I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)

"I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)"
Single by Michael McDonald
from the album If That's What It Takes
B-side	"Losin' End"
Released	1982
Format	12", 7"
Recorded	Warner Bros. Recording Studio, North Hollywood, California
Genre	Blue-eyed soul, pop rock
Length	3:39
Label	Warner Bros.
Writer(s)	Michael McDonald, Ed Sanford, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Producer	Ted Templeman, Lenny Waronker
Michael McDonald singles chronology
"I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" (1982) "I Gotta Try" (1982)

"I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" (also known as "I Keep Forgettin'") is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael McDonald, from his debut album If That's What It Takes. It was written by McDonald and Ed Sanford. Its similarity to the earlier song "I Keep Forgettin'", by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, resulted in Leiber and Stoller also being given a songwriting credit.

Background

Michael McDonald recorded it, with his sister Maureen providing background vocals. It was featured on If That's What It Takes, his first solo album away from The Doobie Brothers. Released as a single, it peaked at #4 on the Billboard Pop Singles charts, and #7 on the Billboard R&B chart. Greg Phillinganes, Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro of the band Toto played the clavinet, guitar and drums respectively. Noted bassist Louis Johnson laid down the song's pronounced bassline.

Influence, covers, and sampling

McDonald's song was heavily sampled by Warren G on his hit 1994 single "Regulate", featuring Nate Dogg, and by Jadakiss on "Kiss Is Spittin'", which also features Nate Dogg. The song's bassline is also sampled in the track "Bistro" by critically acclaimed MF Doom/Madlib collaboration Madvillain. The song's chorus is interpolated by Moloko in an acoustic mix of their 2003 hit single "Familiar Feeling".

The song has been covered by soul singer Patti LaBelle, and Julia Fordham has covered it in a duet with McDonald himself.

In popular culture

The song was also used during the Condoleezza Rice dance segment on You're Welcome America: A Final Night with George W. Bush.

The song is the primary plot device of, and gives its name to, an episode of Yacht Rock, which comedically fictionalized the events leading to Warren G sampling it.