"Forgive" is a song by American country music singer-songwriter Rebecca Lynn Howard, written by Howard and Trey Bruce, who co-produced the track with Mark Wright. The track debuted to country radio on May 6, 2002, as the lead and only single from her second studio album of the same name via MCA Nashville. It was also included on the soundtrack to the NBC drama series Providence.[3]

"Forgive"
Single by Rebecca Lynn Howard
from the album Forgive
B-side"Pink Flamingo Kind of Love"[2]
ReleasedMay 6, 2002[1]
GenreCountry
Length3:58
LabelMCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Rebecca Lynn Howard singles chronology
"I Don't Paint Myself into Corners"
(2000)
"Forgive"
(2002)
"What a Shame"
(2003)

The track became a big success for Howard, peaking at number 12 on the US Hot Country Songs chart; it is to date her only top-40 entry on the chart.[2] A video was also released, which became successful. Howard and Bruce would be nominated at the 38th Academy of Country Music Awards in 2003 for Song of the Year as songwriters;[4] they ended up losing the award to Phillip Brian White and David Vincent Williams' "I'm Movin' On".

Content

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The narrator sings about an unfaithful partner who questions why she can't forgive him. The song was inspired by one of Howard's friends, who was going through a divorce at the time and gave Howard permission to use the details regarding that time.[5]

Music video

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Morgan Lawley directed the music video for "Forgive". The video debuted to CMT on May 5, 2002.[6] It was nominated at the 2003 CMT Flameworthy Awards for Female Video of the Year.[7] The video ended up losing to Martina McBride's "Concrete Angel".

Critical reception

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Maria Konicki Dinoia of AllMusic called the song "chill-inducing" and a "masterpiece" in her review of the album.[8]

Commercial performance

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"Forgive" entered the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart the week of May 11, 2002, at number 56, becoming the second highest debut of the week. The track entered the top-40 of the chart the week of June 29, 2002, at number 40, marking Howard's first and only entry into the top-forty. "Forgive" would peak at number 12 on the chart on November 23, 2002 in its twenty-ninth week despite losing airplay.[9] The song would spent 30 weeks in total.

"Forgive" debuted on Radio & Records's Country chart on May 17, 2002, at number 46.[10] The song reached number ten on the chart the week of November 15, 2002.[11] "Forgive" spent 29 weeks on the chart, its final being on November 29, 2002 at number 29.[12]

Track listing

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All lyrics are written by Rebecca Lynn Howard and Trey Bruce

7" single
No.TitleLength
1."Forgive"3:58
2."Pink Flamingo Kind of Love"3:06

Charts

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References

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  1. ^ "Going for Adds: Country". Radio & Records. No. 1451. May 3, 2002. p. 30.
  2. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  3. ^ Providence (Music from the Television Series) (CD booklet). Various musical artists. MCA Nashville Records. 2002. 170 302-2
  4. ^ "Keith tops country music nominees". The Robesonian. March 5, 2003. Retrieved August 16, 2024 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Zitz, Michael (February 27, 2003). "Rebecca Lynn Howard: 'Forgive,' Don't Forget". The Free Lance-Star. pp. 8, 10. Retrieved August 16, 2024 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Video Monitor: New Ons". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 20. Nielsen Business Media. May 18, 2002. p. 73. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 16, 2024 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "CMT.com: Final Nominees". CMT Music Awards. August 6, 2002. Archived from the original on August 6, 2002. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  8. ^ Dinoia, Maria Konicki. "Forgive". Allmusic. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  9. ^ "Hot Country Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 47. Nielsen Business Media. November 23, 2002. p. 32. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 16, 2024 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ "R&R Country Top 50". Radio & Records. No. 1453. May 17, 2002. p. 60.
  11. ^ a b "R&R Country Top 50". Radio & Records. No. 1479. November 15, 2002. p. 45.
  12. ^ "R&R Country Top 50". Radio & Records. No. 1481. November 29, 2002. p. 47.
  13. ^ "Rebecca Lynn Howard Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  14. ^ "Rebecca Lynn Howard Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  15. ^ "Best of 2002: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2002. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  16. ^ "Country: Top 100 of 2002". Radio & Records. No. 1483. December 13, 2002. p. 63.