Have You Forgotten?

Last updated
"Have You Forgotten?"
Single by Darryl Worley
from the album Have You Forgotten?
B-side "I Miss My Friend"
ReleasedMarch 10, 2003
Genre Country
Length4:03
Label DreamWorks
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Darryl Worley singles chronology
"Family Tree"
(2002)		"Have You Forgotten?"
(2003)		"Tennessee River Run"
(2003)

"Have You Forgotten?" is a song about the September 11 attacks recorded by American country music artist Darryl Worley, who wrote it with Wynn Varble. It was released in March 2003 as the first single and title track from his 2003 compilation album of the same name. It was a number one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for seven weeks, reaching it after five weeks on the chart. The song also peaked at number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it Worley's biggest mainstream hit. On June 30, 2023, Worley released a sequel to this song called "Have We Forgotten".

Contents

Composition, radio play, and first performances

In December 2002, Worley performed for United States soldiers in Afghanistan and Kuwait. [1] Worley debuted the song at the Grand Ole Opry during performances on January 10 and 11, 2003. [2] [3] After Worley's Grand Ole Opry performance, a live recording was made available online, followed later by a studio recording. The song quickly grew in popularity, and the single was widely requested by country radio listeners before it was commercially available. In the weeks before the US-led invasion of Iraq, some stations were hesitant to play the song because of its perceived pro-war message, but by March 3, 2003, it had been played by 128 of the 150 country stations that report to Billboard. [4]

Worley appeared on The Today Show on February 28, 2003, [5] and performed the song on Lou Dobbs Moneyline on March 11, 2003. [6] Worley performed to a standing ovation at the CMT Annual "Flameworthy Music Awards" on April 7, 2003. [7] : 141  On April 16 of that year he was introduced by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld before performing the song at the Pentagon. [7] : 142  A report from the American Forces Press Service said the performance brought tears to Rumsfeld's eyes. [8]

Lyrics and interpretations

According to contemporary articles, listeners believed the song suggested "a link between al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein," [9] [10] and writers for various publications have alleged the same. The Village Voice called the song an "attempt to tie together the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the run-up to the Iraq war," [11] The Los Angeles Times said the song has a "pro-war call to action," [12] and The Chicago Tribune said the song "essentially reads like a Bush position paper for entering Iraq with guns blazing." [13] The Hartford Courant described the song as "a plea that thinly links the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with the need to bomb Iraq," and "a page ripped right out of a White House briefing." [14]

Writing in Salon, Eric Boehlert drew attention to Worley's comments about the song's meaning. He accused Worley of trying to be "cute about the song's real meaning, implying the 'war' in 'Have You Forgotten?' is the war on terrorism," not Iraq. [15]

Other publications perceived a pro-war message not specifically related to the war in Iraq. The Country Music Reader said the song was one of several that "expressed the anger of many hawkish Americans" and "presented country music as the voice of the conservative, pro-war right." [16]

Academic writers have used the song to illustrate specific elements of historical and political concepts. Discussing the war in Iraq, Gerard Toal writes that the song helps explain the "disjuncture between prevailing international sentiment and majority American opinion: 'Some say this country's just out looking for a fight / After 9/11, man, I'd have to say that's right.'" [17]

Writing in the collection Country Music Goes to War, Randy Rudder addressed listener confusion around the song, saying that Worley would win the CMA Award for "Most Misunderstood Artist" if such a category existed. [18] Rudder says that the song's release roughly coincided with the American-led invasion of Iraq, but that it did not refer specifically to the war there. [18]

Peter J. Schmelz writes about the timing of the song in greater detail in his essay "'Have you Forgotten?': Darryl Worley and the Musical Politics of Operation Iraqi Freedom." In his essay, Schemlz analyzes differences between two recordings of the song. The first version is a live recording from one of its first public performances at the Grand Ole Opry in early January 2003. The second version is a studio recording, released several months later. Lyrical changes between the two, Schmelz says, "reveal the changing perception of the justification for the invasion of Iraq." [7] : 129  In the live versions of the song from January, Worley ends the second chorus with either "You say we shouldn't worry 'bout bin Laden" or "Don't you tell me not to worry about bin Laden." In the studio version, the second chorus ends with "And we vowed to get the ones behind bin Laden." [7] : 131 

The meaning of the song has also been discussed in theses, dissertations, and conference papers. [19] [20] [21] [22]

Worley's comments

Although Worley maintained that "there is a connection there" between Iraq and al-Qaeda, [10] he denied that the song endorsed the war in Iraq and suggested that the lyrics should be taken at face value: "The song is posing a question: Have you forgotten what happened to our country on 9/11? That's pretty much the size of it." [23]

Worley discussed the song in a March 11, 2003, appearance on CNN's Lou Dobbs Moneyline, saying, "The song is pro-America. It's pro — it's pro-military. But I don't necessarily think that it's a pro-war song." [6] He also recounted his own experience with grieving, and described the importance of remembering the departed. [6] Worley then compared the grieving process to people's reactions to 9/11: "I think probably more people than not probably felt that way about this, because it was gone from the TV screen so fast, it was like, wow, you know, they want us to forget this, it's over. I think we have to move on and get past things, but I don't think it's good to forget things like this. I think we need to remember." [6]

Critical reception

The song received mixed critical reviews, with much of the commentary centered on the single's political stance. Village Voice named the song its 11th worst of the decade. [11] Rick Cohoon of Allmusic, in his review, said that the song "basically tells us that because of what happened on 9/11 we have a moral obligation to enter combat against those who perpetrate terror." He states that the only problem is that "the song’s argument seems mainly to target U.S. involvement in Afghanistan and the war on terror, which few Americans oppose. If that is the aim, Worley is essentially preaching to the choir." In his conclusion Cohoon states that "the song is cleverly written and will definitely bring tears to your eyes." [24] The article "Music, Musicians, and the War on Terrorism" asserted that the song "makes a spurious connection between Iraq and the September 11 attacks." [25]

Commercially, the song was popular with some of the American public. [25] It reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks and No. 22 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

Music video

The music video was directed by Shaun Silva. It debuted March 8, 2003 on CMT Most Wanted Live.

Chart performance

"Have You Forgotten?" debuted at No. 41 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of March 8, 2003.

Chart (2003)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 [26] 22
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [27] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2003)Position
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [28] 12
US Billboard Hot 100 [29] 90

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darryl Worley</span> American singer-songwriter

Darryl Wade Worley is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 1999, Worley released four albums for the label: Hard Rain Don't Last (2000), I Miss My Friend (2002), Have You Forgotten? (2003), and Darryl Worley in 2004. After the label closed in 2005, he moved to 903 Music, an independent label owned by Neal McCoy, releasing Here and Now in 2006, shortly before that label's closure. His most recent studio release is 2009's Sounds Like Life via Stroudavarious Records, owned by James Stroud.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dierks Bentley</span> American country musician (born 1975)

Frederick Dierks Bentley is an American country music singer and songwriter. In 2003, he signed to Capitol Nashville and released his eponymous debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's Modern Day Drifter, are certified Platinum in the United States, and his third album, 2006's Long Trip Alone, is certified Gold. It was followed in mid-2008 by a greatest hits package. His fourth album, Feel That Fire, was released in February 2009, and a bluegrass album, Up on the Ridge, was released on June 8, 2010. His sixth album, Home, followed in February 2012, as did a seventh one, Riser, in 2014. Bentley's eighth album, titled Black, was released in May 2016, and his ninth, The Mountain, was released in June 2018. His tenth studio album, Gravel & Gold, was released in February 2023.

<i>I Miss My Friend</i> 2002 studio album by Darryl Worley

I Miss My Friend is the second studio album by American country music singer Darryl Worley released on July 16, 2002. The album produced Worley's first number one single on the Hot Country Songs charts in its title track; "Family Tree" was also a Top 30 hit for him on the same chart. "Tennessee River Run" was later reprised on Worley's first compilation album Have You Forgotten?, from which it was released as that album's second single.

<i>Have You Forgotten?</i> (album) 2003 compilation album by Darryl Worley

Have You Forgotten? is the first compilation album by American country music singer Darryl Worley. It was released on April 15, 2003 via DreamWorks Records Nashville. The album contains select tracks from his first two albums, including four new songs, the title track, "I Will Hold My Ground", "I Need a Breather" and "Shiloh". The title track spent seven weeks at number one on the Hot Country Songs charts in 2003. Also released from this album were "Tennessee River Run" and "I Will Hold My Ground", the latter of which failed to make top 40. This album was certified gold by the RIAA. This CD is in HDCD format, providing improved audio quality on compatible players.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Awful, Beautiful Life</span> 2004 single by Darryl Worley

"Awful, Beautiful Life" is a song recorded by American country music artist Darryl Worley. The song was written by Worley and Harley Allen and produced by Frank Rogers. It was released on July 12, 2004 as the lead single to Worley's self-titled third studio album by DreamWorks Nashville. It is his third and last song to top the US Hot Country Songs chart, where it spent two weeks atop that chart in January 2005. It also peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number eight on the Radio & Records Canada Country chart.

Robert Crosby Hoar, known professionally as Rob Crosby, is an American country music artist. Between 1990 and 1996, Rob charted eight singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. He has also recorded six studio albums, with his most recent, Catfish Day, being released in 2007. He also co-wrote Eric Paslay's 2014 single "Friday Night", The Common Linnets' 2014 single "Calm After the Storm", Martina McBride's 2003 single "Concrete Angel", Andy Griggs' 2000 single "She's More" and Lee Greenwood's 1990 single "Holdin' a Good Hand" and has written songs for Luke Combs, Lady Antebellum, Carl Perkins, Paul Simon, Brooks & Dunn, Restless Heart, Blackhawk, Darryl Worley, Boy Howdy, Ty Herndon, Don Williams, Ilse DeLange, Trace Adkins, Lee Brice and more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Miss My Friend (song)</span> 2002 single by Darryl Worley

"I Miss My Friend" is a song written by Tom Shapiro, Mark Nesler and Tony Martin, and recorded by American country music singer Darryl Worley. It was released in March 2002 the first single and title track from his album of the same name. The song became his first number one single on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It also crossed over to pop radio, peaking at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Star (song)</span> 2003 single by Kenny Chesney

"Big Star" is a song written by Stephony Smith and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in January 2003 as the fourth single from Chesney's 2002 album No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems. The song peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in April 2003, behind Darryl Worley's "Have You Forgotten?".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She's My Kind of Rain</span> 2003 single by Tim McGraw

"She's My Kind of Rain" is a song written by Tommy Lee James and Robin Lerner, and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in January 2003 as the third single from his album Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors. It peaked at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and at number 27 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">If Something Should Happen</span> 2005 single by Darryl Worley

"If Something Should Happen" is a song written by Dave Turnbull, Jim Brown and Dan Demay, and recorded by American country music artist Darryl Worley. It was released in February 2005 as the second single from his self-titled album. It peaked at number 9 on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Songs chart for the chart week of June 25, 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Good Day to Run</span> 2000 single by Darryl Worley

"A Good Day to Run" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Darryl Worley. It was released in September 2000 as the second single from his debut album Hard Rain Don't Last. It peaked at number 12 on the United States Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and at number 76 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by Worley and Bobby Tomberlin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sounds Like Life to Me</span> 2009 single by Darryl Worley

"Sounds Like Life to Me" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Darryl Worley. It was released in January 2009 as the second single from his album Sounds Like Life. The song made its chart debut in early 2009, becoming Worley's first Top 40 country hit since "I Just Came Back from a War" in late 2006-early 2007. It was written by Worley, Wynn Varble and Phil O'Donnell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When You Need My Love</span> 2000 single by Darryl Worley

"When You Need My Love" is a debut song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Darryl Worley. It was released in March 2000 as the first single from his debut album Hard Rain Don't Last. It peaked at #15 on the United States country chart and at #75 on the Hot 100. It also peaked at #30 on the Canadian country chart. The song was written by Worley and Wynn Varble.

"I Just Came Back from a War" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Darryl Worley. It was released in September 2006 as the second single from his album Here and Now. It peaked at number 18 on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Songs chart and reached number 15 on the U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100. The song was written by Worley and Wynn Varble.

George Edwin Varble is an American country music musician and songwriter. Varble co-wrote the hit songs Have You Forgotten?, Waitin' on a Woman, Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind and A Little More Country Than That.

Country Airplay is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States since October 20, 2012, although the magazine also retrospectively recognizes the Hot Country Songs charts from January 20, 1990, through October 13, 2012, as part of the history of the Country Airplay listing. The chart lists the 60 most-listened-to records played on 150 mainstream country radio stations across the country as monitored by Nielsen BDS, weighted to each station's Nielsen ratings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mind Reader (Dustin Lynch song)</span> 2015 single by Dustin Lynch

"Mind Reader" is a song written by Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip and recorded by American country music artist Dustin Lynch. It was released in September 2015 as the third and final single from Lynch's second studio album Where It's At (2014). It received mixed reviews from critics divided over the production and lyrics. "Mind Reader" became Lynch's third number one hit on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. It also peaked at number eight on both the Hot Country Songs and Canada Country charts respectively. It even reached number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold 271,000 copies in the United States as of June 2016. An accompanying music video for the song, directed by Mason Dixon, features a girl reading tarot cards as she's going on a night out with Lynch in Nashville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darryl Worley discography</span>

American musician Darryl Worley has released five studio albums, one compilation album, and twenty-three singles. Worley was signed to DreamWorks Records' Nashville division in 2000, releasing his debut album Hard Rain Don't Last that same year. The album accounted for four singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. It was followed in 2002 by I Miss My Friend, the title track of which became Worley's first number-one single on Hot Country Songs. He also topped the country charts in 2003 with "Have You Forgotten?", his longest-lasting at seven weeks, and a third and final time with "Awful, Beautiful Life" in early 2005. The former was included on a compilation album of the same name, while the latter appeared on his third and final DreamWorks album, Darryl Worley.

References

  1. ↑ "Worley Recalls Singing for U.S. Troops". MyPlainview. Hearst Newspapers, LLC. 10 January 2003. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  2. ↑ Levy, Morris S. (3 October 2013). Edmondson, PhD, Jacqueline (ed.). Music in American Life: An Encyclopedia of the Songs, Styles, Stars, and . p. 306. ISBN   9780313393488 . Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "Darryl Had A Great Time At The Opry!". Darryl Worley Dreamworks Records website. Dream Works Records. 18 January 2003. Archived from the original on February 20, 2003. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  4. ↑ Dickinson, Chrissie (3 March 2003). "Hot country song stirs war debate". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 27, 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  5. ↑ Boucher, Geoff (28 February 2003). "More airplay for country anthem". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Lou Dobbs Moneyline transcript". CNN. 11 March 2003. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Schmelz, Peter J. (2007). "Have you Forgotten?: Darryl Worley and the Musical Politics of Operation Iraqi Freedom". In Ritter, Jonathan J.; Daughtry, J. Martin (eds.). Music in the Post-9/11 World. pp. 123–154. ISBN   9781135866907 . Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  8. ↑ Kozaryn, Linda (16 April 2003). "A Singer, A Song and America's Armed Forces". DoD News. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 26 November 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  9. ↑ Umlauf, Simon (10 March 2003). "Country singer remembers story of 'Have You Forgotten?'". CNN Headline News. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  10. 1 2 Mansfield, Brian (26 February 2003). "Country anthem plays a drumbeat for war". USA Today. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  11. 1 2 Village Voice, "The 50 Worst Songs of the '00s, F2K No. 11: Darryl Worley, 'Have You Forgotten?'"
  12. ↑ Boucher, Geoff (8 March 2003). "Striking an antiwar chord". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  13. ↑ Kot, Greg (23 March 2003). "Conflict prompts outpouring of politics, protests from musicians". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  14. ↑ Campbell, Susan (12 March 2003). "To Kill Or Not To Kill: The War Between The Songs". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  15. ↑ Boehlert, Eric (11 March 2003). "No. 1 with a bullet". Salon. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  16. ↑ Stimeling, Travis D., ed. (2015). The Country Music Reader. Oxford University Press. ISBN   9780190233730.
  17. ↑ Toal, Gerard (November 2003). ""Just Out Looking for a Fight": American Affect and the Invasion of Iraq" (PDF). Antipode. 35 (5): 856–870. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8330.2003.00361.x. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  18. 1 2 Rudder, Randy (2005). "In Whose Name? Country Artists Speak Out on Gulf War II". In Wolfe, Charles K.; Akenson, James E. (eds.). Country Music Goes to War. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 208–226. ISBN   9780813149653 . Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  19. ↑ Claassen, Andrew Robertson (2009). After the Towers Fell: Musical Responses to 9/11. University of Miami Scholarly Repository. pp. 40–43. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  20. ↑ Miller, Henry (2011). Stars, stripes, cameras and decadence: Music videos of the Iraq War era. University of Central Florida STARS Digital Repository. pp. 9–12, 15–17, 26–28.
  21. ↑ Treiberg, Natasja (June 2008). Southern (Re)Belles and Good Old Boys: Gender Norms, Country Music and the Iraq War (PDF) (Ph.D.). Department of Political Science, University of Alberta.[ permanent dead link ]
  22. ↑ Sampert, Shannon; Treiberg, Natasja (2007). "Red, White and Blue: American Foreign Policy in Country Music" (PDF). Presentation to the Canadian Political Science Association, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
  23. ↑ Dickinson, Chrissie (3 March 2003). "Hot country song stirs war debate". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  24. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/song/t6212866 Allmusic: Have You Forgotten? Review
  25. 1 2 Resch, 2005, pg. 127
  26. ↑ "Darryl Worley Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
  27. ↑ "Darryl Worley Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
  28. ↑ "Best of 2003: Country Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media. 2003. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  29. ↑ "2003 Year End Charts – The Billboard Hot 100 Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 3, 2012.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.