Retro Video of the Week: "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds

In our next exciting installment of "damn I feel old," yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the release of the soundtrack to the iconic Brat Pack film The Breakfast Club.  The movie itself was released across the U.S. a few days earlier, and of course, it tells the tale of five high schoolers -- "a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal," as the group's final essay to Vice Principal Vernon describes themselves -- who have to spend a Saturday in detention for various reasons.  Through comedy and heartfelt confessions, the film teaches us that you can't always judge a book by its cover, and everyone has struggles, no matter what their facade might otherwise portray, and we have more in common with others than we might think.  It's one of those quintessential '80s movies, further cementing the legacy of John Hughes, who wrote, directed, and co-produced the movie.

The soundtrack was produced by Keith Forsey, who came up working with legendary disco producer Georgio Moroder.  In addition to establishing himself as a producer in his own right in the early '80s (he produced Billy Idol's first four albums), Forsey had already been somewhat of a force on '80s movie soundtracks, co-writing (and winning an Oscar for) Irene Cara's hit "Flashdance...What a Feeling" from 1983's Flashdance, co-writing Limahl's hit title track from 1984's The Neverending Story, and co-writing and co-producing Glenn Frey's hit "The Heat Is On" for 1984's Beverly Hills Cop.  He and guitarist Steve Schiff co-wrote a song for The Breakfast Club called "Don't You (Forget About Me)," with the idea being that when these five high schoolers were back in school the next week, don't forget about the bond we made during detention and that we have things in common.  

It was originally offered to Scottish new wavers Simple Minds, but they declined it initially.  After several other artists, including Billy Idol and Brian Ferry, also declined it, Simple Minds came around and decided to record it, making some minor modifications that we have come to know and love (like the "hey hey hey hey" throughout, the "la la-la la" at the end of the song, and some edgier guitars).  That turned out to be good call.

The song was played at the end of the film, and it became the band's biggest international hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100, as well as the pop charts in Canada and The Netherlands.  It also reached the Top 10 on thirteen other international pop charts.  The song also has a pretty delicious drum fill at about 35 seconds before the end, right before the "la la-la las" kick in.  Of course, the song is just as signature of an '80s song as the movie is a signature '80s film.

The video was filmed in a swanky British manor, Knebworth House -- which has been featured in dozens of movies and, more importantly, is the same Knebworth whose sprawling grounds have hosted the music festival since the '70s -- and it features the band playing in a poorly lit room that has various little TV screens, some of which show scenes from the movie.