In 1958, Ben Nelson joined a doo wop group, The Five Crowns. Later that same year, The Drifters' manager fired the members of the group and replaced them with The Five Crowns, who had performed several engagements with The Drifters. He co-wrote the first hit by the new version of The Drifters, "There Goes My Baby" (1959). He also sang lead, using his birth name, on "Save the Last Dance for Me," a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, "Dance With Me," "This Magic Moment," "I Count the Tears," and other The Drifters hits.
In 1960 he left the group after failing to gain a salary increase and a fairer share of the group's royalties. At this point he assumed the more memorable stage name Ben E. King in preparation for a solo career. Remaining on Atlantic, King scored his first solo hit with the stylish, Latin-tinged ballad "Spanish Harlem" (1961). "Stand by Me" was his next recording. "Stand by Me", written by King along with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller was voted one of the Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America. "Stand by Me" and "Spanish Harlem" were named as two of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and were both also given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.
King's records continued to place well on the pop charts until 1963, when British pop bands began to dominate the popular music scene. His hits after 1963 were "What is Soul?" (1967), "Supernatural Thing, part 1" (1975), and the re-issue in 1986 of "Stand by Me" following the song's use as the theme music to the movie of the same name.
How Can I Forget?
Ben E. King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go out and find someone new
That won't be easy you see
After all the things you've done for me
Though I'm a man, I ain't too proud to say
With you I stand tall and strong
Without you girl, I'm nothing at all
Like a snowman in the sun, my life was wasting away
How, I wanna know
How can I forget ya, woman
After all you've done for me
You'll always be a part of me
Girl, you don't realize what your love means to me
It's more precious than the air I breathe
I wanna know, how
How can I forget ya, woman
After all you've done for me
Girl, you'll always be apart of me
How, I wanna know
How can I forget ya, woman
After all you've done for me
You'll always be apart of me
How, how, how can I forget ya, woman
You've been so good, good baby
How can I forget ya
It's impossible to do
How can I forget ya, woman
You've been so good, good, good to me
How can I forget ya
I want to know
How can I forget ya
The lyrics of "How Can I Forget" are a reflection of a man's struggle to move on from a relationship after being urged by his partner to do so. The singer admits that it won't be easy to forget his lover, especially after all that she has done for him. He openly expresses that he's not ashamed to say that he needs her in his life to feel strong, as without her, he feels like nothing at all. The comparison of his life to that of a "snowman in the sun" suggests the brevity and fragility of his existence without his partner's love. The singer admits that her love has given him strength and hope, making him the man he is today. He concludes by expressing his confusion on how to forget the woman who has been so good to him, knowing that it is impossible to do.
The song ultimately focuses on the theme of love and loss, with the singer reflecting his dependency on his partner's love. He understands the impossibility of forgetting her after all that she has done and sighs with a question of how he can move on.
Line by Line Meaning
You asked me to forget about you
You requested that I move on from you
Go out and find someone new
You suggested that I pursue a new romantic interest
That won't be easy you see
I don't believe it will be a simple undertaking as it stands
After all the things you've done for me
In light of all the positive contributions you have made to my life
Though I'm a man, I ain't too proud to say
Although I am male, I am not so full of myself that I cannot admit
With you I stand tall and strong
You give me confidence and make me feel capable
Without you girl, I'm nothing at all
In your absence, I feel incomplete and lacking purpose
Like a snowman in the sun, my life was wasting away
Before I met you, my existence was fleeting and insignificant like a melting snowman
Your love gave me hope and strength, you're the reason I'm alive today
Your affection has provided me with a sense of optimism and resilience, you're the cause of my survival
How, I wanna know
I am curious and want to comprehend
How can I forget ya, woman
What actions must I take to remove you from my thoughts, my dear
After all you've done for me
Despite all the positive influences you've had on my life
You'll always be a part of me
You will forever remain a presence in my heart and mind, even if we are no longer together
Girl, you don't realize what your love means to me
I don't believe you understand the weight and significance of your affection in my life
It's more precious than the air I breathe
Your love is more valuable to me than the oxygen that I require to live
How, how, how can I forget ya, woman
What methods can I employ to eliminate thoughts of you from my mind, woman?
You've been so good, good baby
You have been extremely kind, my darling
It's impossible to do
I do not believe it can be accomplished
I want to know
I desire to comprehend
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind