SIMPLE MINDS "DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME"

By Mark Nobes, chief editor

So here it is, the best-known and most-played Simple Minds single, mainly because it was the soundtrack to the 80s movie The Breakfast Club, but also because it's one of the Scottish band's greatest singles! The classic track reached No.7 in the UK and No.1 in the U.S. charts during 1985, and no 80s website is complete without featuring it somewhere.

The band originally dismissed the song and, controversially, it failed to feature on the subsequent album Once Upon A Time. However, the track has appeared on all of their "Best Of" albums, thankfully.

Let's just hope that no one decides to remake The Breakfast Club - don't you just hate remakes?
Don't You Forget About Me UK vinyl sleeve front - Simple Minds
The song was written and prouced by Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff, and was originally offered to The Fixx, Bryan Ferry and Billy Idol who all declined the offer. Simple Minds also refused to use the song, initially, as the band only wished to record their own material. However, Jim Kerr's then wife, Chrissie Hynde and a phone call from Forsey managed to persuade him to record the song, although it was rearranged quite substantially from its original version.

Chart Performance

Although Simple Minds had achieved success with several hits between 1981 and 1984 in the UK and Australia (gaining a substantial fanbase in the process), the band was still unknown in the U.S., where they hadn't had a single song in the Billboard Hot 100. "Don't You Forget about Me" became their breakthrough song, reaching No.1 in both the U.S. and Canada.
"Don't Your Forget About Me" entered the UK singles chart at No.22 on 14th April 1985, making it the second highest new entry that week - "Look Mama" by Howard Jones claimed the highest entry at No.20. The single broke into the top ten the following week, reaching No.8, and then a peak position of No.7 for one week, before falling back to No.8 and then No.10, spending a very respectable total of four weeks in the top 10. However, I feel that such a fine single deserved a top 5 placing, at least!
The single did reach No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., and also on the Dutch Top 40 and Canada's Top Singles chart by RPM. The single was also No.1 in Belgium's Ultratop 50 year-end chart for 1985.

Formats

UK 7 Inch Vinyl Single - VS 749

A. Don't You Forget about Me -4:20

B. A Brass Band in Africa - 5:10

UK 12 Inch Single - VS 749-12

A. Don't You Forget About Me (Long Version) - 6:32

B. A Brass Band in African Chimes - 9:22

The track listings and sleeve were identical for almost every release in other countries.

Jim Kerr 1984 - Panini Smash Hits Sticker No.50

Jim Kerr 1984 Panini Smash Hits Sticker No.50

Jim Kerr in the video for Don't You Forget About Me