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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
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...



discography
Single Version (4:20)
Producer: Keith Forsey

Don't You (Forget About Me) US 7" promo single Don't You (Forget About Me) US 12" promo single Don't You (Forget About Me) US promo cassette Don't You (Forget About Me) US 7" single Don't You (Forget About Me) US 7" single Don't You (Forget About Me) Peruvian 7" single Don't You (Forget About Me) 7" single Don't You (Forget About Me) limited edition shaped picture disc 7" single Don't You (Forget About Me) Canadian 12" single The Best Of ... (Sampler) Selections From The Best Of The Best Of Simple Minds CD1 Promo The Best Of Spanish Promo The Best Of The Best Of SACD The Best Of Night Of The Proms Special Remastered Edition Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian CD Don't You (Forget About Me) Fiat Promo CD Gift Pack Limited Edition

Extended Version (6:32)
Producer: Keith Forsey

Don't You (Forget About Me) US 12" promo single Don't You (Forget About Me) US 12" single Don't You (Forget About Me) 12" single Don't You (Forget About Me) Canadian 12" single Don't You (Forget About Me) Brazilian 12" single The Platinum Collection CD

Jam & Spoon Remix Edit (4:59)
Producer: Keith Forsey
Remixed by: Jam & Spoon

Remixes Promo CD

Jam & Spoon Remix (7:56)
Producer: Keith Forsey
Remixed by: Jam & Spoon

Glitterball Promo MC Glitterball CD
Phunk Investigation In The City Mix (8:15)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Phunk Investigation for Absolutely Records

Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian promo 12" single Don't You (Forget About Me) German 12" single Don't You (Forget About Me) German CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian CD promo single Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Absolutely Records internal listening CDR

Andrea T. Mendoza Vs Tibet Club Mix (6:11)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Andrea T. Mendoza for Airplane Records!

Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian promo 12" single Don't You (Forget About Me) German 12" single Don't You (Forget About Me) German CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Australian CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Absolutely Records internal listening CDR

Phunk Investigation Etna Dub Mix (7:25)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Phunk Investigation

Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian promo 12" single

Eyerer's & Laib's Radio Mix (3:42)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Martin Eyerer & Oliver Laib

Don't You (Forget About Me) German 12" single Don't You (Forget About Me) German CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian 12" single Don't You (Forget About Me) Australian CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Absolutely Records internal listening CDR

Perky Park's Radio Mix (3:49)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Perky Park

Don't You (Forget About Me) German CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian 12" single Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian CD promo single Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian CD single Live And Rare Italian CD Don't You (Forget About Me) Australian CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Absolutely Records internal listening CDR

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

Don't You (Forget About Me) German CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian 12" single Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian CD promo single Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian CD single Live And Rare Italian CD Don't You (Forget About Me) Australian CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Absolutely Records internal listening CDR

White Spaces Main Mix (3:12)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Phunk Investigation for Absolutely Records

Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian 12" single Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian CD promo single Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Australian CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Absolutely Records internal listening CDR

Adam Dived Remix (8:05)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Adam Dived

Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian 12" promo single Don't You (Forget About Me) Absolutely Records internal listening CDR

Stefano Sorrentino Remix (7:50)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Stefano Sorrentino

Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian 12" promo single Don't You (Forget About Me) Australian CD single Don't You (Forget About Me) Absolutely Records internal listening CDR

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

Don't You (Forget About Me) Italian 10" promo single Don't You (Forget About Me) Absolutely Records internal listening CDR

Phunk Investigation In The City Radio Edit (3:24)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Phunk Investigation for Absolutely Records

Don't You (Forget About Me) Absolutely Records internal listening CDR
Andrea T. Mendoza Vs Tibet Radio Edit (3:34)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation
Remixed by: Andrea T. Mendoza for Airplane Records!

Don't You (Forget About Me) Absolutely Records internal listening CDR
Gerardo & Andrea Elettromaniax Remix (7:57)
Produced by: Phunk Investigation

Don't You (Forget About Me) Absolutely Records internal listening CDR
Rehearsal (7:25)
Recorded: 10th Jul 85
Mastered by: Simon Heyworth
Silver Box Promo CDR #2 Silver Box Promo CDR Sampler Silver Box Mexican Promo CDR Sampler Silver Box

Live Version (4:20)
Recorded: Black And White Tour 2006
Mixed By Jez Coad

Simple Minds Live Volume Two




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

Black And White Live Bundle #1




videography
Single Version (4:20)
Producer: Keith Forsey


Don't You (Forget About Me) promo video Seen The Lights - A Visual History Promo DVD Seen The Lights - A Visual History DVD

Live Version (15th Sep 89) (5:55)
Recorded: Verona, Italy
Producer: Stephen Lipson

Verona Video Seen The Lights - A Visual History Promo DVD Seen The Lights - A Visual History DVD Seen The Lights - Live In Verona Promo DVD Seen The Lights - Live In Verona DVD




live history
Night Of The Proms: 1997
Scotland Rocks For Kosovo: 1999
Grand Prix Night Of The Proms: 2001
The Floating World Tour: 2002
Night Of The Proms: 2002
Alive And Kicking Tour: 2003
Festival Tour: 2004
Intimate Tour: 2005
Black And White Tour: 2006
Australian Tour: 2007
Lisbon Lions: 2007