Before I Forget (song)

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"Before I Forget"
Before I Forget cover1.gif
Single by Slipknot
from the album Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
ReleasedMarch 8, 2005
Recorded
  • The Mansion
  • Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
  • Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research
  • Los Angeles, California, U.S.
GenreNu metal[1]
Length
  • 4:38 (album version)
  • 4:20 (radio edit)
  • 3:37 (single mix)
LabelRoadrunner
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Rick Rubin
Slipknot singles chronology
"Vermilion Pt. 2"
(2004) 		"Before I Forget"
(2005) 		"The Nameless"
(2005)
Alternative cover
Before I Forget cover2.gif

"Before I Forget" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. It is the third single from their 2004 album, Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), and was cited as AOL's top metal song of the decade. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2006.

"Before I Forget" borrows elements from a much older Slipknot song "Carve", recorded before their self-titled album. The earliest version was in 1996 with Anders Colsefni on vocals. "Carve" was for the SR Demo 1997, referred to by fans as Crowz.

"It's about standing your ground and deciding to be a good person, no matter what people say," recalled singer Corey Taylor. "[Producer] Rick Rubin was convinced the chorus wouldn't work.[3] I told him he was crazy. Lo and behold, it's one of our biggest songs and we won a Grammy for it."[4]

The last 18 seconds of the full-length song feature morse code in the left channel spelling "Slipknot", and Taylor muttering, "You're wasting it", reversed.

The song was featured in the video games MotorStorm, Rock Band 3, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Guitar Hero Live.

Grammy Award win[]

After being nominated six times, the band won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. It was the second track from the album to be nominated: "Vermilion" was nominated in 2005 for the same award.

Music video[]

The video for "Before I Forget" shows Slipknot performing the song unmasked and in casual clothes (all with black shirts), as opposed to their usual coveralls. The video makes use of strategic camera techniques in which the members' faces are never totally shown (in some instances, however, some of the band members' eyes are shown up close), thus keeping with the band's running theme of anonymity at the time. Their masks are shown next to them as they perform. At the end of the music video, the band immediately stops playing the song as it ends and they all walk away.

The music video for "Before I Forget" was directed by Tony Petrossian and was voted as the "Most Rocking Video" by the Scuzz audience in the Top 100 Most Rocking Videos 2007.[5] This music video also helped to garner the band its first and only Grammy Award win for "Best Metal Performance" in 2006.

Track listing[]

7" vinyl part one
No.TitleLength
1."Before I Forget" (single mix)3:37
2."The Blister Exists" (live)5:19
7" vinyl part two
No.TitleLength
1."Before I Forget" (full-length single mix)4:23
2."Three Nil" (live)4:55
US promo CD
No.TitleLength
1."Before I Forget" (single mix)3:37
2."Before I Forget" (full-length single mix)4:23
EU promo CD
No.TitleLength
1."Before I Forget" (single mix)3:37

Charts[]

Chart (2005) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC)[6] 35
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[7] 32
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[8] 11

Certification[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[9] Platinum 1,000,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[]

  1. ^ "New Songs 2018 List - Top 10, Best 100 Latest Hot Hit Songs & Music". www.top10songsnews.com. Archived from the original on 2017-09-11. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  2. ^ ascap.com/repertory#ace/performer/SLIPKNOT. Despite the group writing credit, it is thought that Gray and Taylor were primarily responsible for the song
  3. ^ Rubin wanted Taylor to change the vocal melody because he felt it wasn't catchy. "Corey Taylor Interview at 98 KUPD". YouTube. 2009-03-05. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
  4. ^ Bryant, Tom (14 July 2012). "Hell unleashed". Kerrang! #1423. p. 25.
  5. ^ Scuzz. "Top 100 Most Rocking Videos 2007". Archived from the original on 5 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-11.
  6. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  7. ^ "Slipknot Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  8. ^ "Slipknot Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  9. ^ "American single certifications – Slipknot – Before I Forget". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
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