Can't Remember to Forget You

"Can't Remember to Forget You" is a song recorded by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira from her upcoming fourth English and overall tenth studio album, Shakira. Featuring vocals by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, it was released as the lead single of the album on January 13, 2014 through RCA Records and Sony Latin Iberia. A Spanish-language version of the song, entitled "Nunca Me Acuerdo de Olvidarte", was released on January 21, 2014. The song was co-written by Shakira, Rihanna, John Hill, Tom "Kid Harpoon" Hull, Daniel Ledinsky, and Erik Hassle, while production was handled by Shakira, Hill, and Hull. The track is an uptempo new wave track that incorporates elements of reggae. Lyrically the song revolves around forgetting someone who is bad even though you love the person. Upon its release, "Can't Remember to Forget You" was met with mixed reviews from critics; while critics praised the ska influences, they felt that the song overall was not memorable. Commercially, the single fared well, peaking at fifteen on the US Billboard 100 chart and eleven in the United Kingdom; the song also peaked within the top ten of Spain and France. The music video, which was shot in a Los Angeles mansion, was directed by Joseph Kahn and was premiered and uploaded to YouTube on January 30, 2014. The accompanying video featured both Shakira and Rihanna in revealing outfits and a "naked embrace". On January 6, 2014, the title of the song was revealed to be "Can't Remember to Forget You" and Rihanna confirmed that she would be contributing her vocals on the track. She also mentioned that it would be released on January 13, 2014, although it was initially going to be released one day later. The next day, Shakira also confirmed the release date of the duet and posted a promotional cover. "Nunca Me Acuerdo de Olvidarte", the Spanish version, was released on January 21, 2014 which does not feature Rihanna. A physical single release in Germany is set to be out on February 14, 2014. The actual artwork of the single was released on January 9, 2014, and depicts Shakira wearing a black cut-out body piece with a gold and black medallion. Rihanna is seen lying on her lap, dressed in a strapless body suit and costume jewels. Donna McConell from the Daily Mail described the artwork as "smouldering", while Jordana Ossad from E! Online called the duo "radiant and sultry" and complimented their pose. Two days before the release of the song, a "grainy" snippet of the recording in which Shakira could be heard singing the title of the song leaked online. On January 13, 2014, "Can't Remember to Forget You" was premiered on American syndicated radio program On Air with Ryan Seacrest and the audio of the song was also uploaded to Shakira's Vevo account. "Can't Remember to Forget You" is an uptempo new wave track that incorporates elements of reggae and ska and has a length of three minutes and twenty eight seconds. The Guardian characterised the song as a "new wave pop" track containing a "guitar-tinged" beat. Rap-Up magazine said the song is an "upbeat" track containing a "reggae-tinged" beat. The song opens with a "low-slung, reggae-tinged verse", which the Guardian compared to the work of The Police, the song moves into a "guitar-heavy" chorus which contains "ska guitars and horns" and a "chunky rock arrangement". Complex described the song as a pop rock track. Lyrically, the song concerns a man that Shakira can not get off her mind, discussing how easy it is to forget how bad someone is for you when you still love them. The lyrics were noted by E! Online as describing a woman who will follow her man, the concept of the song is introduced in lyrics such as "keep(s) forgetting I should let you go/ But when you look at me/ The only memory is us kissing in the moonlight." Lewis Corner of Digital Spy commented on the lyric; "I keep forgetting I should let you go" as the singers telling their "no-good lothario, who seems to still have a hefty grip on their hearts," continuing to say the songs lyrics are "romantic pitfall." Musically, the song is written in the key of B minor, and set in common time signature with a moderately fast tempo of 130 beats per minute. It follows a chord progression of Bm - Em - A - D. Shakira and Rihanna vocals span from the low tone of B3 to the high tone of D5. On its first day of release the song had 1,172 spins on 143 stations, equating to 11 million audience impressions. "Can't Remember To Forget You" debuted at No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 25 on Latin Pop Songs chart. The spanish version debutet at No. 11 on the Hot Latin Songs chart. With the song debuting at number twenty eight in on the US Billboard Hot 100 it became Shakira's highest-debuting track in the United States. Its highest Billboard Hot 100 chart position so far is at number fifteen. The song made its chart debut in Ireland where it debuted at number seventeen on the Irish Singles Chart. In the UK the single debuted at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart, giving Shakira her eleventh UK top forty and Rihanna her thirty-ninth top forty. In France, the song entered the singles chart at number six. The single debuted at number 20 in Germany. The accompanying music video for "Can't Remember to Forget You" was filmed by American director Joseph Kahn. On December 8, 2013, Shakira tweeted that she had finished shooting the video with Kahn. The premiere of the video took place on January 30, 2014 and debuted during "Shakira: Off the Charts" a 30-min special 8:pm ET/PT on E! Online. The video was made available for streaming on Shakira's VEVO profile on YouTube where it received more than 17.1 million views during its first 24 hours of availability. On February 10 the video reached 100 million views, becoming Shakira's eighth Vevo Certified music video.

[Verse 1: Shakira] I left a note on my bedpost Said, "Not to repeat yesterday’s mistakes" What I tend to do when it comes to you I see only the good, selective memory The way you make me feel, yeah, you gotta hold on me I've never met someone so different Oh, here we go You a part of me now You a part of me So where you go I follow, follow, follow [Chorus: Shakira] Ohh, ohh, I can't remember to forget you Ohh, ohh, I keep forgetting I should let you go But when you look at me The only memory is us kissing in the moonlight Ohh, ohh, I can't remember to forget you Ohh, ohh, I can't remember to forget you Ohh, ohh [Verse 2: Rihanna & Shakira, Both] I go back again Fall off the train Land in his bed Repeat yesterday’s mistakes What I'm tryna say is not to forget You see only the good, selective memory The way he makes me feel like The way he makes me feel, I never seemed to act so stupid Oh, here we go He a part of me now He a part of me So where he goes I follow, follow, follow [Chorus: Shakira & Rihanna] Ohh, ohh, I can't remember to forget you Ohh, ohh, I keep forgetting I should let you go But when you look at me The only memory is us kissing in the moonlight Ohh, ohh, I can't remember to forget you [Bridge: Shakira & Rihanna] I rob and I kill to keep him with me I'll do anything for that boy I'd give my last dime to hold him tonight I'll do anything for that boy I rob and I kill to keep him with me I'll do anything for that boy I'd give my last time to hold him tonight I'll do anything for that boy [Chorus: Shakira & Rihanna] Ohh, ohh, I can't remember to forget you Ohh, ohh, I keep forgetting I should let you go But when you look at me The only memory is us kissing in the moonlight (Oh-oh) Ohh, ohh, I can't remember to forget you But when you look at me The only memory is us kissing in the moonlight Ohh, ohh, I can't remember to forget you