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Don't Forget Me Lyrics

I'm an ocean in your bedroom
Make you feel warm
Make you want to re-assume
Now we know it all for sure

I'm a dance hall dirty break beat
Make the snow fall
Up from underneath your feet
Not alone, I'll be there
Tell me when you want to go

I'm a meth lab first rehab
Take it all off
And step inside the running cab
There's a love that knows the way

I'm the rainbow in your jail cell
All the memories of
Everything you've ever smelled
Not alone, I'll be there
Tell me when you want to go

Sideways falling
More will be revealed my friend
Don't forget me
I can't hide it
Come again get me excited

I'm an inbred and a pothead
Two legs that you spread
Inside the tool shed
Now we know it all for sure

I could show you
To the free field
Overcome and more
Will always be revealed
Not alone, I'll be there
Tell me when you want to go

Sideways falling
More will be revealed my friend
Don't forget me
I can't hide it
Come again get me excited

Sideways falling
More will be revealed my friend
Don’t forget me I can’t hide it
There's a match now let me light it

I'm the bloodstain
On your shirt sleeve
Coming down and more are coming to believe
Now we know it all for sure

Make the hair stand
Up on your arm
Teach you how to dance
Inside the funny farm
Not alone, I'll be there
Tell me when you want to go

I'll be there to tell me when you want to go
Come on baby tell me when you want to go
More will be revealed my friend
Song Info
Submitted by
on_a_plain_11 On Jul 07, 2002
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Cover art for Don't Forget Me lyrics by Red Hot Chili Peppers

"don't forget me" competes as my favorite red hot song. it is an absolutely amazing, riveting song that literally touches something inside of me everytime i listen to it. i believe the overall message is so simple yet so touching: two lovers have ended their relationship and he simply does not want her to forget him. here are my interpretations of my favorite lines of the song:

"i'm an ocean in your bedroom, make you feel warm make you want to reassume, now we know all it all for sure" - he knows that he has affected this woman and that he is so large and encompassing in her life, hence the ocean in the bedroom. he knows he can make her feel good, and now that their relationship is over, they can finally realize and know all the aspects of their time together.

"i'm the rainbow in your jail cell, all the memories of everything you've ever smelled" - again, he is a glimpse of hope, light, and color in her small, trapped, sheltered world. his presence in her life reminds her of everything in her life, and he is so much a part of her that every moment in her life, even those that did not include him, are now somehow connected to him forever.

"sideways falling, more will be revealed my friend, don't forget me i can't hide it, come again get me excited" - he is so affected by the end of this relationship that he feels as if he is falling sideways and walking and living all off balance. he knows more about their relationship will come to light after it has ended now, but he so desperately does not want her to forget him. and truthfully, all he desires is for her to come back to him again and return to him so that he can feel the excitement and vigor of life.

"i'm the blood stain on your shirt sleeve" - although it may seem as if this line is referencing drugs, i believe it symbolizes how he gave his heart and soul to this girl, so much so that it is almost as if he bled for her, and his love for her was so strong that it metaphorically visible on her shirt, able to be noticed when looking at her life

"make the hair stand up on your arm" - this simply references how he knows their entire relationship and experience together was so meaningful and real that the mere thought of it can send goosebumps through the body. their amazing connection was so deep that it affects the body subconciously

"i'll be there, tell me when you wanna go" - this line that concludes the song includes his last words to her: telling her that he will always be there for her, will always have her in his heart and that if she were to desire to return to their love, he would instantaneously meet her. he will be ready for her love again, ready to go for her and with her the moment she says she wants to.

A beautiful song, lyrically and musically. one of rhcp's best in my opinion. I can listen to this song over and over again, and it never fails to inspire a myriad of deep emotions and memories inside of me.

totally agree with u on everything

Not Valid

What about this section, "I'm an inbred and a pothead, Two legs that you spread, Inside the tool shed, Now we know it all for sure"? I don't know where that fits into your interpretation.

@megan082591 I beg to differ. It refers to his heroin addiction.

Cover art for Don't Forget Me lyrics by Red Hot Chili Peppers

For my money one of the best songs they have ever done.

As far as the meaning goes, I've always looked at this as a commentary on the battle with addiction. He can't forget it because it is always there in the background, reminding him of what life was like, and how he felt when he was high. No matter what he does its always there, trying to tempt him to use again and he will never really be alone because that voice will constantly be there in the background.

It's a really powerful song and I feel like it captures the mindset of a recovering addict better, and in a way that is more chillingly real, than anything else I've ever heard.

You know, or maybe it's just about puppies...

Cover art for Don't Forget Me lyrics by Red Hot Chili Peppers

I read somewhere that this song was written for John Fru, when he was deep in addiction, describing the lures of his addiction (something which AK would know very well) and how AK was concerned for him, hence "You're not alone, I'll be there, tell me when you want to go" -- "go" meaning to rehab. I love that the first chorus is followed by a spell-blinding guitar solo that expresses how JF would be feeling at the time: spinning spinning spinning shivering. Pure expression through music. But the song is so much better because AK has written the lyrics from so many perspectives -- as an addict, as a recovering addict, as someone removed and wanting to help, as someone who continually struggles with temptation. It is absolutely brilliant and one of my top 5 favorite RHCP songs.

I also love it because it's part of AK's ongoing love letter to JF. Purple Stain, This Velvet Glove, The Zephyr Song, Savior, Minor Thing, Road Trippin', this song ... some of RHCP's best songs refer to JF in some way or another. Now he's gone but the songs remain. Am wondering if AK feels weird performing these songs and singing lyrics about his departed favorite subject. Maybe not. Who knows.

@paralleluniverse Pretty sure "Savior" was written about AK's father, not John. But yeah, the other songs I think, you're spot on. Although I do think "This Velvet Glove" is a little romantic as well, even though it does reference John directly. :)

Cover art for Don't Forget Me lyrics by Red Hot Chili Peppers

I absolutely love this song. I think every song can be twisted into any meaning you want it to have that fits with your life at the moment. Mine right now is anger at having to take pain medications because of chronic mind numbing pain. Even though I'm not technically an addict, it has become a physical dependency because I've been in pain so long. So to me it rings of drug addiction.

In the beginning it's the ocean in your bedroom because it makes you feel so nice and warm and comfortable. Then you're taken to your jail cell where your memories of it are very clear especially if you go through withdraws.

Spreading your legs to get that fix. (Now for me I have a legal prescription and don't think I could ever do that no matter how much pain I'm in, but I could see why someone would)

Not alone, I'll be there tell you when you want to go, I see this whole song from a recovering drug addict, someone who remembers the joy and pain of it. That the addiction is always inside of you, will never leave you alone and is ready when you are to either fight the temptation or give in.

I think Don't forget me I can't hide it, come again get me excited refers to the addict wanting to do the right thing but still having those claws in them, so they realize that they will always feel that rush if they are exposed to it but again really trying to stay clean.

I don't know if I'm right, it's just how I feel, to me it is all about recovering but it always being a dark problem that can come out and hurt you at any time if you don't stay on top of it. Keep your reason for staying clean in your heart.

Song Meaning
Cover art for Don't Forget Me lyrics by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Simple: Its a drug addiction from the drug's point of view. Very powerful lyrics. Awesome song.

Cover art for Don't Forget Me lyrics by Red Hot Chili Peppers

This song has to be about drug addiction. Sounds to me like its about crystal meth...

My Interpretation

@jbird89 Anthony used heroin and cocaine - no meth.

@jbird89 For a recovering meth addict it sounds like meth.

It's definitely about addiction in my opinion. The drug is talking to him... Reminding him of the high thrills it provided..

I love the line, "I'm the rainbow in your jail cell." It's a metaphor. I (the drug) was the one who made you happy (rainbow) when everything else in your life was falling apart (jail cell).

The drug is trying to persuade him to use again. 

I love the eerie guitar sounds in the background. They are a constant reminder of the drug's notorious power. While the drug talks about it's ability to make him "feel warm" and what-not, he (and the listener) are emersed in a haunting melody that serves as a reminder of the pain and damage the drug inflicted. 

The reason the song resonates with so many people, in my opinion, is because addiction is universal. We all have an addiction. For some people, it's drugs. However, painful addictions can take many forms.

A destructive relationship can be a painful addiction. The song resonated with me in this way. Love was the drug. The relationship gave me temporary highs that were so addictive that I accepted the destructive aspects of it. After awhile, all the pain and damage that resulted from our fights and arguments over-shadowed the brief moments of euphoria. We eventually detoxed by going our separate ways, but only after numerous failed attempts.

That was my addiction..  I still have withdrawals. I also know that my drug is still waiting for me to give in to him... To go back.. "I'll be there.. Tell me when you wanna go..."

My Interpretation

That is what I got out of this song. You are the only one who is correct. I bought this CD when I was heavy into my H addiction. vidrine5@flash.net

Cover art for Don't Forget Me lyrics by Red Hot Chili Peppers

By the Way is their greatest album to date! Lyric-wise is phenomenal and the depth of these songs musically is over the top. The song are played with such passion that I haven't been able to find on another rhcp album. I know a lot would argue that Stadium Arcadium is the best one, but I beg to differ. Yes Stadium Arcadium is obviously a masterpiece but it has something missing which is the great lyrics that were featured on By the Way. Now, I'm With You, I believe that is grand on the scale that is so much bigger than anything they ever done. Musically, the album takes you over a wide range of different musical stylings and the way it is composed and arranged would make anyone's heart melt. But call me old fashion, (not really, I'm only 18), By the Way is still one of the greatest piece of music I ever heard.

@khearts By The Way and Stadium Arcadium are my favourite albums :) I agree with you that lyrically, BTW comes out on top.

Cover art for Don't Forget Me lyrics by Red Hot Chili Peppers

What I think this song comes to say is the endless battle Anthony had with his addictions "I'm a meth lab first rehab" (There are a more lot of lines pointing towards drugs in the song), And "Don't Forget Me" means that the drugs always call him saying his name trying to seduce him back into it "I'm the rainbow in your jail cell", and even when the drugs are talking to do him, they themselves know that's it a bad thing to do "I'm the bloodstain, On your shirt sleeve" but while he listening to what they are saying, He knows that he's a new person now, and he doesn't need drugs to feel good anymore, He wants those memories of his addictions gone but he still misses the feeling of being high "All the memories of everything you've ever smelled" He can't hide his thoughts and feeling about drugs, but he wants to overcome them, And he could only do that with a help from a lover (or some) "There's a love that knows the way" (Possibly the best line in history, but those are my personal thoughts, haha). The song ends with illusions he might have had while high, "Teach you how to dance inside the funny farm" and the final lines are one last desperate call from the drugs "I'll be there when you want to go" "Tell me when you want to go". The final line reads "More will be revealed my friend, and this is more aimed to me, I don't know about other people, but they knew how much meaning this song before even finishing it up, Perhaps they wanted to see if we can find all the nods and meaning this song actually has? Who knows...

He doesn't want to go back to it, because he knows how bad it is for him.

I want to say more, but I don't want to at the same time, this song has a lot of meaning to me and I'm sure to RHCP themselves too. And I still haven't discovered everything about this song, I don't think I ever will, but this song is surely one of RHCP's best creations in my opinion.

Cover art for Don't Forget Me lyrics by Red Hot Chili Peppers

I read an interview by RHCP, and this is what Anthony said about the song: "It's my idea of what God is about, what life is. It puts us in such a good mood, I think we'll open our shows with it for the next three years."