♫ I Keep Forgettin’ ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

As things sometimes happen, my daughter made an offhand remark tonight that she kept forgetting … I disremember WHAT she kept forgetting, but it’s irrelevant … and that brought this song playing in my head … and hers, too, as she was singing it just a minute or two later!  And now that it’s firmly implanted in my head, the only possible remedy is to plant it into yours!  So, here you go … enjoy a bit of Michael McDonald!   From the last time I played this in 2019 …

Tonight I am tired and was just settling down after washing a mountain of dishes to decide on the song for the day, but my mind wasn’t cooperating.  Then all of a sudden, as if dropped onto my dashboard by karma, came a comment from friend Patty with a suggestion …

“How about,  I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near) by Michael McDonald? I love that one!!!!”, said she, and so it shall be!

Michael McDonald recorded this with his sister Maureen McDonald providing background vocals. It was featured on If That’s What It Takes, his first solo album away from The Doobie Brothers.  Greg Phillinganes, Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro of the band Toto played the clavinet, guitar and drums respectively. Noted bassist Louis Johnson laid down the song’s pronounced bassline.

This song was written by the legendary songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and was originally recorded by R&B singer Chuck Jackson in 1962. The song was also recorded by The Checkmates Ltd. and The Hi-Fi’s before Michael McDonald put together a new version of the song with Ed Sanford of Sanford And Townsend. It was the first solo hit for McDonald.

And without further ado … here you go, Patty!

I Keep Fogettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)
Michael McDonald

I keep forgettin’ we’re not in love anymore
I keep forgettin’ things will never be the same again
I keep forgettin’ how you made that so clear
I keep forgettin’

Everytime you’re near
Everytime I see you smile
Hear your “hello”
Saying you can only stay a while

Hey, I know that it’s hard for you
To say the things that we both know are true
But tell me how come

I keep forgettin’ we’re not in love anymore
I keep forgettin’ things will never be the same again
I keep forgettin’ how you made that so clear
I keep forgettin’

Everytime I hear
How you never want to live a lie
How it’s gone too far
And you don’t have to tell me why

Why you’re gone and the game is through
If this is what’s real, if this is what’s true
Tell me how come

I keep forgettin’ we’re not in love anymore (baby)
I keep forgettin’ things will never be the same again
I keep forgettin’ how you made that so clear (yeah, baby)
I keep forgettin’

Don’t say that, don’t say that, don’t say that
I know you’re not mine anymore, anyway, anytime
But tell me how come

I keep forgettin’ we’re not in love anymore (How come I)
I keep forgettin’ things will never be the same again
I keep forgettin’ how you made that so clear
I keep forgettin’ (baby)

Everytime you’re near (I keep forgettin’ we’re not in love anymore)
Everytime you’re near (I keep forgettin’ things will never be the same again)
Oh Baby (I keep forgettin’ how you made that so clear)
Everytime you’re near (I keep forgettin’)

Songwriters: Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
I Keep Fogettin’ (Every Time You’re Near) lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

21 thoughts on “♫ I Keep Forgettin’ ♫”

  5. Jill, Michael McDonald had some good songs with The Doobie Brothers, but I must confess he took them down a different path once he joined the band. I like the pre-McDonald version of the band more. I will tell you my brother has a much stronger sentiment about this subject than I do. Keith

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      • Listen to three songs – Long Train Running, Listen to the Music and China Grove. More rock and roll. sounding. With McDonald, the beat was more R&B pop. I have a greatest hits CD package. The first one is the early years, the second the later years. They sound like two different bands. Keith

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        • I’m on top of two of them … just played “Listen to the Music”, and I’ve played “China Grove” and will be playing it again tomorrow, per a request by our mutual friend, Clive. I will listen to “Long Train Running” tonight! Thanks for the suggestions!

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