Can't Forget You (Sonia song)

"Can't Forget You"
Single by Sonia
from the album Everybody Knows
Released	25 September 1989
Studio	PWL 1 and 4 (London, England)[1]
Genre	Pop
Length	3:25
Label	Chrysalis
Songwriter(s)	Stock Aitken Waterman
Producer(s)	Stock Aitken Waterman
Sonia singles chronology
"You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" (1989) "Can't Forget You" (1989) "Listen to Your Heart" (1989)

"Can't Forget You" is a song by English singer Sonia, released as her second single in September 1989. The mid-tempo song later appeared on her debut album, Everybody Knows, released in 1990. It was a moderate hit on the chart, reaching number 17 in UK and number five in Ireland.

Background and writing

Contrary to fan speculation,^[2] "Can't Forget You" was written specifically for Sonia by Stock Aitken & Waterman (SAW) and thus was not initially offered to, nor recorded by, Kylie Minogue.^[3][4] It was written after Sonia had spoken with Mike Stock about her relationships.^[5]

Critical reception

Richard Lowe from Smash Hits wrote, "I think they're splendid [ SAW ] and Sonia's first single was probably the best all year. This one's not quite as catchy and won't do half as well but it's a good tune, well sung, nevertheless."^[6] Gary James of Entertainment Focus said almost the same thing: to him, "Can't Forget You" is "unmistakably a SAW production" and a "mid-tempo bop", but considered that it was "slightly more downbeat and mellow than [the previous single]".^[5] A review in Pan-European magazine Music & Media said the song is a "harmless lightweight disco".^[7]

Chart performance

"Can't Forget You" was less-successful than Sonia's debut single, "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You"; in the UK, it debuted at number 27 on 7 October 1989, peaked at number 17 the next week and spent six weeks in the top 75.^[8] However, it fared better in Ireland where it reached number five and appeared for three weeks on the chart.^[9] In addition, it was a top 20 hit in Finland, but stalled at number 47 in the Flanders region of Belgium.^[10][11] On the overall Eurochart Hot 100 compiled by the Music & Media magazine, it reached number 51 in its second week out of a five-week chart run.^[12] In Australia, "Can't Forget You" barely made the top 100 on the ARIA singles chart, peaking at number 98.^[13] Following the underperformance of Donna Summer's "Love's About To Change My Heart", the surprisingly poor chart showing of "Can't Forget You" has been cited as among the first significant signs of SAW's looming commercial implosion over the following 12 months.^[4]

Formats and track listings

• Cassette / 7" single^{[14][15][16][17]}

1. "Can't Forget You" - 3:25
2. "Can't Forget You" (Instrumental) - 3:25

• 12" / CD maxi^{[18][19][20][21]}

1. "Can't Forget You" (Extended Mix) - 6:05
2. "Can't Forget You" (Instrumental) - 3:25
3. "Can't Forget You" - 3:25

Credits and personnel

The following people contributed to "Can't Forget You":

• Sonia - lead vocals
• Mae McKenna, Tessa Niles - backing vocals
• Mike Stock - keyboards
• Matt Aitken - guitars, keyboards
• A Linn - drums
• Dave Ford - mixing

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Can't Forget You"

Chart (1989–1990)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[13]	98
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11]	47
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[12]	51
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[10]	19
Ireland (IRMA)[9]	5
UK Singles (OCC)[8]	17
UK Dance (Music Week)[22]	21

References

1. Can't Forget You (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis Records, PWL Records. 1989. CHS 3419.
2. "List of Unreleased Kylie Minogue Songs". pytalhost.net. Archived from the original on 2007-05-26. Retrieved 14 October 2015 – via Imgur.com.
3. "Mike Stock Interview 2015: Celebration 25 Years Since 'Everybody Knows'". soniaontheweb.com. Archived from the original on 14 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
4. "A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 50: I Just Don't Have The Heart to Can't Forget You on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
5. James, Gary (23 April 2020). "Sonia's Everybody Knows: looking back at the classic album 30 years on". Entertainment Focus. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
6. Lowe, Richard (20 September 1989). "Singles". Smash Hits. p. 73. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
7. "Previews – Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 41. 14 October 1989. p. 22. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 7 August 2023 – via World Radio History.
8. "Sonia: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
9. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Can't Forget You". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
10. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Sonia". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 241. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
11. "Sonia – Can't Forget You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 42. 21 October 1989. p. IV-V. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 7 August 2023 – via World Radio History.
13. "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 17 January 2014". Imgur.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
14. Can't Forget You (European 7-inch single sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis. 1989. 112 726.
15. Can't Forget You (Australian 7-inch single sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis. 1989. CHS 2316.
16. Can't Forget You (UK Cassette single sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis. 1989. CHSMC3419.
17. Can't Forget You (Australian Cassette single sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis. 1989. TCCHS 2316.
18. Can't Forget You (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis. 1989. CHS 12 3419.
19. Can't Forget You (Spain 12-inch single sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis. 1989. 052 3234196.
20. Can't Forget You (UK CD Maxi sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis. 1989. CHSCD 3419.
21. Can't Forget You (German CD maxi sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis. 1989. 662 726.
22. "Top Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 21 October 1989. p. 8. Retrieved 2 August 2023 – via World Radio History.