Forget Me Nots
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"Forget Me Nots" is a 1982 hit recording by R&B singer songwriter Patrice Rushen.
Originally deemed by record label executives as a "flop", Rushen released the song and the song became a Top 40 (#23) pop, Top 5 (#4) R&B, and Top 5 (#2) dance hit on the Billboard charts and is the hit she's most notable for. Patrice Rushen was nominated for a Grammy Award on the Grammy Awards 25th anniversary for Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Rushen had a number of songs on the R & B and Jazz charts, but this was her only U.S. Top 40 hit and ranked #86 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 1980s.
The bass line is particularly recognizable, and was performed on the record by session bass player Freddie Washington.
The classic tenor saxophone solo was played by Gerald Albright, Los Angeles session player and recording artist. Gerald also appears in the music video of the song.
The lyrics are from the point of view of one professing her longing for a rekindling with an ex-lover. She ruminates on the romance's end, and sends the lover forget-me-nots, a flower that since medieval times has been given and worn to symbolize enduring love despite absence or separation.
Along with being prominently featured in Tom Hanks hit movie, Big, the song has been frequently sampled. These include George Michael in "Fastlove" (which samples the song near the end), Will Smith in his 1997 hit, "Men in Black" from the film of the same name, the French rapper MC Solaar on Les Temps Changent from his funk-inspired Paradisiaque album, and also by hip hop artists The Beatnuts in "Give Me Tha Ass" from the Stone Crazy LP. In addition, Australian satirist Pauline Pantsdown sampled it heavily in the song "Backdoor Man" in 1997.
The song has also been covered directly by several artists. In 1991, the electronic band Tongue 'n' Cheek recorded a dance version of "Forget Me Nots," which at #26 in the UK singles chart. In 1996, Eurodance/Dance-pop duo La Bouche covered it on their remix album, All Mixed Up. In 2006, jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour collaborated with Patrice Rushen and South African singer Zamajobe on a cover version of the song for his album, Smoke 'n Mirrors. Zamajobe sang the lead vocal, with Rushen on background vocals, Fender Rhodes and an organ solo. The version featured a brief African rhythm interlude.
In 2007, German dance project Vinylshakerz released their version of Forget Me Nots.
