Forgotten – English Lyrics

• By: Linkin Park

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the raw emotion of Linkin Park's "Forgotten" and discover how powerful English lyrics can be. This track from their debut album, *Hybrid Theory*, offers a masterclass in conveying deep feelings of confusion and resilience through vivid metaphors and intense vocal delivery. By exploring its verses, you can learn to express complex internal struggles and appreciate the nuanced artistry of English songwriting, making it a truly special song for language learners.

[English]

From the top to the bottom, the top at

the core of the in the middle of my

thyone

escape me. Why should I care? From the

top to the bottom. In the top at the

core, I got in the middle of my thy

everyone escape me. Why should I care?

It's a place so dark you can't see the

end. Guys back shotgun which can't

defend the rain then sends dripping as

it questions forcefully the power of

suggestion then with the eyes shut

looking through the rust and riding dust

a small spot of light floods the floor

and pours over the rusted world of

pretend and the eyes ease open it's dark

again from the top to the bottom to the

top I stop at the core I forgot in the

middle of my safety pictures there

everyone escap

Heat. Heat.

[Music]

Moving

all around, screaming of the ups and

downs. Pollution manifested in perpetual

sound. The wheels go round and the

sunset grease behind street lamps. Chain

link and concrete. A little piece of

paper with a picture drawn floats on

down the street till the wind is gone.

And the memory now is like the picture

was then. When the paper's crumbled up,

it can't be perfect again. From the top

to the bottom, the top at the core I

forgot. In the middle of my taking for

my safety there everyone escape me. Why

should I care? From the top to the

bottom in the top and the corn in the

middle of my safety

escape me. Heat. Heat.

[Music]

until the sun.

[Music]

Now you got me. You bring the thought

back. Telling you that I see it right

through you. Now you got me. You bring

the thought back. Telling you that I see

it right through you. Now you got me.

You bring the thought back. Telling you

that I see it right through you. Now you

got me.

Telling you that I see it right through

you. Yeah. Heat.

Heat.

Heat.

Heat. Heat.

[Music]

The dark is holding me tight

until the sun rises up.

[Music]

[Applause]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
core /kɔːr/ B1	noun - the central part of something; the innermost part
escape /ɪˈskeɪp/ B1	verb - to get away from something or someone; to avoid capture noun - a successful act of getting away; a means of getting out
darkness /ˈdɑːrknɪs/ B2	noun - the state of having little or no light; gloom
rust /rʌst/ B2	noun - the reddish‑brown flaky coating formed on iron or steel by oxidation verb - to become covered with rust; to deteriorate
perpetual /pərˈpɛtʃuəl/ C1	adjective - continuing forever; never ending
concrete /ˈkɒŋkriːt/ B2	noun - a building material made from cement, water, and aggregates adjective - specific, real, not abstract
pollution /pəˈluːʃən/ B2	noun - the presence of harmful substances in the environment
memory /ˈmɛməri/ B1	noun - the ability to store, retain, and recall information
suggestion /səˈdʒɛstʃən/ B2	noun - an idea or plan put forward for consideration
flood /flʌd/ B1	noun - an overflow of water that covers land that is normally dry verb - to overwhelm or cover with a large amount of something
spot /spɒt/ A2	noun - a small round mark or a particular place
safety /ˈseɪfti/ B1	noun - the condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger
heat /hiːt/ A2	noun - the quality of being hot; temperature verb - to make or become hot
scream /skriːm/ B1	verb - to emit a loud, high-pitched cry noun - a loud, piercing cry
hold /hoʊld/ A2	verb - to keep or carry something in one's grasp noun - a grip or grasp
rise /raɪz/ B1	verb - to move upward; to get up noun - an upward movement; an increase
picture /ˈpɪktʃər/ A2	noun - a visual representation made by drawing, painting, or photography
wind /wɪnd/ A2	noun - the natural movement of air, especially when it is strong

Key Grammar Structures

• Why should I care?

  ➔ Modal verb ‘should’ + base verb in a question to ask for advice or expectation.

  ➔ The modal "should" expresses expectation; "care" is the base verb.

• It's a place so dark you can't see the end.

  ➔ Result clause with ‘so … that’ + negative modal ‘can’t’ + base verb.

  ➔ "so" + adjective + "that" introduces a result; "can't" is the negative form of "can" + base verb "see".

• Moving all around, screaming of the ups and downs.

  ➔ Present‑participle (‑ing) clauses used as adverbial modifiers.

  ➔ "Moving" and "screaming" are present‑participles that describe simultaneous actions.

• A little piece of paper with a picture drawn floats on down the street till the wind is gone.

  ➔ Relative clause with past participle ‘drawn’; temporal clause ‘till’ + simple present.

  ➔ "with a picture **drawn**" is a reduced relative clause using the past participle; "till the wind **is** gone" is a temporal clause with simple present.

• When the paper's crumbled up, it can't be perfect again.

  ➔ Passive voice ‘is crumbled up’; modal ‘can’t’ + be + adjective.

  ➔ "is **crumbled up**" is a passive construction; "can't **be** perfect" uses the modal ‘can’t’ + base verb ‘be’ + adjective.

• Now you got me.

  ➔ Simple past ‘got’ used informally for ‘have got’ (present perfect meaning).

  ➔ "got" here functions like "have got" meaning ‘understand/hold’; it's informal past‑tense usage.

• You bring the thought back, telling you that I see it right through you.

  ➔ Reporting clause with gerund ‘telling’ introducing a subordinate clause.

  ➔ "telling" functions as a gerund clause that adds information about the main action "bring"; the subordinate clause begins with "that".

• The dark is holding me tight until the sun rises up.

  ➔ Present continuous ‘is holding’; temporal clause with ‘until’ + simple present.

  ➔ "is **holding**" shows an ongoing action; "until the sun **rises** up" marks the time limit with a present‑simple verb.