Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato Lyrics Meaning – The Anthem of Triumph over Tribulation

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Demi Lovato's Sorry Not Sorry at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Payback is a bad bitch
And baby, I’m the baddest
I’m the baddest, I’m the baddest
Go

Now I’m out here looking like revenge
Feelin’ like a ten, the best I ever been
And yeah, I know how bad it must hurt
To see me like this, but it gets worse (wait a minute)
Now you’re out here looking like regret
Ain’t too proud to beg, second chance you’ll never get
And yeah, I know how bad it must hurt to see me like this
But it gets worse (wait a minute)

Now payback is a bad bitch
And baby, I’m the baddest
You fuckin’ with a savage
Can’t have this, can’t have this (ah)
And it’d be nice of me to take it easy on ya, but nah

Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Being so bad got me feelin’ so good
Showing you up like I knew that I would
Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Feeling inspired ’cause the tables have turned
Yeah, I’m on fire and I know that it burns

Baby, fineness is the way to kill
Tell me how it feel, bet it’s such a bitter pill
And yeah, I know you thought you had bigger, better things
Bet right now this stings (wait a minute)
‘Cause the grass is greener under me
Bright as Technicolor, I can tell that you can see
And yeah, I know how bad it must hurt to see me like this
But it gets worse (wait a minute)

Now payback is a bad bitch
And baby, I’m the baddest
You fuckin’ with a savage
Can’t have this, can’t have this (ah)
And it’d be nice of me to take it easy on ya, but nah

Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Being so bad got me feelin’ so good
Showing you up like I knew that I would
Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Feeling inspired ’cause the tables have turned
Yeah, I’m on fire and I know that it burns

Talk that talk, baby
Better walk, better walk that walk, baby
If you talk, if you talk that talk, baby
Better walk, better walk that walk, baby
Oh yeah
Talk that talk, baby
Better walk, better walk that walk, baby
If you talk, if you talk that talk, baby
Better walk, better walk that walk, baby (oh yeah)

Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Being so bad got me feelin’ so good
Showing you up like I knew that I would
Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Baby, I’m sorry (I’m not sorry)
Feeling inspired ’cause the tables have turned
Yeah, I’m on fire and I know that it burns

Payback is a bad bitch
And baby, I’m the baddest
I’m the baddest, I’m the baddest

Demi Lovato’s 2017 hit ‘Sorry Not Sorry’ isn’t just a single on the charts; it’s an audacious declaration of independence and self-empowerment. With a gospel of self-confidence and the release of personal demons, Lovato turns pain into a celebration of growth. The infectious beat, paired with the singer’s formidable vocals, hides layers of meaning in plain sight, making it a deceptively profound piece in pop’s modern landscape.

Dig beneath the surface, and one finds a nuanced reflection on the aftermath of a toxic relationship, the joy of self-realization, and the reclaiming of power. The repeated mantra of being ‘sorry, not sorry’ is less about the pettiness of payback and more about a cathartic evolution from the ashes of past hurts.

The Sweet Taste of Revenge – But Not in the Way You Think

At first listen, ‘Sorry Not Sorry’ may come off as a vengeful anthem — an ‘I win, you lose’ to an unnamed antagonist. However, the true revenge here is not aimed at another person, but at the self-doubt and insecurity that once dwelled within the artist. Lovato takes the saying ‘living well is the best revenge’ and cranks it up to eleven, embodying a newfound strength that speaks less to spite and more to an inner victory.

In transforming personal growth into a lyrical powerhouse, Lovato transcends the bonds of bitterness. She focuses instead on the transformation from vulnerability to victorious. It’s a shift that offers listeners their own moment of liberation — a shared empowerment that transcends the personal narrative.

Unpacking the Hidden Meanings Within Pop Anthems

‘Sorry Not Sorry’ doesn’t just ride on the surface of moving on; it dives into the shifts in self-perception when one sheds the weight of toxic relationships. Every lyric pulses with the theme of rebirth and being unapologetically oneself, without the shadows of others dimming that light.

Lovato’s choice of words ‘payback is a bad bitch’ alludes to karma, suggesting a cosmic force that eventually rights wrongs. Yet, Demi flips the script, asserting that the tangible karma is in her own transformation. The ‘baddest’ isn’t about inflicting harm but achieving a level of self-assurance that is untouchable and fierce.

The Power Play of Confidence: A Closer Look at Lovato’s Fierceness

Demi Lovato takes listeners to church with the gospel-infused pop tune that demands you bow to the altar of self-love. The ‘bad bitch’ she has become is not an act of cruelty but one of command — taking charge of her narrative and flipping past pain into a resilient manifesto.

The song is a flag planted firmly in the ground, stating that the power they now possess cannot be shaken. Confidence is the new currency, and in ‘Sorry Not Sorry,’ Demi is the wealthiest of them all, with wealth measured in self-worth and liberation.

Colorful, Candid, and Catchy: The Memorable Lines We Can’t Forget

‘Being so bad got me feelin’ so good’ – this line etches itself into the brain, a catchy, in-your-face motto for anyone who’s emerged stronger from adversity. Lovato captures the paradoxical truth that sometimes, embracing our so-called ‘bad’ side – our assertive, no-nonsense persona – is the key to feeling phenomenal.

This lyrical hook also plays beautifully to the contrasting traditional views dictating how one ‘should’ behave, especially post-breakup. Instead of wallowing, Lovato chooses revelry in strength. Lyrically, she throws the rulebook out the window, and sonically, she invites us to dance on the broken glass.

Setting the World on Fire: The Inferno of Transformation in ‘Sorry Not Sorry’

‘Yeah, I’m on fire and I know that it burns.’ With this searing image, Lovato conveys the transformative power of self-realization. The artist isn’t just moving on — she’s evolving, growing fiercer and brighter, a phoenix rising from the flames of her former self.

It’s a blaze that serves as a beacon to those still entangled in their struggles. Lovato’s ‘fire’ is an invitation to burn away the old and embrace a radiant future where one needs not apologize for being their most resplendent self. The message is clear: the burn is not of destruction, but purification and rebirth.