id=DINSD202, 7243 8 96979 0 2}}

| title1 = Unforgivable Sinner

| note1 =

| length1 =

| title2 = Unforgivable Sinner

| note2 = Tin Tin Out mix

| length2 =

| title3 = Maybe I'll Go

| note3 =

| length3 =

| title4 = Unforgivable Sinner

| note4 = video

| length4 =

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single (CD2), UK (2000){{cite AV media notes|title=Unforgivable Sinner|others=Lene Marlin|year=2000|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Virgin Records|id=DINSDX 202, 7243 8 96980 0 8}}

| title1 = Unforgivable Sinner

| note1 =

| length1 =

| title2 = Unforgivable Sinner

| note2 = Disclab Dodgers Doorstep mix

| length2 =

| title3 = The Way We Are

| note3 = live at the Sound Republic

| length3 =

| title4 = Unforgivable Sinner

| note4 = original video

| length4 =

}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"|Chart (1998–2000) !scope="col"|Peak position
{{single chart|Australia|48|song=Unforgivable Sinner|artist=Lene Marlin|rowheader=true|access-date=6 March 2018}}
scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1999/MM-1999-07-24.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=16|issue=30|page=8|date=24 July 1999|access-date=7 May 2018}} |77
{{single chart|France|37|song=Unforgivable Sinner|artist=Lene Marlin|rowheader=true|access-date=6 March 2018}}
{{single chart|Germany|78|songid=12540|song=Unforgivable Sinner|artist=Lene Marlin|rowheader=true|access-date=6 March 2018}}
scope="row"|Italy (Musica e dischi){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1999/MM-1999-07-17.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=Music & Media|volume=16|issue=29|page=11|date=17 July 1999|access-date=28 November 2019}} |2
{{single chart|New Zealand|32|song=Unforgivable Sinner|artist=Lene Marlin|rowheader=true|access-date=6 March 2018}}
{{single chart|Norway|1|song=Unforgivable Sinner|artist=Lene Marlin|rowheader=true|access-date=6 March 2018|refname="nor"}}
{{single chart|Scotland|15|date=20000916|song=Unforgivable Sinner|artist=Lene Marlin|rowheader=true|access-date=6 March 2018}}
{{single chart|Sweden|4|song=Unforgivable Sinner|artist=Lene Marlin|rowheader=true|access-date=6 March 2018}}
{{single chart|UK|13|date=20000916|song=Unforgivable Sinner|artist=Lene Marlin|rowheader=true|access-date=6 March 2018}}

{{col-2}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"|Chart (1999) !scope="col"|Position
scope="row"|Romania (Romanian Top 100){{cite web|url=http://www.rt100.ro/topul-anului-1999.html|title=Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1999|publisher=Romanian Top 100|language=ro|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050122081829/http://www.rt100.ro/topul-anului-1999.html|archive-date=22 January 2005}} |99
scope="row"|Sweden (Hitlistan){{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/43?dspy=1999&dspp=1|title=Årslista Singlar, 1999|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|language=sv|access-date=4 August 2021}} |36

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Norway|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=1999|certyear=1999|nosales=true}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=1999|certyear=1999|date=21 April 1999|access-date=15 September 2019}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Lene Marlin}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1998 debut singles

Category:1998 songs

Category:Lene Marlin songs

Category:Number-one singles in Norway

Category:Virgin Records singles