Never Forget You (Mariah Carey song)

For other songs with the same title, see Never Forget You.
"Never Forget You"
Single by Mariah Carey
from the album Music Box
A-side "Without You"
Released February 22, 1994 (1994-02-22)
Format CD single, cassette single, 7" single, 12" maxi single
Recorded 1993
Genre R&B
Length 3:46
Label Columbia
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
Mariah Carey singles chronology
"Hero"
(1993)		 "Never Forget You"/Without You"
(1994)		 "Anytime You Need a Friend"
(1994)

"Never Forget You" is a R&B/pop slow jam song written by American singer Mariah Carey and Babyface. It was produced by Carey, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons for Carey's third studio album, Music Box (1993). It was released as the third single from Music Box in the first quarter of 1994, as a double A-side with a cover of Badfinger's "Without You." Lyrically, the song's protagonist describes her ex-lover and although they have since moved on, she will never forget them. No music video was commissioned for the album version or any of the remixes, making it Carey's first commercially released single not to be accompanied by a video.

Critical reception

Entertainment Weekly editor David Browne wrote that this song is an "aceless ballad that wastes the talents of R&B producer Babyface."[1]

Chart performance

At the time of the single's release in the U.S. as "Without You & Never Forget You," Billboard magazine's rules allowed double-sided singles to chart together as one entry on the singles chart. A song that picked up the most airplay and/or sales for the respective chart was listed as the A-side. On the U.S. pop charts, it was listed as "Without You/Never Forget You" and reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining in the top forty for 21 weeks.

The maxi-single of "Never Forget You" was only released in the United States and promoted to Urban radio audiences, charting as the A-side when it appeared on the R&B charts. As "Never Forget You/Without You," it reached the top ten on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart primarily due to sales, and the RIAA certified it gold.

Remixes and other versions

Jermaine Dupri's R&B remixes of the song are included on its maxi-single release. A radio edit, an extended version and the instrumental version of the remix replace Babyface's original production with a new, pulsating synthetic R&B rhythm. The instrumental version was used on Carey's episode of MTV Cribs.

The song has been covered by a Japanese R&B singer Double and is featured on her greatest hits album 10 Years Best: We R&B.

Track list

U.S. CD maxi-single

  1. "Never Forget You" (radio edit) – 3:38
  2. "Never Forget You" (extended) – 5:19
  3. "Never Forget You" (album version) – 3:48
  4. "Never Forget You" (instrumental) – 3:35
  5. "Without You" (album version) – 3:33

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1994) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[2] 3
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[3] 7

Year-end charts

Chart (1994) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[4] 16
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[4] 61

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[5] Gold 600,000[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Music Box - EW.com". Entertainment Weekly's EW.com.
  2. ↑ "Mariah Carey – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Mariah Carey. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Mariah Carey – Chart history" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Mariah Carey. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "The Year in Music: 1994" (PDF). Billboard. December 24, 1994. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  5. ↑ "American single certifications – Mariah Carey – Without You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 5 May 2015. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  6. ↑ "Best-Selling Records of 1994". Billboard. BPI Communications. 107 (3): 57. January 21, 1995. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
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