I Don't Remember Me (Before You)

Album: Port Saint Joe (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This romantic and endearing ballad finds John and TJ Osborne offering their hearts to a lover. The idea for the song came out of something co-writer Shane McAnally told the brothers during a writing session.

    McNally said, "I literally can't think of who I was. I don't remember who I was before [my] husband Michael."

    TJ Osborne and his brother thought that was a great concept for a song and they couldn't recall that subject being said that way before.

    When they played their idea to their producer Jay Joyce, he suggested, "it would be really cool to save the 'before you' till the end of the song." The brothers thought that was a "killer idea" and took it on board.

    "So now," TJ Osborne explained, "it kind of goes in a turn around. You don't know what the hell I'm talking about. 'I don't remember me,' you keep hearing this, and then at the end is the reveal 'I don't remember me before you,' which I think is great."
  • The sentimental video centers on a professional bull rider who, struggling with substance abuse, alienates himself from his loved ones. It ends with a twist that will tug at your heartstrings. The clip was directed by Wes Edwards and Ryan Silver, the same team that was behind the Brothers OsBourne's CMA-and-ACM winning visual for "It Ain't My Fault."

    "We're very excited to release this emotional example of someone's life being changed by another," said John Osborne.

    The Brothers Osborne have cameos in the clip. John Osborne plays a spotter in the ring, while TJ is an EMT trying to save the bull rider's life.
  • As soon as Wes Edwards and Ryan Silver shared the visual's concept with the brothers, they were immediately on board. "When Wes and Ryan sent us their idea for it, we fell in love immediately with it," they said in a behind the scenes video.

    "We thought it was really cool, considering the lyrics and the chorus: 'I heard I was a wild one I feel like a child, son.' I think that's very indicative of what the rodeo life is, they're all crazy, wild characters and they're obsessed with this. They wake up every morning and go to bed every night thinking about it."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Name the Character in the Song

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?

Tony Joe White

Tony Joe WhiteSongwriter Interviews

The writer of "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Polk Salad Annie" explains how he cooks up his Louisiana swamp rock.

Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks

Ron and Russell Mael of SparksSongwriter Interviews

The men of Sparks on their album Hippopotamus, and how Morrissey handled it when they suggested he lighten up.

John Kay of Steppenwolf

John Kay of SteppenwolfSongwriter Interviews

Steppenwolf frontman John Kay talks about "Magic Carpet Ride," "Born To Be Wild," and what he values more than awards and accolades.

Jon Anderson

Jon AndersonSongwriter Interviews

Jon Anderson breaks down the Yes classic "Seen All Good People" and talks about his 1000 Hands album, which features Chick Corea, Rick Derringer, Ian Anderson, and many other luminaries.

Gavin Rossdale of Bush

Gavin Rossdale of BushSongwriter Interviews

On the "schizoid element" of his lyrics, and a famous line from "Everything Zen."