Forgive & Forget
Sam Bailey Lyrics


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I don't know for a minute there
I almost lost control
But here alone I had time to think of
Ways to let it go
How to come to turn to accepting world
You are so easily just giving up

Where do I go from here?
What do I do when it's impossible to change the truth?
When there is nothing left,
When does it disappears?
What do I do when I forgive you, but I can't forget?
Words that you never meant? But you cannot take back?
I forgive but I can't forget

Are you ashamed of the lies that you defended for your pride?
Feel anything when you swore the true one looking in my eyes
How'd you do it? How'd you watched me cry?
Ooh, was it as easy as it was to lie?

Where do I go from here?
What do I do when it's impossible to change the truth?
When there is nothing left?
When does it disappears?
What do I do when I forgive you, but I can't forget?
Words that you never meant? But you cannot take back?
I forgive but I won't forget

Now as I'm looking at your face
It won't go away
All it does is just remind me

Where do I go from here?
What do I do when it's impossible to change the truth?
When there is nothing left?
When does it disappears?
What do I do when I forgive you, but I can't forget?
Words that you never meant? But you cannot take back?
I forgive but I can't forget

All of the time we've spent




The years you cannot get back
I forgive, but I won't forget.

Overall Meaning

In Sam Bailey’s song Forgive & Forget, the singer is contemplating forgiveness and the struggle to forget the hurt that has been caused. The song starts with the admission of wanting to stay in control but failing to do so, leading to a moment of reflection. Sam then goes on to express how forgiving someone can be hard to do without forgetting the words that were never meant but also can’t be taken back. The lyrics then turn to the questions of what to do when it is impossible to change the truth, when there is nothing left, and when the memories of the past won’t go away. Even though the singer forgives, she is not able to forget the hurt.


The song expresses the conflicting emotions that come with forgiveness and the difficulty in the process of letting go of hurtful memories. It captures the common human experience of wanting to move on from hurt but struggling to do so. It is a powerful message that reminds listeners that forgiving someone does not always equate to forgetting the pain that was caused. The song delivers a universal message that is both relatable and authentic.


Line by Line Meaning

I don't know for a minute there
For a moment, I was unsure of what to do


I almost lost control
I almost let my emotions get the best of me


But here alone I had time to think of
In solitude, I had time to reflect


Ways to let it go
Ways to release myself from the pain


How to come to turn to accepting world
How to accept the world around me


You are so easily just giving up
You give up too easily


Where do I go from here?
What should I do next?


What do I do when it's impossible to change the truth?
What can I do when the truth cannot be altered?


When there is nothing left,
When all else fails


When does it disappears?
When will the pain dissipate?


What do I do when I forgive you, but I can't forget?
What do I do when I let go of the anger but cannot forget the pain?


Words that you never meant? But you cannot take back?
Words that you regret saying but cannot undo?


I forgive but I can't forget
I have forgiven you, but I cannot forget what you did


Are you ashamed of the lies that you defended for your pride?
Do you regret the lies you told to protect your ego?


Feel anything when you swore the true one looking in my eyes
Did you feel anything when you lied while looking directly at me?


How'd you do it? How'd you watched me cry?
How were you able to watch me suffer without intervening?


Ooh, was it as easy as it was to lie?
Was it as effortless for you to deceive me as it seems?


Now as I'm looking at your face
As I see you now


It won't go away
The pain doesn't fade


All it does is just remind me
You are a constant reminder of my hurt


All of the time we've spent
All the memories we created together


The years you cannot get back
The lost time that cannot be regained


I forgive, but I won't forget
I have forgiven you, but I will always remember what happened




Writer(s): steve dorff

Contributed by Grayson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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