"Don't You (Forget About Me)"
Standard non-US artwork
Single by Simple Minds
from the album The Breakfast Club (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
B-side"A Brass Band in African Chimes"
Released20 February 1985 (US)
8 April 1985 (UK)
RecordedNovember 1984[1][2]
Genre
Length4:20
6:32 (extended version)
LabelVirgin
A&M (US)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Keith Forsey
Simple Minds singles chronology
"Up on the Catwalk"
(1984)		 "Don't You (Forget About Me)"
(1985)		 "Alive and Kicking"
(1985)
Audio sample
"Don't You (Forget About Me)"
  • file
  • help
Music video
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" on YouTube

"Don't You (Forget About Me)" is a song by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released as a single in 1985. It was written and composed by producer Keith Forsey and guitarist Steve Schiff. Forsey and Schiff wrote the song for Simple Minds and offered it to several other acts before Simple Minds agreed to record it. The song was inspired by and used in the 1985 John Hughes film The Breakfast Club.

In addition to being a breakout hit for Simple Minds, "Don't You (Forget About Me)" became an iconic song and a 1980s anthem. The single reached No. 1 in the United States and Canada, becoming Simple Minds' biggest hit in the United States. It also reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top ten in charts around the world.

Theme

"Don't You (Forget About Me)" was written by Steve Schiff, a guitarist and composer with the Nina Hagen band,[7][8] and producer and drummer Keith Forsey while they were scoring the 1985 film The Breakfast Club. Forsey and Schiff were inspired by a scene in which an introvert and a school bully bond while no one else is watching. Forsey said, "It was: don't forget, when we're back in the classroom, you're not just a bad guy and we've got other things in common".[9]

Recording

Simple Minds were reluctant to record the song, as they felt they should only record their own material.[10][11] The band's manager, Bruce Findlay, believed that the song would be successful in the United States. Findlay arranged a private screening of The Breakfast Club for the band in an effort to change their minds, but they still declined.[11]

Forsey offered "Don't You (Forget About Me)" to Bryan Ferry, who declined as he was working on his album Boys and Girls. Ferry said later: "It was just bad timing ... Keith Forsey sent me a demo of the song and it sounded like a hit to me. Simple Minds did a great version of it.”[12] According to some sources, Billy Idol – whom Forsey was producing at the time – also declined.[7][10][lower-alpha 1] A&M suggested Corey Hart, who had a hit at the time with "Sunglasses at Night", but Forsey did not think Hart was the right singer.[13] Cy Curnin, the lead singer of the Fixx, also declined to record the song.[14]

The band agreed to record the song after persuasion from A&M and from Chrissie Hynde (lead singer Jim Kerr's wife at the time), and after receiving a phone call from Forsey in which he reiterated his admiration for the band.[15] Kerr added the "hey hey hey" at the beginning of the song, and guitarist Charlie Burchill "ramped up the power chords in the intro, helping to turn Forsey's sweet paean to teenage longing into a rousing, stadium-sized anthem".[11] Kerr has stated that the band did not anticipate the success the song would bring them.[10]

Music video

The music video – filmed inside Knebworth House, Hertfordshire – was directed by Daniel Kleinman.[16] It takes place in a darkened room with a chandelier, a rocking horse, a jukebox, and television sets displaying scenes from The Breakfast Club. The room gets increasingly cluttered with random objects as the video progresses until the last minute. The video was published on YouTube on 3 December 2010; as of December 2023, it had been viewed more than 300 million times.[17]

Release and reception

"Don't You (Forget About Me)" was played during the opening and closing credits of The Breakfast Club (1985).[18] It was included on the film's soundtrack.[19][20] "Don't You (Forget About Me)" was released as a single on February 23, 1985 in the United States and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100[21] in May 1985.[22] The song reached No. 1 in Canada in June 1985.[23] It is the band's only number-one hit on the US Top Rock Tracks chart, staying atop that chart for three weeks.[24] The song became Simple Minds' breakout hit,[10] as well as its biggest American hit.[10][21]

Cash Box said that "though the lyric theme is a simple enough declaration, the lead vocals and vivid orchestration make the tune complex and moving".[25]

The song was included on the band's 1992 greatest hits compilation, Glittering Prize 81/92.[26] It soon became a fixture of the band's live sets,[27] with an extended audience participation section during its inclusion on the 2015 tour to promote the band's Big Music album.[28]

John Leland of Spin described the song as "a romantic and melancholy dance track" that "cuts ice both in the living room and on the dance floor".[29]

The song has become iconic,[30][31] and has been described by AmericanSongwriter.com as "an ‘80s masterpiece" and "an American teen anthem".[32]

Track listing

7″: Virgin/VS749 (UK), 7″: A&M Records/AM-2703 (US)

  1. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" – 4:20
  2. "A Brass Band in Africa" – 5:10

12″: Virgin/VS749-12 (UK), 12″: A&M Records/SP-12125 (US)

  1. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" – 6:32
  2. "A Brass Band in African Chimes" – 9:22

12″: Virgin/VSX 1250 (Canada)

  1. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (extended version) – 6:32
  2. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" – 4:20
  3. "A Brass Band in Africa" – 5:10

1988 3″ CD: Virgin/CDT2 (UK)

  1. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" – 4:20
  2. "A Brass Band in African Chimes" – 9:22

1988 CD: A&M Records/75021 2375 2 (US)

  1. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (live) – 9:02
  2. "Bass Line" – 4:37
  3. "The American" – 3:33

1990 CD: Virgin/THEME10 (UK)

  1. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" – 6:35
  2. "Up on the Catwalk" (extended version) – 7:36
  3. "A Brass Band in African Chimes" – 9:24

Personnel

Cover versions

In February 2021 Boy & Bear along with Annie Hamilton covered Don't You (Forget About Me) for Australian youth radio station triple j's Like A Version.[33] The cover placed 92nd in triple j's first Like A Version Hottest 100.[34]

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[77] Platinum 100,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[78] Gold 45,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[79] Gold 250,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[80] Platinum 70,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[81]
1985 physical release 		Silver 250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[82]
2004 digital release 		2× Platinum 1,200,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Forsey has denied that the song was offered to Billy Idol. Idol later recorded a version of the song for his 2001 compilation album Greatest Hits.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Don't You (Forget About Me) No 1 on U.S. Billboard Charts". Simpleminds.com. 20 May 1985. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  2. ↑ "Here's Why Simple Minds Almost Didn't Make Don't You (Forget About Me)". Grunge. 18 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 Sun, Michael (14 November 2018). "From Sixteen Candles to Love, Simon: how teen soundtracks have evolved". Double J. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  4. ↑ "Covering the Hits: "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (Simple Minds)". CoverMeSongs.com. 16 October 2020.
  5. ↑ Parker, Dylan (4 September 2022). "The Breakfast Club's "Don't You" is Absurdly Beloved Except Maybe by the Band Who Sang It". TheThings.com.
  6. ↑ Breihan, Tom (2 October 2020). "The Number Ones: Simple Minds' "Don't You (Forget About Me)". Stereogum. Retrieved 31 July 2023. The band finds some gorgeous middle ground between icy synthpop and U2-style proselytizing.
  7. 1 2 "The classic 1980s song Bryan Ferry and Billy Idol rejected". faroutmagazine.co.uk. 28 June 2023.
  8. ↑ "Steve Schiff - Credits". AllMusic.
  9. ↑ "The power of music in John Hughes films". TheGuardian.com. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Ryan, Jim. "Jim Kerr Of Simple Minds On Story Behind 'Don't You (Forget About Me)' And New Simple Minds Music". Forbes.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Life of a Song: Don't You (Forgat About Me)". Financial Times. 17 June 2023.
  12. ↑ "Bryan Ferry: 'I did a lot of whistling on my paper round as a lad'". The Guardian. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  13. ↑ "Keith Forsey". Moderndrummer.com. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  14. ↑ "Today's ear X-tacy: Simple Minds "Don't You (Forget About Me)"". Louisville Public Media. 18 May 2023.
  15. ↑ Simpson, Dave (15 November 2016). "Simple Minds: how we made 'Don't You (Forget About Me)'". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  16. ↑ Davies, Alan (23 April 2020). "Movie The Breakfast Club's links to Knebworth House". The Comet. Archived from the original on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  17. ↑ "Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me) [Official Video]". YouTube. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  18. ↑ "The song Simple Minds didn't want to record for The Breakfast Club soundtrack". 97.1fm The Drive - WDRV Chicago. 26 January 2022.
  19. ↑ "The Breakfast Club [Original Soundtrack] - Original Soundtrack & Release Info". AllMusic.
  20. ↑ Gross, Jason (27 September 2022). "Greatest Lists S1 #11 "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds".
  21. 1 2 "Simple Minds - Biography, Music & News". Billboard.
  22. 1 2 "Simple Minds Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  23. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0530". bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  24. ↑ "Simple Minds Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  25. ↑ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 9 February 1985. p. 7. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  26. ↑ "Simple Minds - Glittering Prize 1981-1992 Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  27. ↑ Foster, Nathan (20 September 2020). "11 Best Simple Minds Songs".
  28. ↑ Simpson, Dave (April 2015). "Simple Minds review – still the edgy futurists, beneath the stadium style". The Guardian. No. 2. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  29. ↑ Leland, John (June 1985). "Singles". Spin. Vol. 1, no. 2. p. 37. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  30. ↑ Gormley, Jesse (18 May 2021). "Here's Why Simple Minds Almost Didn't Make Don't You (Forget About Me)". Grunge.
  31. ↑ "Simple Minds' iconic song underscores campaign to keep sick kids connected". The Drum.
  32. ↑ Walthall, Catherine (21 July 2020). "Behind The Song: Simple Minds, "Don't You (Forget About Me)"". American Songwriter.
  33. ↑ Bracken, Claire (5 February 2021). "Boy & Bear cover Simple Minds 'Don't You (Forget About Me)' for Like A Version [2021]". 'Don't You (Forget About Me)' for Like A Version [2021] - triple j. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  34. ↑ "Full List 1-100". Countdown | Hottest 100 of Like A Version | triple j. 15 July 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  35. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 275. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  36. ↑ "Simple Minds – Don't You (Forget About Me)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  37. ↑ "Simple Minds – Don't You (Forget About Me)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  38. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0530." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  39. ↑ "European Top 100 Singles". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 20. 20 May 1985. p. 8. OCLC 29800226.
  40. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Simple Minds". Sisältää hitin – Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish) (2nd ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 234. ISBN 978-9-5274-6001-6.
  41. ↑ "Simple Minds – Don't You (Forget About Me)" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  42. ↑ "Top 3 in Europe". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 22. 3 June 1985. p. 7. OCLC 29800226.
  43. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't You (Forget About Me)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  44. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 7 August 2023. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Don't you (Forget about me)" in the "Titolo" field and press "cerca".
  45. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 22, 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  46. ↑ "Simple Minds – Don't You (Forget About Me)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  47. ↑ "Simple Minds – Don't You (Forget About Me)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  48. ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (S)". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  49. ↑ "Simple Minds – Don't You (Forget About Me)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  50. ↑ "Simple Minds – Don't You (Forget About Me)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  51. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  52. ↑ "Simple Minds Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  53. ↑ "Simple Minds Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  54. ↑ "Simple Minds Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  55. ↑ "Simple Minds Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  56. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending May 18, 1985". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2017.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  57. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Simple Minds – Don't You (Forget About Me)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  58. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  59. ↑ "Simple Minds – Don't You (Forget About Me)". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  60. ↑ "Simple Minds Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  61. ↑ "Simple Minds Chart History (Rock Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  62. ↑ "National Top 100 Singles for 1985". Kent Music Report. No. 599. 30 December 1985 – via Imgur.
  63. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1985". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  64. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1985 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on 10 June 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  65. ↑ "RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985". RPM. Vol. 43, no. 16. 28 December 1985. p. 11. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  66. ↑ Bakker, Machgiel; Inglis, Cathy (23 December 1985). "Pan-European Awards 1985". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 51/52. p. 7. OCLC 29800226.
  67. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  68. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  69. ↑ "Top Selling Singles of 1985". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  70. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1985". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  71. ↑ "Top 100 Singles (January 5–December 28, 1985)". Music Week. 18 January 1986. p. 10. ISSN 0265-1548.
  72. ↑ "1985 The Year in Music & Video – Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 52. 28 December 1985. p. T-21. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  73. ↑ "1985 The Year in Music & Video – Top Dance Sales Singles/Albums". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 52. 28 December 1985. p. T-23. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  74. ↑ "1985 The Year in Music & Video – Top Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 52. 28 December 1985. p. T-30. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  75. ↑ "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1985 – Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. 28 December 1985. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2014.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  76. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1985" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  77. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Simple Minds – Don't You Forget About Me". Music Canada.
  78. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Simple Minds – Don't You Forget About Me". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  79. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Simple Minds; 'Don't You (Forget About Me)')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  80. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Simple Minds – Don't You Forget About Me" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 8 November 2021. Select "2021" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Don't You Forget About Me" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  81. ↑ "British single certifications – Simple Minds – Don't You (Forget About Me)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  82. ↑ "British single certifications – Simple Minds – Don't You (Forget About Me)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
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