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don't you (forget about me)
composers
Music And Lyrics: Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff
publisher
© MCA Music Limited
background
Whilst writing the score for John Hughes’ latest (and in retrospect best) brat-pack film
The Breakfast Club, Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff penned
Don’t You (Forget About Me), intended for the film's opening credits. Recording a rough demo,
Forsey wanted it recorded by an established band and started to hawk both
the tape, and himself, around the record companies of bands he admired and felt could suitably record it and add
gravitas to the soundtrack.
Which is why Simple Minds found him in their dressing room after
one of the Tour De Monde gigs in America, clutching a collection
of Simple Minds bootlegs, and enthusing about this great song he’d written.
(After hearing the song A&M invited him backstage but neglected to tell
Simple Minds anything about it.) Bemused, and no doubt amused by the episode,
they declined.
Bryan Ferry also declined. As did Billy Idol, who
Forsey was successfully producing at the time.
Forsey was not one to give up and flew to the UK to persuade
Simple Minds again to record the track. He found them in London, working on the demos for
Once Upon A Time. With
Forsey on their backs, and A&M on their backs, the band relented,
thinking the song was just another incidental track to a forgettable brat-pack movie. They booked a studio in Wembley, and nailed the song
in three hours. One of the caveats was they could play with the arrangement, and
Jim added the “la la las” on the day.
The band carried on with Once Upon A Time and completely forgot about the song.
"Prior to the release of Don't You (Forget About Me), Simple Minds
had achieved a fair amount of critical success. However, there is little point denying that this is the song that
kicked the door to "the big league" wide open for us" - Jim
lyrics
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Hey, hey, hey ,hey
Ohhh...
Won't you come see about me?
I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby.
Tell me your troubles and doubts,
Giving me everything inside and out and
Love's strange so real in the dark,
Think of the tender things that we were working on,
Slow change may pull us apart,
When the light gets into your heart, baby
Don't you forget about me.
Don't, don't, don't, don't.
Don't you forget about me.
Will you stand above me?
Look my way, never love me,
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling,
Down, down, down.
Will you recognise me?
Call my name or walk on by?
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling,
Down, down, down, down.
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Ohhhh...
Don't you try to pretend,
It's my feeling we'll win in the end.
I won't harm you or touch your defenses,
Vanity and security.
Don't you forget about me,
I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby.
Going to take you apart,
I'll put us back together at heart, baby.
Don't you forget about me.
Don't, don't, don't, don't.
Don't you forget about me.
As you walk on by,
Will you call my name?
As you walk on by,
Will you call my name?
When you walk away.
Or will you walk away?
Will you walk on by?
Come on - call my name
Will you all my name?
I say : La la la...
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discography
Single Version (4:20)
Producer: Keith Forsey
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Extended Version (6:32)
Producer: Keith Forsey
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Live Version (3rd Dec 1985) (9:03)
Recorded: Ahoy, Rotterdam
Engineered By: Pete Walsh
Mixed By: Pete Walsh
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Live Version (12th, 13th August 1986) (6:38)
Recorded: Le Zenith, Paris, France
Producer: Bruce Lampcov
Mastered by: Bob Ludwig
Head Engineer: Steve Riddle
Additional mixing: Callum Malcolm and Tom Cadley
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Jam & Spoon Remix Edit (4:59)
Producer: Keith Forsey
Remixed by: Jam & Spoon
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Jam & Spoon Remix (7:56)
Producer: Keith Forsey
Remixed by: Jam & Spoon
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Phunk Investigation In The City Mix (8:15)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Phunk Investigation for Absolutely Records
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Andrea T. Mendoza Vs Tibet Club Mix (6:11)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Andrea T. Mendoza for Airplane Records!
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Phunk Investigation Etna Dub Mix (7:25)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Phunk Investigation
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Eyerer's & Laib's Radio Mix (3:42)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Martin Eyerer & Oliver Laib
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Perky Park's Radio Mix (3:49)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Perky Park
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Gerret Frerich's Radio Mix (3:36)
Produced by: Gerret Frerichs
Coproduced by: Andre Winter for Privat Musik Produktionen
Acoustic guitar by: Sven Schuhmmacher
Electric guitar by: Jorn Heilbutt
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White Spaces Main Mix (3:12)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Phunk Investigation for Absolutely Records
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Adam Dived Remix (8:05)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Adam Dived
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Stefano Sorrentino Remix (7:50)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Stefano Sorrentino
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Danny McMillian Remix (7:33)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Danny McMillian
Add'l production by: Danny McMillian and Glenn FFS
Engineered and mixed by: Glenn FFS at the Funk Vault
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Phunk Investigation In The City Radio Edit (3:24)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Phunk Investigation for Absolutely Records
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Andrea T. Mendoza Vs Tibet Radio Edit (3:34)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Andrea T. Mendoza for Airplane Records!
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Gerardo & Andrea Elettromaniax Remix (7:57)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
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Rehearsal (7:25)
Recorded: 10th Jul 85
Mastered by: Simon Heyworth
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Live Version (4:20)
Recorded: Black And White Tour 2006
Mixed By Jez Coad
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downloads
Live Version (16th Feb 2006) (6:49)
Recorded: Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
Recording Engineer: Patrick Demoustier
Mixed By Jez Coad, Charlie Burchill and Andy Gillespie
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Gerret Frerich's Radio Mix (3:36)
Produced by: Gerret Frerichs
Coproduced by: Andre Winter for Privat Musik Produktionen
Acoustic guitar by: Sven Schuhmmacher
Electric guitar by: Jorn Heilbutt
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videography
live history
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