According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.

com by Universal Music

Publishing Group, the song is composed in the key of E ♭ major with a moderately
fast tempo of 100 beats per minute. Bieber's vocals range from the note
of Eb4 to Bb5.[16] "Sorry" is a dancehall-pop[17] and tropical house song.[18][19][20] It contains a
"smooth but electrifying EDM beat, incorporating "brassy horn bleats",[21] a reggaeton
rhythm,[22] warm island rhythms[23] and a dembow riddim beat.[24] It starts with a lone piano
note before a distinct motif, most precisely a high-pitched coo, takes over.[25] Bieber uses
a smooth falsetto during the track.[26] Bianca Gracie of Idolator drew parallels between
"Sorry" and previous single "What Do You Mean?" for sharing "a similar tropical pop
route" and found there were "a few more spritz of sweet, beachy and dancehall-inspired
notes".[27] Many critics also found sonic similarities between both songs.[19][20][28]
Lyrically, the song is a plea "for a chance to apologize to an unidentified lover", [29] with
Bieber asking forgiveness, "saying that he misses 'more than just [her] body'" and
"hoping they can 'both say the words and forget this.'"[21] During the song, he sings: "I
know you know that I made those mistakes maybe once or twice/ By once or twice I
mean maybe a couple of hundred times. So let me, so let me redeem myself tonight/
Because I just need one more shot, a second chance."[21] Andrew Unterbgerger
of Spin noted that on the track, "Bieber's still a little too proud to beg; he undercuts the
penitence of his verses by deflecting 'You know there are no innocents in this game for
two,' and never actually delivering the titular apology, merely asking if doing so would
still be productive."[30]
Regarding its lyrics, Sheldon Pearce of Complex found it to be "sincere", while Amy
Davidson of Digital Spy thought the opposite, considering it an unapologetic
song.[31]Meanwhile, Jamieson Cox of The Verge wondered, "Is he singing to an ex or to
listeners around the world?"[32] Julia Michaels, one of its songwriters, claimed that, "We
were just trying to capture that moment in a relationship or a particular moment in your
life where you realize you made a mistake and you're finally ready to admit it and
apologize."[13]Later, Bieber admitted that the song was not an apology for his past
transgressions, explaining: "People ran with that—that I was like, apologizing with that
song and stuff. It really had nothing to do with that. ... It was about a girl." [33] Later, he
confirmed that the girl in question was his ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez.[34]
Menurut lembaran musik yang diterbitkan di Musicnotes.com oleh Universal MusicPublishin
g Group, lagu terdiri di kunci E ♭ utama dengan tempo cukup cepat 100 denyut per menit. B
ieber's vokal berkisar dari catatan Eb4 untuk Bb5. [16] "Maaf" adalah dancehall-pop
[17] dan lagu rumah tropis. [18] [19] [20] berisi "halus tetapi electrifying EDM mengalahkan,
menggabungkan"kurang ajar tanduk bleats",
[21] reggaeton irama, irama hangat pulau [22] [23] dan dembow riddim mengalahkan. [24] di
mulai dengan catatan piano lone sebelum motif berbeda, paling tepat coo bernada
tinggi, mengambil alih. [25] Bieber menggunakan falsetto halus selama lagu. [26] BiancaGraci
e Idolator menarik paralel antara "Maaf" dan sebelumnya single "Apa maksudmu?" untuk ber
bagi "sama tropis pop rute" dan menemukan ada "spritz lebih sedikit manis, beachy dan teri
nspirasi
dancehall catatan". [27] Banyak kritikus juga ditemukan sonik kesamaan antara dua lagu. [19]
[20] [28]

Lirik, lagu adalah permohonan "untuk kesempatan untuk meminta

maaf untuk kekasih yang teridentifikasi",
[29] dengan Bieber meminta pengampunan, "mengatakanbahwa ia merindukan 'lebih dari se
kadar [Nya] tubuh'" dan "berharap mereka dapat'baik mengucapkan kata-
kata dan melupakan ini.'" [21] selama lagu, ia bernyanyi: "Aku tahu kau tahu bahwa aku mem
buat kesalahan-kesalahan tersebut mungkin sekali atau dua kali / sekali atau dua
kali saya maksud mungkin beberapa ratus kali. Jadibiarkan aku, jadi biarkan aku menebus diri
malam
/ karena aku hanya perlu satu lagiditembak, kesempatan kedua." [21] Andrew Unterbgerger
dari Spin mencatat bahwa pada lagu, "Bieber's masih sedikit terlalu bangga untuk memohon;
Dia memotongpenyesalan ayatnya oleh membelokkan 'Anda tahu ada tidak ada yang tidak
bersalah dalam permainan ini untuk dua', dan tidak pernah benar-
benar memberikan permintaan
maaf tituler, hanya meminta jika melakukan begitu akan tetap produktif." [30]

Mengenai lirik, Sheldon Pearce kompleks menemukan itu menjadi "tulus", sedangkan Amy D
avidson dari Digital Spy berpikir sebaliknya, mempertimbangkan sebuah lagu menyesal. [31]
Sementara itu, Jamieson Cox dari The Verge bertanya-
tanya, "Apakah ia bernyanyi untuk mantan atau pendengar di seluruh dunia?" [32] Julia Mich
aels, salah satu penulis-
lagu nya, menyatakan bahwa, "Kami hanya mencoba untuk menangkap saat itu dalam sebua
h hubungan atau saat tertentu dalam hidup Anda yang mana Anda menyadari Anda membu
at kesalahan dan Anda akhirnya siap untuk mengakuinya dan meminta
maaf." [13] kemudian, Bieber mengakui bahwa lagu itu bukan permintaan
maaf untuk melewati pelanggaran, menjelaskan: "orang-orang berlari dengan itu —
bahwa I was seperti, meminta maaf dengan lagu dan hal-hal. Itu benar-
benar tidak ada hubungannya dengan itu. ... Itu adalah tentang seoranggadis." [33] kemudia
n, dia menegaskan bahwa gadis bersangkutan adalah mantan pacar Selena Gomez. [34]
"Sorry" Lyrics Meaning
Thankfully, before anyone can discount "Sorry" as just another Bieber dance
hit, Justin Bieber himself explained to a Nova937 reporter that "Sorry" is
more than just about a girl:

"I just want to let people know that for a while I feel like I lost my purpose
and I’m gaining it back… and I feel like it’s so important that everyone finds
their purpose… so basically my message is that no matter how far you feel
away from who you were, or who you think you were, or whether you’re lost,
there’s always room to grow and always room to find your purpose.”

And to add to Bieber's statement, his co-writers Julia Michaels and Justin
Tranter say on Genius.com that "[w]e were just trying to capture that moment
in a relationship or a particular moment in your life where you realize you
made a mistake and you’re finally ready to admit it and apologize"
(Michaels) and that "[t]ruly saying sorry is never easy to do, and when you
are you just hope it’s not too late" (Tranter).

These three together point to "Sorry" being a turnaround point for Justin
Bieber and to what was a lifestyle that seemed to be spiraling out of control
last year [some examples including vandalism, brawling, pranks, spitting on
people, and groping a fan].

As for the lyrics themselves, in Verse 1, Bieber sings, "You gotta go and get
/ Angry at all of my honesty." He's afraid that when he admits his
wrongdoing he won't be accepted by the girl/his listeners. He sings, "You
know I try but I don't do too well with apologies," to excuse his own self-
centeredness. The rest of the verse is a plea for "one more shot at
forgiveness" and an acknowledgment that he didn't make those mistakes just
"once or twice" but "[m]aybe a couple a hundred times."
He finishes by asking for the chance to "redeem [himself] tonight." I don't
think this is necessarily a plea for sex, but the reference to "tonight" does
leave the possibility open. If that's the case, Bieber wants to prove that his
love for this girl is strong. If it's not the case, he merely wants to spend time
with her.

Interestingly he asks for "one more shot at second chances," which would
make this a plea for third, fourth, or maybe fifth chances. Or if his "couple a
hundred times" is accurate, the number could be higher.

In the Pre-Chorus, Bieber sings, "Is it too late now to say sorry?" He doesn't
want to miss out on the chance to get back together with her because he's
"missing more than just [her] body." While he admits here that he is missing
her body, he's telling her that it's not just about sex. He admits, "Yeah, I
know that I let you down," but in the Chorus he wants her to forgive him
when he sings, "I'm sorry, yeah / Sorry, yeah / Sorry / Yeah, I know that I let
you down / Is it too late to say I'm sorry now."
 JUSTIN BIEBER LYRICS
Play "Sorry"
"Sorry"

You gotta go and get angry at all of my honesty

You know I try but I don't do too well with apologies
I hope I don't run out of time. Could someone call a referee?
'Cause I just need one more shot at forgiveness

I know you know that I made those mistakes maybe once or twice
And by once or twice I mean maybe a couple of hundred times
So let me, oh, let me redeem, oh, redeem, oh, myself tonight
'Cause I just need one more shot, second chances

Yeah
Is it too late now to say sorry?
'Cause I'm missing more than just your body, oh
Is it too late now to say sorry?
Yeah, I know-oh-oh, that I let you down
Is it too late to say I'm sorry now?

I'm sorry yeah

Sorry yeah
Sorry
Yeah, I know that I let you down
Is it too late to say I'm sorry now?

I'll take every single piece of the blame if you want me to

But you know that there is no innocent one in this game for two
I'll go, I'll go and then you go, you go out and spill the truth
Can we both say the words and forget this?

Yeah
Is it too late now to say sorry?
'Cause I'm missing more than just your body, oh
Is it too late now to say sorry?
Yeah, I know-oh-oh, that I let you down
Is it too late to say I'm sorry now?

I'm not just trying to get you back on me (oh, no, no)
'Cause I'm missing more than just your body (your body), oh
Is it too late now to say sorry?
Yeah, I know-oh-oh, that I let you down
Is it too late to say I'm sorry now?

[2x]
I'm sorry yeah
Sorry, oh
Sorry
Yeah, I know-oh-oh, that I let you down (let you down)
Is it too late to say I'm sorry now?