Remember December
"Remember December" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Demi Lovato | ||||
from the album Here We Go Again | ||||
Released | January 18, 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2009; Studio Wishbone (Los Angeles, California) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:12 | |||
Label | Hollywood | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | John Fields | |||
Demi Lovato singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Remember December" on YouTube |
"Remember December" is a song by American singer
"Remember December" received generally positive reviews from music critics; the majority of them praised its
Background
In January 2009, Lovato began writing the songs for her sophomore album
Lovato worked with songwriter
I love this song for many reasons. It had a different sound than a lot of my songs. I related to it personally more than other songs, and I have so much fun with it. I thought if it could be a single that it would be incredible to perform it all the time ... What stands out about the song [is that] I can dance to it and rock out to it, which is ultimately my goal. I was just so excited when I heard this one, 'cause it's the epitome of where I want to go with the future.[6]
Composition and lyrical interpretation
"Remember December" is a 1980s-inspired
The song begins with Lovato singing "I feel a separation coming on, Cos [sic] I know, you want to be moving on."[11] Lyrically, the song sees the protagonist reminisce about a winter romance, with lines such as, "I remember us together / We promised that forever."[13][15] Los Angeles Times critic Margaret Wappler deemed it an "ode to breakups" and noted that the protagonist asks her willful boyfriend to remember "the good times" of their relationship.[9] In the chorus, she sings "Don't surrender, surrender, surrender", before asking him to remember their "promise of forever".[9] Lovato explained that the song is about "a girl [who] has so much to say to the guy, and it feels like he's not listening, and she wants him to remember everything that they had".[6]
Release and reception
"Remember December" was released as the second and final single from Here We Go Again. The song was first released in Scandinavian countries via
The song received generally positive reviews from critics. AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine considered Here We Go Again "not quite as much fun", as Lovato's debut album Don't Forget, "but still fun, particularly when Lovato tears into hooky power pop like ... 'Remember December'."[8] Erlewine also named the song one of the best tracks on the album.[8] BBC Music's Fraser McAlpine rated it four out of five stars, and wrote, "I'm sure there's a punkrock reason why we should all get together and hate it, but for the life of me I just can't. Even with the weird pronunciation and silly lyrics, this is a corker."[11] McAlpine praised the "grand" chorus and wrote: "Someone in Team Lovato has been cocking an ear to the musical stylings of Paramore and maybe suggested that the next logical step after Camp Rock's wholesome Disneyfication of popular song might be something a little more confessional."[11]
Cody Miller of PopMatters was positive regarding the song, writing: "When a real hook pops up, as on 'Remember December', Lovato really bites into it, belting and howling with enough melodrama and bravado to actually make one believe [the] lines."[15] Tamar Anitai of MTV Buzzworthy named the track the fifth best song of 2009, calling it "the strongest and best" on Here We Go Again.[21] Anitai wrote, "'Remember December' is a serious standout that quickly makes it point with Demi behind the wheel – seriously speeding – the whole time. It's the perfect showcase for Demi's way-beyond-her-years vocals and ability to sell a song without sugar-coating it."[21] In a more mixed review, Nick Levine of Digital Spy awarded it three out of five stars and said that it lacked "original ideas", but said that it "does at least have a decent chorus".[12] Levine called it a "Veronicas-lite pop-rock stomper" and praised Lovato's vocals.[12]
Music video
"Remember December" was directed by Tim Wheeler, who co-directed the videos of Lovato's previous singles, "Here We Go Again" and "La La Land".[22] Lovato was interviewed by MTV News on the set of the music video, where she stated that it stays true to the song's theme: "The music video relates to the song in a way ... And so instead of having a love interest in this video, it's all about being fierce and kind of, like, taking control as a girl. It's like girl empowerment. Yeah, divas!"[6] She described the video as "really, really glam rock".[23] According to Wheeler, the concept behind the video was to incorporate different lights and backlights.[23] The video premiered on November 12, 2009[6] and was made available for download in the iTunes Store on December 1, 2009.[24]
The music video includes three scenes in chronological order: The first scene was Lovato performing with her band on stage while sporting a "Rock Chick" outfit with a black leather jacket and stud gloves.
Live performances
Lovato performed the song for the first time on her
Formats and track listings
|
|
Credits and personnel
Recording
- Recorded at Studio Wishbone, Los Angeles, California
Personnel
|
|
Credits are adapted from the Here We Go Again liner notes.[5]
Charts
Chart (2010) | Peak position |
---|---|
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[30] | 70 |
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[20] | 80 |
Release history
Country | Release date | Format(s) |
---|---|---|
Denmark[31] | January 18, 2010 | Digital download |
Finland[32] | ||
Sweden[16] | ||
Norway[33] | February 15, 2010 | |
United Kingdom[17] | CD single , digital download
|
References
- ^ "Ask Billboard: Baseball Hits, Gwen Stefani's Delay & & Demi Lovato's Best-Selling Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. October 12, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
- Viacom. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
- ^ a b c Reynolds, Chas (May 1, 2009). "Interview: Demi Lovato". Artistdirect. Rogue Digital. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
- New York Daily News. Mortimer Zuckerman. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g Here We Go Again (liner notes). Demi Lovato. United States: Hollywood. 2009. D000349302.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b c d e Vena, Jocelyn (November 11, 2009). "Demi Lovato Urges 'Girl Empowerment' In 'Remember December' Video". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ a b Wappler, Margaret (July 20, 2009). "Album reviews: Demi Lovato's 'Here We Go Again' and Jordin Sparks' 'Battlefield'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
- ^ Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
- ^ a b c Wappler, Margaret (October 28, 2010). "December's children: The power of the 12th month for Taylor Swift and other teen-pop stars". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
- The Vindicator. The Vindicator Printing Co. Archived from the originalon April 2, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
- ^ British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Levine, Nick (February 8, 2010). "Demi Lovato: 'Remember December'". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
- ^ The Observer-Dispatch. GateHouse Media. Archived from the originalon February 8, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
- ^ )
- ^ a b Miller, Cody (September 10, 2009). "Demi Lovato: Here We Go Again". PopMatters. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Demi Lovato – Remember December MP3 music downloads". 7digital (Sweden). Archived from the original on October 9, 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ a b "Remember December – Demi Lovato". Fascination Records. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
- ^ a b "Remember December – EP by Demi Lovato". iTunes Store (United Kingdom). Apple, Inc. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
- ^ a b "The Official Charts Company – Demi Lovato – Remember December". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
- ^ a b Anitai, Tamar (December 28, 2009). "Tamar Counts Down Buzzworthy's Top 5 Songs Of 2009 -- Number 5: Demi Lovato, 'Remember December' & Number 4: Tokio Hotel, 'Automatic'". MTV Buzzworthy. Viacom. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
- ^ "Remember December | Demi Lovato". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved April 24, 2011.
- ^ a b c Lovato, Demi; Wheeler, Tim (November 13, 2009). Remember December: Behind the Scenes (video) (streaming media). Myspace. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
- ^ "Remember December by Demi Lovato". iTunes Store (United States). Apple, Inc. January 2009. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
- ^ a b Kinter, Thomas (June 23, 2009). "Lovato Opens Tour With Shout To City". Hartford Courant. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
- ^ Legaspi, Althea (July 17, 2009). "Plenty of pap but no pop for Lovato". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Company. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
- ^ "Demi hits the UK!". Fascination Records. January 26, 2010. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ Caramanica, Jon (September 18, 2011). "After Disney, After Rehab, a Singer Tries Growing Up". The New York Times. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
- ^ Graff, Gary (November 17, 2011). "Demi Lovato's Tour Opener Has Its Ups & Downs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
- ^ "21 February 2010 - 27 February 2010". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
- Apple, Inc. January 2010. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
- ^ "Demi Lovato – Remember December MP3 music downloads". 7digital (Finland). Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
- ^ "Demi Lovato – Remember December MP3 music downloads". 7digital (Norway). Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
External links
- Official music video (Hollywood Records) on YouTube