2005 single by Slipknot
"
Before I Forget
" is a song by American
heavy metal
band
Slipknot
, released as the third single from the band's third studio album,
Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
(2004). It was cited by
AOL
as the 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]
Reception and awards
[
edit
]
"Before I Forget" is widely regarded as one of the band's best songs. In 2020,
Kerrang
and
Louder Sound
ranked the song number seven and number six, respectively, on their lists of the greatest Slipknot songs.
[5]
[6]
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
[
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]
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.
As of March 2023, the music video for "Before I Forget" has over 250 million views on
YouTube
.
[7]
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.
[8]
This music video also helped to garner the band its first and only Grammy Award win for "Best Metal Performance" in 2006.
Equipment
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]
Track listing
[
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]
- 7" vinyl part one
Title
|
---|
1.
| "Before I Forget" (Single Mix)
| 3:37
|
---|
2.
| "The Blister Exists" (Live)
| 5:19
|
---|
- 7" vinyl part two
Title
|
---|
1.
| "Before I Forget" (Full-Length Single Mix)
| 4:23
|
---|
2.
| "Three Nil" (Live)
| 4:55
|
---|
- US promo CD
Title
|
---|
1.
| "Before I Forget" (Single Mix)
| 3:37
|
---|
2.
| "Before I Forget" (Full-Length Single Mix)
| 4:23
|
---|
- EU promo CD
Title
|
---|
1.
| "Before I Forget" (Single Mix)
| 3:37
|
---|
- Digital download
Title
|
---|
1.
| "Before I Forget" (Live)
| 4:26
|
---|
Charts
[
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]
Certifications
[
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]
References
[
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]
- ^
"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
.
- ^
ascap.com/repertory#ace/performer/SLIPKNOT. Despite the group writing credit, it is thought that Gray and Taylor were primarily responsible for the song
- ^
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
.
[
dead YouTube link
]
- ^
Bryant, Tom (14 July 2012). "Hell unleashed".
Kerrang!
#1423
. p. 25.
- ^
Law, Sam (March 27, 2020).
"The 20 greatest Slipknot songs ? ranked"
.
Kerrang
. Retrieved
April 10,
2022
.
- ^
Chillingworth, Alec (December 22, 2020).
"The Top 50 best Slipknot songs ever"
.
Louder Sound
. Retrieved
April 10,
2022
.
- ^
Slipknot (October 27, 2009).
"Slipknot - Before I Forget [OFFICIAL VIDEO] [HD]"
.
YouTube
. Retrieved
March 18,
2023
.
- ^
Scuzz.
"Top 100 Most Rocking Videos 2007"
. Archived from
the original
on 5 February 2007
. Retrieved
2007-02-11
.
- ^
"Official Singles Chart Top 100"
.
Official Charts Company
. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ^
"Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40"
.
Official Charts Company
. Retrieved
October 31,
2022
.
- ^
"Slipknot Chart History (Alternative Airplay)"
.
Billboard
. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ^
"Slipknot Chart History (Mainstream Rock)"
.
Billboard
. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ^
"Portuguese single certifications ? Slipknot ? Before I Forget"
(PDF)
(in Portuguese).
Associacao Fonografica Portuguesa
. Retrieved
February 7,
2023
.
- ^
"British single certifications ? Slipknot ? Before I Forget"
.
British Phonographic Industry
. Retrieved
September 23,
2022
.
- ^
"American single certifications ? Slipknot ? Before I Forget"
.
Recording Industry Association of America
. Retrieved
January 3,
2021
.
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