| "I Don't Remember" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single byPeter Gabriel | ||||
| from the albumPeter Gabriel (Melt) | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | November 1980[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1979 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
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| Label | ||||
| Songwriter | Peter Gabriel | |||
| Producer | Steve Lillywhite | |||
| Peter Gabriel singles chronology | ||||
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| "I Don't Remember (Live)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single byPeter Gabriel | ||||
| from the albumPlays Live | ||||
| Released | June 1983 | |||
| Recorded | December 1982 | |||
| Length | 4:55 | |||
| Label | Charisma | |||
| Songwriter | Peter Gabriel | |||
| Producers |
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| Peter Gabriel singles chronology | ||||
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"I Don't Remember" is a song written and recorded by the English rock musicianPeter Gabriel, released as the fourth and final single from his thirdeponymous studio album in 1980. Although originally only released as an A-side single in the United States and Canada, a live version released with the albumPlays Live (1983) reached No. 62 on theUK singles chart and remained in the Top 75 in Britain for 4 weeks.[4] The song was included in Gabriel's compilation albumShaking the Tree (1990) and two different versions were included inFlotsam and Jetsam (2019).
Early iterations of "I Don't Remember" were performed by Gabriel on the tour to promote hissecond eponymous studio album (a.k.a. "Scratch").[5] In the spring of 1979, the song was also performed withKate Bush at a memorial concert inDorset for Bill Duffield, Bush's former lighting engineer who died from injuries sustained from a fall during her first tour.[6] Gabriel built the demo of "I Don't Remember" around a programmablePAiA rhythm box.[5] The basic tracks for the first studio recording of the song were laid down by Gabriel and his backing band atTrident Studios,London during a day off on the "Scratch" tour in 1978, co-produced by Stephen W. Tayler.[7] This song was recorded in August during the same session as "Not One of Us", "Games Without Frontiers", and "Family Snapshot".[8] A week later, work on "I Don't Remember" continued at Atlantic Studios inNew York on tour, where overdubs were done includingRobert Fripp's guitar, followed by vocals and mixing at Paragon Studios inChicago.[9]
The early studio version of "I Don't Remember" was originally planned to be released as the A-side of the first single from the album in Europe and Japan, however aCharisma Records executive thought the guitar solos were not radio-friendly.[10] This version was later relegated to the B-side of the single "Games Without Frontiers" fromPeter Gabriel (3: Melt) in those territories.[11] Another take of the song was recorded in September 1978 with the lineup minus Fripp, although this version went unused.[8]
"I Don't Remember" was re-recorded for Gabriel's third self-titled album, released in 1980. On the album, this version segues out of an instrumental composition titled "Start" and begins with three snare drum hits that lead into a rock groove with rhythmic emphasis on thebackbeat. The intro consists of nonsensical wordless voices, a vocal approach that Gabriel later dubbed "Gabrielese". These voices drop out before the first verse, where Gabriel alternates between his midrange and higher register. According to author Durrell Bowman, the lyrics relate to a "resignedamnesiac individual".[12]
On 16 October 1979,Dave Gregory ofXTC overdubbed some rhythm guitar on "I Don't Remember". Gregory had previously encouragedSteve Lillywhite to accept Gabriel's request to produce his third eponymous album and offered to record some guitar if Lillywhite agreed to Gabriel's offer. Lillywhite subsequently contacted Gregory to work with Gabriel in the studio to record a "wiry rhythm guitar sound." After arriving ninety minutes late to the studio, Gregory worked with Gabriel to find suitable chords and tunings. Gabriel suggested some parts on his piano, which Gregory recreated by playing the open strings of his 1963Fender Stratocaster guitar, which was sent through aRoland JC-120amplifier with achorus effect andstereopanning. During this point of the recording process, the song consisted ofJerry Marotta's drums,Tony Levin'sChapman stick, and some electronic effects fromLarry Fast. Gregory added somepower chords to the chorus of the rhythm track with a 1963Gibson ES-335 instandard tuning, which was connected to aFender Tremolux amp.[6]
The song made pioneering use of theFairlight CMI, usingsamples ofglass milk bottles being smashed and bricks being banged.[13] These sounds appear during the fade-out of the recording and were overdubbed after the completion of the basic tracks.[5][11] "I Don't Remember" was one of the first songs to utilise the Fairlight and Gabriel later established the company Syco Systems with Stephen Paine to import and distribute these devices in the UK.[11][14]
A slightly sped-up live recording fromPlays Live was released as a single on 4 July 1983. This version was co-produced by Gabriel andPeter Walsh at Shabbey Road Studios inCaerphilly.[15] In addition to the increasedtempo, the single version also featured quieter crowd noises and an extended outro compared to the recording found onPlays Live. Its accompanying music video was directed by Marcello Anciano and produced byEric Fellner.[4] The music video features footage of Gabriel navigating through a room with naked individuals. During one of the scenes, Gabriel dusts off a childhood photo from the 1950s, which is later smashed at the end of the music video.[12]
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USBillboardBubbling Under The Hot 100[16] | 107 |
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[17] | 62 |
