Over the decades, many songwriters have written about trying to forget their past and move on. However, that’s a lot easier said than done!
Often, songwriters discuss how their romantic relationship has ended, and this has left them wanting to forget. But there are also so many songs about songwriters discussing forgetting in various different circumstances, such as just in life in general!
Below, we’ve listed 20 songs about forgetting, all in different genres — and different circumstances!
1. “I Keep Forgetting” by David Bowie
David Bowie released his song “I Keep Forgetting” on his 1984 album Tonight. In the chorus, Bowie repeats the simple phrase, “I keep forgetting you don’t love me no more”.
Therefore, you can see his state of mind in this song! Throughout this song, Bowie tries to deal with a romantic relationship that has come to an end. However, he’s broken up about it, as he still loves this person — but they don’t love him! He keeps forgetting about this and seeking them out anyway.
2. “Hard Time” by Seinabo Sey
Seinabo Sey’s 2014 song “Hard Time” also discusses forgetting! Seinabo Sey sings about issues that have occurred in relationships in this song. As a result of these issues, she feels that it’s much harder to forget what happened than she thought.
She sings the lyrics, “Hard time forgiving / Even harder forgetting”.
3. “Forget Myself” by Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind’s song “Forget Myself”, which was released on their 2003 album Out of the Vein, details issues in a romantic relationship that eventually lead to a breakup. The singer explains how his girlfriend introduced him to a celebrity, glitzy lifestyle in LA — one that he wasn’t sure he belonged to.
As a result, their relationship begins to falter. He ends up feeling as if he’s forgotten himself. In the chorus, he sings, “I keep on forgetting myself / Who am I? We both don’t know”.
4. “Forget” by Marina
In Marina’s 2014 song “Forget”, she also discusses forgetting — which you can see from the song’s title! Throughout this entire song, Marina expresses her desire to move on from past complications in her life. However, she struggles to do this.
She sings about forgetting the past. But this song also deals with the past haunting you! However, in the end, she finally realizes that she’s fully ready to move on. She sings, “I’m gonna leave the past behind / I’ve had enough, I’m breaking free”.
5. “Forgetting You” by Dean Martin
Dean Martin’s “Forgetting You” also talks about forgetting in regard to a romantic situation! Here, Martin sings about attempting to get over his ex. However, that’s much easier said than done.
Martin goes out with other ladies — all in an attempt to get over his ex. He still loves her, yet he’s trying his best to forget her. He sings, “Don’t you know that it’s breaking my heart / Forgetting you”.
6. “Forgiving You Was Easy” by Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson wrote quite a lot of songs about forgetting memories and trying to move on from the past. Here, we’ve got our first Nelson song on this list! Willie Nelson’s 1984 song “Forgiving You Was Easy” discusses a relationship that has come to an end.
There were issues in this relationship, such as jealousy. However, Nelson explains that he’ll always love this person, even though this relationship is coming to an end. As a result, he sings the lyrics, “Forgiving you is easy / But forgetting seems to take the longest time”.
7. “Don’t Stay” by Linkin Park
Linkin Park released their song “Don’t Stay” on their 2003 album Meteora. This song appears to be written about the band’s old record label that ended on bad terms. However, listeners can often feel this song is about any type of relationship that has gone awry!
In this song, the band sings about how they want to move on from the past and never trust these people again. They sing, “Forget our memories, forget our possibilities / What you were changing me into”.
8. “Bloody Mary Morning” by Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson’s song “Bloody Mary Morning” appeared on his 1974 album Both Sides Now. Once again, as with the other Nelson songs here, Nelson sings about forgetting his ex in a romantic relationship!
In this song, however, Nelson has been left — and is working on forgetting his ex as a result. He sings, “So I’m flying down to Houston / With forgetting her the nature of my flight”.
9. “Red” by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift’s song “Red” details a passionate relationship that has since come to an end. To help get her point across, Swift uses colors, such as red and blue, to describe this relationship. She also talks about how even if she wanted to forget her ex, she couldn’t!
In the chorus, she sings, “Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met / But loving him was red”. It’s impossible to forget someone you never met. Therefore, it’s impossible for Swift to forget her ex!
10. “Like We Never Loved At All” by Faith Hill
Faith Hill released her song “Like We Never Loved At All” on her 2005 album Fireflies. This song, which features Tim McGraw, also deals with forgetting in a romantic relationship! Hill sings about how she’s struggling to get over an ex. She’s having difficulty letting go of the past.
However, her ex seems to be moving on just fine! This hurts Hill, as she feels that he’s easily moving on and forgetting about her. She sings the lyrics, “Maybe that’s just your way / Of dealing with the pain / Forgetting everything between our rise and fall / Like we never loved at all”.
11. “Cherished Memories” by Eddie Cochran
“Cherished Memories” by Eddie Cochran follows Cochran as he sings about a relationship that comes to an end. Even though this romance is ending, Cochran can’t help but look back on the past. He has these “Cherished Memories” that he feels like he’ll never forget.
Therefore, even if the relationship is ending, Cochran will always have these memories with him!
12. “We’ve Saved the Best For Last” by Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson’s song “We’ve Saved the Best For Last”, which Kenny G also recorded, discusses two people who seemingly had issues in the past. However, now that they’re a little older, the two are willing to work on their relationship and be together.
Thus, they are willing to forget the past and move on — together. Robinson sings the chorus, “But this time, we win / Our ship has just come in / Forget the past / We’ve saved the best for last”.
13. “I Won’t Forget You” by Poison
Poison’s song “I Won’t Forget You” was released on their 1987 album Look What the Cat Dragged In. Poison sings about a relationship that has come to an end in this song. Even though the singer knows that he should forget his ex, he feels he can’t. He can’t forget her.
Therefore, he will always cherish the fun times they had together. He’ll always have these memories with him!
14. “Don’t Forget” by Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato’s song “Don’t Forget” discusses a breakup that has left Lovato feeling heartbroken. Lovato’s ex has seemingly moved on — and completely forgotten about their relationship. As a result, Lovato can’t help but feel hurt by this.
In the chorus, the lyrics say, “Our love is like a song / You can’t forget it”.
15. “A Thousand Times a Day” by Patty Loveless
In Patty Loveless’ song “A Thousand Times a Day”, Loveless sings about attempting to forget an ex after he left her. In this song, Loveless details some of the vices she kicked in the past, such as drinking and smoking. Therefore, she feels that she’ll have no problem forgetting her ex.
She sings, “Forgetting you is not that hard to do / I’ve done it a thousand times a day”. Loveless may think she’s easily forgetting her ex. However, if she’s forgetting him a thousand times a day, she obviously can’t stop thinking about him!
16. “Invisible Tears” by Dean Martin
Dean Martin’s song “Invisible Tears” also discusses forgetting! Martin sings about a relationship that has ended in this song. Even though she may return to him, it will never be the same as it once was. However, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t miss her — or that he’ll just easily forget her!
He sings, “Indestructible memories are passing in review / Impossible though things may get improbable I will forget / Indelible memories of sweet lovable you”.
17. “Grip” by Bastille
Bastille’s “Grip” was released on their 2018 album Other People’s Heartache (Pt. 4). There are many different interpretations to be found about this song! However, it does appear to mainly be about what people can and cannot handle — and how sometimes people push themselves to the brink of life when they shouldn’t.
Bastille sings about how they want to forget their past. However, it seems that they’re haunted by it. They sing, “I would rather forget and wash my memory clean”.
18. “Don’t Forget About Us” by Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey’s 2005 song “Don’t Forget About Us” talks about a relationship that has come to an end. This leaves Carey feeling heartbroken. However, she’s okay to let the relationship end, as she’s not going to cling to something that is over.
But she won’t forget the times they shared together — and she hopes her ex doesn’t either! She sings, “Remember us at our best / And don’t forget”.
19. “Love Has a Mind of Its Own” by Willie Nelson
Now, for our last Willie Nelson song! Nelson’s 1969 song “Love Has a Mind of Its Own” opens with the lines, “Forgetting you, darling, is not my decision / For love has a mind of its own”.
Throughout this entire song, Nelson sings about how much he wants to forget his ex, now that they’re over. He’s done with crying over her all night long. However, he admits that he cannot forget, even though he desperately wants to!
20. “Trust a Try” by Janet Jackson
Finally, we have our last song on this list of songs about forgetting: “Trust a Try” by Janet Jackson! In this 2001 song, Jackson explains that her current romantic partner is still hung up over the terrible things that his ex did to him. As a result, he’s blaming Jackson for things she didn’t do.
Jackson wants this relationship to work. So, she tells him to move on from his past and focus on his present and future with her. She sings, “Forget your past / She hurt you bad”.