I'll Forgive And I'll Try To Forget lyrics by Foster And Allen
This song was also recorded by Irish country singers Colette along with Margo and Hugo Duncan. The guitar chords are in the same key that Foster And Allen [ songs ] play the song in. This is basically a simple 2 chord job by the boys changed the key half way through the song. You don't have to change the key and can continue playing it in A all the way through if you want.
It's ten years since you told me you loved me
but alas you have broken your vow
My head it is bent down with sorrow
and my heart it is lonely right now.
Then why did you try to deceive me
When you knew in my heart it was true
True to you who are now going to leave me
I'm parting forever from you.
I'll take back every fond word once spoken
Let it be as we never had met,
And I will return every token
I'll forgive and I'll try to forget.
Oh do you remember the evening
When the moon through the trees it did shine
With a smile and a kiss as a token
You promise that you would be mine
I'll give back every fond little token,
First the ring and the lock of your hair
And the card with your picture upon it
Of the face that is false as it's fair.
I'll take back every fond word once spoken
Let it be as we never had met,
And I will return every token
I'll forgive and I'll try to forget.
but alas you have broken your vow
My head it is bent down with sorrow
and my heart it is lonely right now.
Then why did you try to deceive me
When you knew in my heart it was true
True to you who are now going to leave me
I'm parting forever from you.
I'll take back every fond word once spoken
Let it be as we never had met,
And I will return every token
I'll forgive and I'll try to forget.
Oh do you remember the evening
When the moon through the trees it did shine
With a smile and a kiss as a token
You promise that you would be mine
I'll give back every fond little token,
First the ring and the lock of your hair
And the card with your picture upon it
Of the face that is false as it's fair.
I'll take back every fond word once spoken
Let it be as we never had met,
And I will return every token
I'll forgive and I'll try to forget.
Chords as played by Foster And Allen
Intro chords A E A
[A]It's ten years since you [E]told me you loved me
but alas you have broken your [A]vow
My head it is bent down with [E]sorrow
and my [A]heart it is [E]lonely right [A]now.
[A]Then why did you try to de[E]ceive me
When you knew in my heart it was [A]true
True to you who are now going to [E]leave me
I'm [A]parting for[E]ever from [A]you.
I'll [A]take back every fond word once [E]spoken
Let it be as we never had [A]met,
And I will return every [E]token
I'll for[A]give and I'll [E]try to for[A]get.[E][A]
Oh [Bb]do you remember the [F]evening
[Cm]When the [F]moon through the trees it did [Bb]shine
With a smile and a kiss as a [F]token
You [Bb]promise that [F]you would be [Bb]mine
I'll [Bb]give back every fond little [F]token,
[Cm]First the [F]ring and the lock of your [Bb]hair
And the card with your picture u[F]pon it
Of the [Bb]face that is [F]false as it's [Bb]fair.
[F]I'll take [Bb]back every fond word once [F]spoken
Let it be as we never had[Bb] met,
And I will return every [F]token
I'll for[Bb]give and I'll [F]try to for[Bb]get.
Bb F Bb
Intro chords A E A
[A]It's ten years since you [E]told me you loved me
but alas you have broken your [A]vow
My head it is bent down with [E]sorrow
and my [A]heart it is [E]lonely right [A]now.
[A]Then why did you try to de[E]ceive me
When you knew in my heart it was [A]true
True to you who are now going to [E]leave me
I'm [A]parting for[E]ever from [A]you.
I'll [A]take back every fond word once [E]spoken
Let it be as we never had [A]met,
And I will return every [E]token
I'll for[A]give and I'll [E]try to for[A]get.[E][A]
Oh [Bb]do you remember the [F]evening
[Cm]When the [F]moon through the trees it did [Bb]shine
With a smile and a kiss as a [F]token
You [Bb]promise that [F]you would be [Bb]mine
I'll [Bb]give back every fond little [F]token,
[Cm]First the [F]ring and the lock of your [Bb]hair
And the card with your picture u[F]pon it
Of the [Bb]face that is [F]false as it's [Bb]fair.
[F]I'll take [Bb]back every fond word once [F]spoken
Let it be as we never had[Bb] met,
And I will return every [F]token
I'll for[Bb]give and I'll [F]try to for[Bb]get.
Bb F Bb
Foster And Allen Song I'll forgive and try to forget
Below you’ll find:
✅ Full song transposed to G major
🎸 Waltz strumming pattern (3/4 time)
🎵 Fingerpicking tab for all verses
🎼 Transposed Version — G Major
Time signature: 3/4 (waltz)
Tempo: ~65–70 BPM (slow, expressive)
Verse 1
[G]It’s ten years since you [D]told me you loved me
But alas you have broken your [G]vow
My head it is bent down with [D]sorrow
And my [G]heart it is [D]lonely right [G]now.
Verse 2
[G]Then why did you try to de[D]ceive me
When you knew in my heart it was [G]true
True to you who are now going to [D]leave me
I'm [G]parting for[D]ever from [G]you.
Verse 3
[G]I'll take back every fond word once [D]spoken
Let it be as we never had [G]met
And I will return every [D]token
I'll for[G]give and I'll [D]try to for[G]get.
Verse 4
[G]Oh do you remember the [D]evening
When the moon through the trees it did [G]shine
With a smile and a kiss as a [D]token
You [G]promised that [D]you would be [G]mine.
Verse 5
[G]I’ll give back every fond little [D]token
First the ring and the lock of your [G]hair
And the card with your picture up[D]on it
Of the [G]face that is [D]false as it’s [G]fair.
Verse 6 (Repeat of Verse 3)
[G]I'll take back every fond word once [D]spoken
Let it be as we never had [G]met
And I will return every [D]token
I'll for[G]give and I'll [D]try to for[G]get.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 Waltz Feel)
Count: “ONE–two–three, ONE–two–three”
Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
1 2& 3&
Beat 1: Downstroke on bass (root note)
Beats 2 & 3: Gentle down–up on treble strings
Keep your wrist soft and your tone round — this is a slow waltz, not a march.
Bass Alternation (optional for fullness):
G → alternate 6th → 4th string
D → 4th → 3rd string
That creates the “boom-chick-chick” feel of classic Irish & country waltzes.
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (for all verses)
Here’s a rolling arpeggio pattern (3/4 time) that fits every line.
Each bar follows thumb → index → middle (p–i–m) softly.
Fingerpicking Pattern
For each measure:
Beat 1: Thumb plays bass
Beat 2: Index plays G string
Beat 3: Middle plays B string
🎶 Tab – All Verses
G D G
e|--------3-------------3-------|--------2-------------2-------|--------3-------------3-------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----|------3---3---------3---3-----|------0---0---------0---0-----|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---|----2-------2-----2-------2---|----0-------0-----0-------0---|
D|--0-----------0---------------|--0-----------0---------------|--0-----------0---------------|
A|----------------2--------------|------------------------------|----------------2--------------|
E|-3------------------------------|------------------------------|-3------------------------------|
It’s ten years since you told me you loved me, but alas you have broken your vow.
G D G
e|--------3-------------3-------|--------2-------------2-------|--------3-------------3-------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----|------3---3---------3---3-----|------0---0---------0---0-----|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---|----2-------2-----2-------2---|----0-------0-----0-------0---|
D|--0-----------0---------------|--0-----------0---------------|--0-----------0---------------|
A|----------------2--------------|------------------------------|----------------2--------------|
E|-3------------------------------|------------------------------|-3------------------------------|
My head it is bent down with sorrow, and my heart it is lonely right now.
The same picking pattern continues naturally for every verse and line.
🎶 Example (Verse 2)
G D G
e|--------3-------------3-------|--------2-------------2-------|--------3-------------3-------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----|------3---3---------3---3-----|------0---0---------0---0-----|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---|----2-------2-----2-------2---|----0-------0-----0-------0---|
D|--0-----------0---------------|--0-----------0---------------|--0-----------0---------------|
A|----------------2--------------|------------------------------|----------------2--------------|
E|-3------------------------------|------------------------------|-3------------------------------|
Then why did you try to deceive me, when you knew in my heart it was true.
✅ Full song transposed to G major
🎸 Waltz strumming pattern (3/4 time)
🎵 Fingerpicking tab for all verses
🎼 Transposed Version — G Major
Time signature: 3/4 (waltz)
Tempo: ~65–70 BPM (slow, expressive)
Verse 1
[G]It’s ten years since you [D]told me you loved me
But alas you have broken your [G]vow
My head it is bent down with [D]sorrow
And my [G]heart it is [D]lonely right [G]now.
Verse 2
[G]Then why did you try to de[D]ceive me
When you knew in my heart it was [G]true
True to you who are now going to [D]leave me
I'm [G]parting for[D]ever from [G]you.
Verse 3
[G]I'll take back every fond word once [D]spoken
Let it be as we never had [G]met
And I will return every [D]token
I'll for[G]give and I'll [D]try to for[G]get.
Verse 4
[G]Oh do you remember the [D]evening
When the moon through the trees it did [G]shine
With a smile and a kiss as a [D]token
You [G]promised that [D]you would be [G]mine.
Verse 5
[G]I’ll give back every fond little [D]token
First the ring and the lock of your [G]hair
And the card with your picture up[D]on it
Of the [G]face that is [D]false as it’s [G]fair.
Verse 6 (Repeat of Verse 3)
[G]I'll take back every fond word once [D]spoken
Let it be as we never had [G]met
And I will return every [D]token
I'll for[G]give and I'll [D]try to for[G]get.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 Waltz Feel)
Count: “ONE–two–three, ONE–two–three”
Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
1 2& 3&
Beat 1: Downstroke on bass (root note)
Beats 2 & 3: Gentle down–up on treble strings
Keep your wrist soft and your tone round — this is a slow waltz, not a march.
Bass Alternation (optional for fullness):
G → alternate 6th → 4th string
D → 4th → 3rd string
That creates the “boom-chick-chick” feel of classic Irish & country waltzes.
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (for all verses)
Here’s a rolling arpeggio pattern (3/4 time) that fits every line.
Each bar follows thumb → index → middle (p–i–m) softly.
Fingerpicking Pattern
For each measure:
Beat 1: Thumb plays bass
Beat 2: Index plays G string
Beat 3: Middle plays B string
🎶 Tab – All Verses
G D G
e|--------3-------------3-------|--------2-------------2-------|--------3-------------3-------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----|------3---3---------3---3-----|------0---0---------0---0-----|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---|----2-------2-----2-------2---|----0-------0-----0-------0---|
D|--0-----------0---------------|--0-----------0---------------|--0-----------0---------------|
A|----------------2--------------|------------------------------|----------------2--------------|
E|-3------------------------------|------------------------------|-3------------------------------|
It’s ten years since you told me you loved me, but alas you have broken your vow.
G D G
e|--------3-------------3-------|--------2-------------2-------|--------3-------------3-------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----|------3---3---------3---3-----|------0---0---------0---0-----|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---|----2-------2-----2-------2---|----0-------0-----0-------0---|
D|--0-----------0---------------|--0-----------0---------------|--0-----------0---------------|
A|----------------2--------------|------------------------------|----------------2--------------|
E|-3------------------------------|------------------------------|-3------------------------------|
My head it is bent down with sorrow, and my heart it is lonely right now.
The same picking pattern continues naturally for every verse and line.
🎶 Example (Verse 2)
G D G
e|--------3-------------3-------|--------2-------------2-------|--------3-------------3-------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----|------3---3---------3---3-----|------0---0---------0---0-----|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---|----2-------2-----2-------2---|----0-------0-----0-------0---|
D|--0-----------0---------------|--0-----------0---------------|--0-----------0---------------|
A|----------------2--------------|------------------------------|----------------2--------------|
E|-3------------------------------|------------------------------|-3------------------------------|
Then why did you try to deceive me, when you knew in my heart it was true.
