I Don't Mind If You Forget Me Lyrics
I don't mind if you forget me
Having learned my lesson
I never left an impression on anyone
When once you'd send me 'Love'
Sincerely I must tell you
Your mild 'best wishes'
They make me suspicious
I don't mind if you forget me
Having learned my lesson
I never left an impression on anyone
The pressure to change, to move on
Was strange
And very strong
So this is why I tell you
I really do understand
BYE BYE
No no no no no no no
It may not eat you but it will beat you
So this is why I tell you
I really don't understand
This time
BUT REJECTION FROM A FOOL
IS CRUEL
REJECTION IS ONE THING
BUT REJECTION FROM A FOOL
IS CRUEL
And I don't mind if you forget me
I don't mind if you forget me
I think this song really showcases Morrissey's irony, humor and understanding of human nature in relationships. The song opens with the narrator offhandedly not minding if someone else forgets them. The language Morrissey uses is the language one would use in the closings of letters- it is a clever device to show the subtle changing nature of a relationship- where someone is gradually turning away from another- no longer are they signing off their letters with 'love' but rather with the impersonal and formal 'regard' and 'best wishes'. I can totally relate to this because I had a long distance relationship where I had girlfriend who did this to me- she stopped using 'love' and didn't use any closing just her name. He uses similar impersonal language such as 'sincerely' and 'bye bye'.
The conflicted feelings that the narrator feels about the end of the relationship is very human- in one instance, he really does understand the need for the relationship to end and felt the strange need and pressure for this to happen within himself "I really do understand". But the next moment, it appears that this understanding nature takes an act of will to sustain and that he really doesn't understand.
The humor comes into play with the language that Morrissey uses about himself- he's learned his 'lesson' about trying to get someone to love him and is so unloveable and unmemorable by others that he 'never left an impression on anyone.' That's hyperbole alright! And what someone who has been recently rejected sometimes feels.
But the end is the topper. The all caps is like someone would use in a letter to really let someone have it. The narrator, who may have been a milquetoast who let the other person just walk over them finally loses it and stops trying to be polite and understanding and just repeatedly calls the other person a fool. Again, a very human reaction to being dumped.
Sadly, I think I remember Morrissey saying that this was one of his least favorite solo songs. I don't think he has ever performed this in concert. The music is certainly nothing special. But I think he captures the sentiments of one being dumped very well.
@BillyBudd This is one of my top five favorite Morrissey songs. I've always loved it, and it's even my favorite on Viva Hate. I've come to love it even more, because it perfectly describes the dissolution of, and feelings I had regarding an online 'relationship'--if you could call it that--with a fellow fan who first contacted me on out of the blue Morrissey fan forum!
@BillyBudd This is one of my top five favorite Morrissey songs. I've always loved it, and it's even my favorite on Viva Hate. I've come to love it even more, because it perfectly describes the dissolution of, and feelings I had regarding an online 'relationship'--if you could call it that--with a fellow fan who first contacted me on out of the blue Morrissey fan forum!
This is going to be the last song i play when i leave work.
story of my life. it's wierd- one moment you're writing this in your diary, the next minute you find it in a morrissey song.
I don't mind I don't mind if you forget me Having learned my lesson I never left an impression on anyone
woah. powerful lyrics. i felt like i had been let down by a friend...x
It's quite depressing in context but the music is the best! It's so upbeat and happy almost. It's sort of like the narrator is resigned in this feeling of worthlessness and it doesn't bother him at all.
"The pressure to change, to move on Was strange And very strong So this is why I tell you I really do understand BYE BYE"
ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhkjasghslhgaklgjh best morrissey song ever
This song seems like a break up (whether it's friendly or romantic.) They don't want to have you in their life the way you used to anymore, and it hurts but at the same time it's typical and you don't care anymore. (although you do.) I'm not sure if that made sense, but most human emotions don't.
I think you're right, AshesInTheSky.
The song is about a breakup, and it starts with the person hearing from their "ex" (So now you send me your hardened 'regards', When once you'd send me 'Love') who is just sending a friendly letter.
This stirs the person's feelings for the "ex" and they move between depression ("Having learned my lesson, I never left an impression on anyone") to anger they were dumped by them ("REJECTION IS ONE THING, BUT REJECTION FROM A FOOL IS CRUEL").
it's as if he's in denial with the fact that he does care whether he's forgotten or not. And he's saying all these things to make himself feel better. i really feel with this mixed up emotion, like AshesInTheSky said.. you dont care anymore, but you do.
Yes it does seem to be about a break up. And it is hard to overlook the fact that this song is from his first solo album after the Smiths "break up". I like the way the narrator changes attitude in the end, confessing that he is not fine..."You can only be strong for so long" - "I really don't understand this time"