Written by: Kesler-Feathers
Recorded: 1 May 1964
Producer: Terry Henebery
Released: 30 November 1994 (UK), 5 December 1994 (US)
George Harrison: vocals, lead guitar
John Lennon: rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney: bass
Ringo Starr: drums
Available on:
Live At The BBC
The Beatles recorded a version of Elvis Presley's I Forgot To Remember To Forget for a BBC radio show in 1964.
The song was written by Stan Kesler and Charlie Feathers. It was recorded by Presley in July 1955 at Sun Studio, Memphis, with Scotty Moore on guitar and Bill Black on bass. It was released as a single the following month, and helped establish Presley as a country music star.
The Beatles performed I Forgot To Remember To Forget at the BBC Paris Studio, London on 1 May 1964, with George Harrison on lead vocals. It was recorded for the From Us To You radio show, which was first broadcast on 18 May.
The group used many of their radio appearances to perform cover versions of songs from their pre-EMI live shows. This was, in part, due to the great number of radio shows recorded – Lennon and McCartney simply didn't have enough original material, and risked repeating their hits to an unacceptable degree.
The BBC recordings also gave The Beatles ample opportunity to try out songs which could potentially become album tracks, although there was also a sense that they enjoyed playing golden oldies and personal favourites for their own amusement.
I Forgot To Remember To Forget marked the last time The Beatles performed a song for the BBC which wasn't recorded for EMI. This made it noteworthy enough for inclusion on the Live At The BBC collection in 1994, even if the fidelity of the surviving recording was less than perfect.
Also of interest is the double-time rhythmic changes in the song's bridges. The Beatles became more experimental in their arrangements in 1964, and on 1 March recorded I Call Your Name at Abbey Road. The song was notable for its ska-influenced middle section, a trick repeated by the group two months later while recording I Forgot To Remember To Forget.
Lyrics
I forgot to remember to forget her
I can't seem to get her off my mind
I thought I'd never miss her
But I've found out somehow
I think about her almost all the time
Well the day she went away
I made myself a promise
That I'd soon forget we'd ever met
But something sure is wrong
'Cause I'm so blue and lonely
I forgot to remember to forget
Well the day she went away
I made myself a promise
That I'd soon forget we'd ever met
But something sure is wrong
'Cause I'm so blue and lonely
I forgot to remember to forget
A wonderful vocal interpretation by George