Released: November 9, 2004

Songwriter: Tony “Prof-T” Tolbert Jimmy Jam Terry Lewis

Producer: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis

[Spoken Intro: Michael Bivins]
Man
(oh yeah)
I don't know what I'm gonna say to her, Rizz, ya know?
(ooh yeah)
I ain't ever been through nuttin' like this
This was my heart, man
I just gotta step up and just be a man about it
(listen)

[Verse 1: Ralph Tresvant]
Flashback
Time passed
And nothing's the same
Lost our
Love in
Too many games
And girl I hope that you
Forgot about
The reasons you forgave
But the memories don't seem to go away

[Chorus]
No, I never ever meant to hurt you
No I never meant to make you cry
And I wish I could erase the heartache
And turn back the hands of time
And I'm sorry that you're still reminded
Wish I could just rewrite it
Our short stories last so long
Rewrite the memories

[Interlude: Ronnie DeVoe]
It's crazy
I wish I can do it all again

[Verse 2: Johnny Gill + (Ricky Bell)]
So much
To talk about
(that's right)
But nothing to say
(nothin to say)
'Cause words are
So empty
When you feel betrayed
(when you feel betrayed)
I can't find a way (oh)
To justify
The reason I just lied
(why)
But I did it all to spare you any pain
Oh yeah

[Chorus: Ralph + (Ricky) + Johnny]
'Cause I never ever meant to hurt you
(never meant to hurt you)
No I never meant to make you cry
(never meant to make you cry)
And I wish I could erase the heartache
(heartache)
And turn back the hands of time
And I'm sorry that you're still reminded
Wish I could just rewrite it
(said I'm sorry)
Our short stories last so long
(last so long)
Rewrite the memories

[Interlude: Ronnie + (Ralph) + Johnny]
Baby, I know you hurting
Just pick up the phone
(Back where we used to be)
(Back where this used to be)
Baby, just talk to me

[Johnny & Ricky]
Oh baby let me hold you and rewind
And I won't make that silly mistake twice
Please hold me 'cause I need you in my life

[Chorus]
No, I never ever meant to hurt you
No, I never meant to make you cry
And I wish I could erase the heartache
(Wish I, yeah, yeah)
And turn back the hands of time
(turn back the hands of time)
And I'm sorry that you're still reminded
(I'm so, I'm so sorry that you're still reminded)
If could just rewrite it
Our short stories last so long
And I'm sorry that you're still reminded
Wish could just rewrite it
(Never meant to make you cry)
Our short stories last so long
Rewrite the memories
(Rewrite the memories)
(Never meant to make you cry)
Get back where we used to be
(Back where we used to be)
(I wanna turn back the hands of time)

[Ralph]
If I could just rewrite it
I would just rewrite it
If I could just rewrite it
I'd rewrite our memories

[Outro: Mike + (Ricky) + Ralph]
Y'all just don't understand
(sorry)
To have somebody real close to you
(sorry for the pain)
When you lose that trust
You basically lose everything
(Ah, suga no, no no no)

New Edition

New Edition is a Boston-based R&B group that was seen as the inspiration of the boy bands that followed them during the 1980s and 1990s. The group initially consisted of Ralph Tresvant, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe. They released their debut album Candy Girl in 1983 after being discovered by producer Maurice Starr. This album yielded the hits “Candy Girl,” “Popcorn Love,” and “Is This the End.” After a financial dispute, New Edition cut ties with Starr and released their second album New Edition in 1984, which features two of their biggest “Cool It Now” and “Mr. Telephone Man.” In November 1985, they released All for Love featuring the hits “Count Me Out” and “A Little Bit of Love (Is All It Takes)” and one month later released Christmas All Over the World.

Before the end of 1985, the group decided to vote Bobby Brown out of the group for his disruptive behavior. After their 1986 doo-wop cover album Under the Blue Moon, lead singer Ralph Tresvant was considering a solo career as the group’s direction was in question. In 1987, Johnny Gill was added to the group and the quintet went on to create their most popular album Heart Break with producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis in 1988. This album was released on June 20, 1988—the same day as Bobby Brown’s Don’t Be Cruel—and features two more of their biggest “If It Isn’t Love” and “Can You Stand the Rain.”

In 1990, Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill and Bell Biv Devoe all went on to have successful hits. Among these hits was the remix to BBD’s “Word to the Mutha,” which was the first song to feature all six members. After a hiatus, all six members came together in 1996 to create the album Home Again, which hit #1 on the Billboard 200 and was a multi-platinum success. After some friction on the Home Again tour, Bobby Brown decided to depart the group again. In 2004, after leaving their longtime label MCA Records, New Edition signed with Bad Boy Records and released the album One Love but they left Bad Boy a year later due to a lack of promotion. The group continues to tour together and sell out shows after 30 years in the business. The group was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 23, 2017—one day ahead of the BET premiere of their 3-night mini-series The New Edition Story.