Collin Raye was born Aug. 22, 1960, in DeQueen, AR, with the name Floyd Col… Read Full Bio ↴Collin Raye was born Aug. 22, 1960, in DeQueen, AR, with the name Floyd Collin Wray. Both of his parents were musical, and his mother, Lois Wray, was a regionally popular performer in East Texas who opened shows for Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins in the 1950s. At 7, Raye was onstage with her performing. At 13, he and his older brother Scott formed The Wray Brothers and performed in the roadhouses of the Lone Star State. They soon became headliners in Portland, OR, and in the casinos of Reno, NV.

Raye first attracted Nashville's attention as the lead vocalist on a string of independent singles in the 1980s. Billed as The Wrays, the act released a couple of singles on Mercury Records in the mid-80s before breaking up. Epic Records signed Raye as a solo act in 1990. A year later, the nostalgic ballad Love, Me hit No. 1, and by 2000, he charted 21 Top 10 hits for Epic. His first four studio albums, as well as his Greatest Hits, have been certified platinum. His best-known hits include Little Rock, about a recovering alcoholic, and I Think About You, about watching his teenage daughter grow up.

Forgotten
Collin Raye Lyrics

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Most everybody's got
A secret dresser drawer
Or an old shoebox
A back bedroom closet door
And maybe when it rains
Or when nobody else is home
We open it
And find we're really not alone

If you could see me now
Kneeling on this floor
Watching the memories dance
Holding the flower you wore
You said I would forget
You said that was your greatest fear
But you're still here
Baby, you're still here.

And in my heart,
You are not forgotten.
A love this strong
Will hold you close to me
I know you're gone
But Heaven doesn't really seem that far
Even worlds apart
Please know you're not
Forgotten.

Oh

Some people take the past
And make it disappear
They pack their heartaches up
Through out the laughter with the tears
But I don't wanna lose
How good we used to be
So you're still here
You're still here with me

And in my heart,
You are not forgotten.
A love this strong
Will hold you close to me
I know you're gone
But Heaven doesn't really seem that far
Even worlds apart
Please know you're not
Forgotten.

But now you're gone
But Heaven doesn't really seem that far
Even worlds apart
Please know you're not
Forgotten

Ooh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Collin Raye's song "Forgotten" describe the universal experience of having a secret place where we keep memories of loved ones who have passed away. The first stanza sets the stage by noting that almost everyone has a hidden space where they keep memories. It's a place that we might only visit when we're alone, but when we do, those memories come to life, and we feel less alone. The chorus declares that the person who has passed away is not forgotten, that their love is so powerful, it can transcend death. The singer kneels and watches their memories dance, holding onto the flower that the loved one once wore. The loved one had expressed their greatest fear to the singer: that they would be forgotten. But the singer reassures them that they are still here, alive in memory and in love.

The second stanza presents a contrast to the first: some people choose to bury painful memories rather than preserve them. But the singer is not one of those people. They don't want to forget the good times they shared with the one they love, and so that person is still with them, even in death. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, which reinforces the idea that the love between the two people is unbreakable and eternal, even though the loved one is no longer physically present.

Overall, "Forgotten" is a poignant and relatable song that speaks to the human experience of loss and grief. The image of a secret place filled with memories is a powerful one, and the song expresses the desire to hold onto those memories, even when they are painful. The chorus is the most powerful part of the song, as it conveys the message of hope and love that underlies the whole song.

Line by Line Meaning

Most everybody's got
Everyone has something they keep hidden or secret

A secret dresser drawer
A private drawer where one keeps their secrets

Or an old shoebox
Or a shoebox that holds memories

A back bedroom closet door
A closed door that leads to memories

And maybe when it rains
And sometimes when it rains, we feel especially nostalgic

Or when nobody else is home
Or when we are alone and can sort through our memories undisturbed

We open it
We open these drawers, boxes, doors to revisit our memories

And find we're really not alone
And find that our memories and feelings are shared by others

If you could see me now
If you could see how I feel right now

Kneeling on this floor
I am physically on my knees, but also emotionally defeated

Watching the memories dance
Watching happy memories play out in my mind like a dance

Holding the flower you wore
Holding a physical reminder of a loved one who has passed away

You said I would forget
You feared that I would forget our love and memories

You said that was your greatest fear
Your greatest fear was being forgotten

But you're still here
But your memory and love live on

Baby, you're still here.
You are still present in my life and in my heart

And in my heart,
Even though you are physically gone,

You are not forgotten.
I will always remember you and our love

A love this strong
Our love was powerful and intense

Will hold you close to me
I will always keep you close to my heart

I know you're gone
I am aware of your passing

But Heaven doesn't really seem that far
I feel like you are still near me, even though you are in heaven

Even worlds apart
Even though we are in different places- you in heaven, and me on earth-

Please know you're not
Please know that I will never forget you

Forgotten.
You are a part of my life, my memories, and my heart- you will never be forgotten

Some people take the past
Some people forget or try to erase their past

And make it disappear
And pretend like it never happened in the first place

They pack their heartaches up
They bury their heartaches and negative memories

Through out the laughter with the tears
They try to leave behind both the happy and sad memories

But I don't wanna lose
But I can't let go of our happy memories and the love we shared

How good we used to be
Because our love was good and strong, and our memories were happy

So you're still here
So, in my heart, you are still with me

You're still here with me
Your memory and love are still a part of my life

But now you're gone
Even though you are physically gone

Ooh
An emotional outburst or final affirmation of my love and memories

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: ALLISON MELLON, GENE LESAGE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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