Hermaphroditus
Son of Aphrodite and Hermes in Greek mythology
In Greek mythology, Hermaphroditus (; , ) was a child of Aphrodite and Hermes. According to Ovid, he was born a remarkably beautiful boy whom the naiad Salmacis attempted to rape and prayed to be united with forever. A god, in answer to her prayer, merged their two forms into one and transformed him into a hermaphrodite, he being considered the origin of the name. His name is compounded of his parents' names, Hermes and Aphrodite. He was one of the Erotes.
Because Hermaphroditus was a child of Hermes, and consequently a great-grandchild of Atlas (Hermes's mother Maia was the daughter of Atlas), he is sometimes called Atlantiades ().
Symbolism.
Hermaphroditus, the two-sexed child of Aphrodite and Hermes (Venus and Mercury), had long been a symbol of androgyny or effeminacy, and was portrayed in Greco-Roman art as a female figure with male genitals.
Theophrastus's account also suggests a link between Hermaphroditus and the institution of marriage. The reference to the fourth day of the month is telling: this is the luckiest day to have a wedding. association with marriage seems to have been that, by embodying both masculine and feminine qualities, he symbolized the coming together of men and women in sacred union. Another factor linking Hermaphroditus to weddings was his parents' role in protecting and blessing brides.
Hermaphroditus's name is derived from those of their parents Hermes and Aphrodite. All three of these gods figure largely among erotic and fertility figures, and all possess distinctly sexual overtones. Sometimes, Hermaphroditus is referred to as Aphroditus.
Mythology.
Ovid's account relates that Hermaphroditus was nursed by naiads in the caves of Mount Ida, a sacred mountain in Phrygia (present day Turkey). At the age of fifteen, he grew bored with his surroundings and traveled to the cities of Lycia and Caria. It was in the woods of Caria, near Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum, Turkey) that he encountered the nymph Salmacis, in her pool. She was overcome by lust for the boy, who was very beautiful but still young, and tried to flirt with him, but was rejected. When he thought she had left, Hermaphroditus undressed and entered the waters of the empty pool. Salmacis sprang out from behind a tree and jumped into the pool. She wrapped herself around the youth, forcibly kissing him and touching his breast, attempting to rape him. While he struggled, she called out to the gods that they should never part. Her wish was granted, and their bodies blended into one form, "a creature of both sexes". Hermaphroditus prayed to Hermes and Aphrodite that anyone else who bathed in the pool would be similarly transformed, and his wish was granted.
Hungarian classical philologist Károly Kerényi wrote: "In this form the story was certainly not ancient". He related it to the Greek myths involving male youths ("ephebes"), noting the legends of Narcissus and Hyacinth, who had archaic hero-cults, and also those involving Hymen (Hymenaios).
Diodorus Siculus, in his work "Library of History", mentions that some say that Hermaphroditus is a god and appears at certain times among men, but there are some who declare that such creatures of two sexes are monstrosities, and coming rarely into the world as they do have the quality of presaging the future, sometimes for evil and sometimes for good.
In a description found on the remains of a wall in Halicarnassus, Hermaphroditus' mother, Aphrodite, names Salmacis as the nymph who nursed and took care of an infant Hermaphroditus after being placed in her care, a very different version than the one presented by Ovid.
The satirical author Lucian of Samosata also implies that Hermaphroditus was born like that, rather than becoming later in life against his will, and blames it on the identity of the child's father, Hermes.
Cult and worship.
The oldest traces of the cult in Greek countries are found in Cyprus. Here, according to Macrobius ("Saturnalia", iii. 8), there was a bearded statue of a male Aphrodite, called Aphroditus by Aristophanes. Philochorus in his "Atthis" (ap. Macrobius "loc. cit.") further identified this divinity, at whose sacrifices men and women exchanged garments, with the Moon. A terracotta plaque from the 7th century BC depicting Aphroditos, which was found in Perachora, suggests it was an archaic Greek cult.
The deification and the origins of the cult of Hermaphroditus beings stem from Eastern religions, where the hermaphrodite nature expressed the idea of a primitive being that united both sexes. This double sex also attributed to Dionysus and Priapus – the union in one being of the two principles of generation and conception – denotes extensive fertilizing and productive powers.
This Cyprian Aphrodite is the same as the later Hermaphroditos, which simply means Aphroditos in the form of a herma, and first occurs in the "Characters" (16) of Theophrastus. After its introduction at Athens (probably in the 5th century BC), the importance of this deity seems to have declined. It appears no longer as the object of a special cult, but limited to the homage of certain sects, expressed by superstitious rites of obscure significance.
We find in Alciphron that there was at Athens a temple of Hermaphroditus. The passage proposes that he might be considered as the deity who presided over married people; the strict union between husband and wife being aptly represented by a deity, who was male and female inseparably blended together.
In "Greek Anthology", at the chapter in which describe the statues in the Baths of Zeuxippus, it also mentions and describes a statue of Hermaphroditus.
Literature.
The earliest mention of Hermaphroditus in Greek literature is by the philosopher Theophrastus (3rd century BC), in his book "The Characters", XVI The Superstitious Man, in which he portrays various types of eccentric people.
<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />Also on the fourth and seventh days of each month he will order his servants to mull wine, and go out and buy myrtle-wreaths, frankincense, and smilax; and, on coming in, will spend the day in crowning the Hermaphrodites.
The first mention of Hermes and Aphrodite as Hermaphroditus's parents was by the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus (1st century BC) in his book "Bibliotheca historica", book IV, 4.6.5.
<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />Hermaphroditus, as he has been called, who was born of Hermes and Aphrodite and received a name which is a combination of those of both his parents. Some say that this Hermaphroditus is a god and appears at certain times among men, and that he is born with a physical body which is a combination of that of a man and that of a woman, in that he has a body which is beautiful and delicate like that of a woman, but has the masculine quality and vigour of a man. But there are some who declare that such creatures of two sexes are monstrosities, and coming rarely into the world as they do they have the quality of presaging the future, sometimes for evil and sometimes for good.
The only full narration of his myth is that of Ovid's "Metamorphoses", IV.274–388 (8 AD), where the emphasis is on the feminine snares of the lascivious water-nymph Salmacis and her compromising of Hermaphroditus' erstwhile budding manly strength, detailing his bashfulness and the engrafting of their bodies.
A rendering of the story into an "epyllion", published anonymously in 1602, was later (1640) attributed by some to Francis Beaumont.
Ausonius, in his "Epigramata de diversis rebus / Epigrams on various matters" (4th century), also tells of Hermaphroditus' parentage and union with the nymph Salmacis.
<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />On Hermaphroditus and his Nature—By Mercury begotten, conceived by Cythera, Hermaphroditus, compound alike in name and frame, combining either sex, complete in neither, neutral in love, unable to enjoy either passion.
<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />On the Union of Salmacis and Hermaphroditus—The nymph Salmacis grew one with the mate she desired. Ah, happy maid, if she is conscious of a man's embrace. And twice happy thou, O youth, united with a lovely bride, if one being may still be two.
In the "Palatine Anthology", IX.783 (980 AD), there is a reference to a sculpture of Hermaphroditus which was placed in a bath for both sexes. The passage IX.317 is in dialogue form, based on the dialogue between Hermaphroditus and Silenus. The latter claims that he has had sexual intercourse with Hermaphroditus three times. Hermaphroditus complains and objects to the fact by invoking Hermes in an oath, while Silenus invokes Pan for the reliability of his allegations.
Algernon Charles Swinburne's poem "" in "Poems and Ballads" is subscribed "Au Musée du Louvre, Mars 1863", leaving no doubt that it was the Borghese Hermaphroditus that had inspired his ode.
References.
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Salmacis
Nymph in Greek mythology
Salmacis () was an atypical Naiad nymph of Greek mythology. She rejected the ways of the virginal Greek goddess Artemis in favour of vanity and idleness.
Mythology.
Ovid's version.
Salmacis' attempted rape of Hermaphroditus is narrated in the fourth book of Ovid's "Metamorphoses" (see also Dercetis).
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One day, Hermaphroditus went swimming in his pool. Upon seeing him, Salmacis was struck with love for him, approached him and confessed her love to him; but he was not interested, and demanded she leave. She did so, but her passion took her back, unable to stay away from him. As Hermaphroditus emerged from the pool, she threw herself at him, and forcibly kissed him as he tried to escape. Salmacis then cried to the gods and begged them to let them stay together forever; and the gods answered by fusing them together for all time, into a deity that had both male and female parts. She thus becomes one with Hermaphroditus and he curses the fountain to have the same effect on every other person who would bathe there.
Other versions.
In a description found on the remains of a wall in Halicarnassus, Hermaphroditus' mother Aphrodite names Salmacis as the nymph who nursed and took care of an infant Hermaphroditus after his parents put him in her care, a very different version than the one presented by Ovid.
Lucian of Samosata also implies that Hermaphroditus was born like that, rather than becoming later in life against his will, and blames it on the identity of the boy's father Hermes.
Salmacis fountain.
Salmacis was the name of a fountain or spring located in modern-day Bodrum, Turkey. According to some classical authors, the water had the reputation of making men effeminate and soft. This legend lies at the heart of Ovid's tale of Salmacis and Hermaphroditus.
Ancient art.
A fresco in Room 10 of the "Casa della Venere in Conchiglia" (House of Venus in the Shell) in Pompeii depicts Eros standing in between Hermaphroditus and Salmacis. The fresco is possibly the earliest (before 79 AD) and the only ancient artwork of the water nymph before her union with Hermaphroditus.
Post-Classical reception.
Literature.
Francis Beaumont, a poet and playwright, wrote a poem "Salmacis and Hermaphroditus" based on Ovid's work. The poem was published anonymously in London in 1602.
Algernon Charles Swinburne's 1863 poem "Hermaphroditus", based on the Bernini sculpture of the same name in the Louvre, makes mention of Salmacis in the final stanza.
A novel of short stories by Italian writer Mario Soldati called "Salmace" (Salmacis), a title that spans the entire collection. In the story it tells of the transformation of a man into a woman, in a highly metaphorical context.
Sculpture.
A sculpture by François-Joseph Bosio, "La nymphe Salmacis" from 1826, can be seen on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
A sculpture by Sir Thomas Brock of Salmacis (aka "The Bather Surprised") was designed in 1868. It was modelled and exhibited at the Royal Academy, London in 1869. A variety of porcelain replicas were made from 1875 and an example was exhibited at the Paris Exhibition of 1878.
The "Fontana Greca" ("Greek Fountain") is a fountain from the Renaissance period located in Gallipoli, southern Italy. The fountain has bas-reliefs depicting three metamorphoses in Greek mythology. The center bas-relief shows Eros flying beside Aphrodite, while Hermaphroditus and Salmacis are shown below laying together and embracing.
Painting.
A painting of Salmacis in 1877 by French artist Charles Landelle was one of the most admired works at the Paris Exhibition according to The Art Journal of 1878. The painting depicts a startled Salmacis seated among reeds, clutching her drapery to her chest in alarm.
Music.
The British progressive rock band Genesis wrote and performed a song entitled "Fountain of Salmacis" on their 1971 album "Nursery Cryme". It tells the story of Salmacis' attempted rape of Hermaphroditus. At the end of the song, the lyrics state that Salmacis and Hermaphroditus were "joined as one" and forever live beneath the lake from which the fountain appears.
References.
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Salmacis (fountain)
Ancient fountain or spring
Salmacis or Salmakis was the name of a fountain or spring located in modern-day Bodrum, Turkey. According to some classical authors, the water had the reputation of making men effeminate, soft, and 'woman like'. Ovid famously recounts the myth in his story about Hermaphroditus and the nymph of the spring Salmacis.
History.
Salmacis was a fountain, located near the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. In classical times, it had:
the slanderous repute, for what reason I do not know, of making effeminate all who drink from it. It seems that the effeminacy of man is laid to the charge of the air or of the water; yet it is not these, but rather riches and wanton living, that are the cause of effeminacy. —Strabo "Geography XIV.2.16"
This was illustrated by Hellenic sculptors, who produced several works depicting a person of dual-gender. The power of the spring was rejected by other Romans, such as the architect Vitruvius
there is a mistaken idea that this spring infects those who drink of it... it cannot be that the water makes men effeminate. —Vitruvius "De architectura" 2.8.12
In Book IV of his poem "Metamorphoses", Ovid recounts the myth of how the fountain came to be so in the story of the nymph Salmacis (after whom the fountain is, in this account, named), her attempted rape of Hermaphroditus, and his resultant change into an intersex being. Scholars such as Károly Kerényi have asserted that Ovid's account was not a classical one and that the story was in fact invented by him.
The Salmakis inscription.
In 1995, the so-called 'Salmakis Inscription' was discovered by Turkish authorities on the promontory of Kaplan Kalesi, which juts out into the sea to the south-west of Bodrum harbour.
The inscription is a poem sixty lines long, partly damaged but mainly well preserved, and was cut into an ancient wall sometime during the Hellenistic period. It is written in elegiac verse and the general theme is one of civilization. The first lines form the poet's invocation of the goddess Aphrodite, early in Aphrodite's story we encounter her son Hermaphroditus and the water nymph Salmacis:
The inscription also contains a list of famous authors born in Halikarnassos. First on the list being the Greek historian Herodotos. It is now being housed in the Museum of Underwater Archaeology at Bodrum Castle.
Music.
The progressive rock band Genesis tells the story in "The Fountain of Salmacis", a track from their 1971 album "Nursery Cryme".
References.
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Salmacis (disambiguation)
Salmacis or Salmakis (), was a naiad in Greek mythology.
Salmacis or Salmakis may also refer to:
Topics referred to by the same term
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 This page lists associated with the title .

Salmacis (genus)
Salmacis is the genus of sea urchins in the family Temnopleuridae. Members of "Salmacis" are found primarily in tropical and subtropical marine waters across the Indo-Pacific region, including coastal areas of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, India, Australia, and parts of East Africa. Some habitats include shallow waters of seagrass meadows, sandy substrates, and coral reefs. They can be found at depths ranging from intertidal zones to 50 meters below sea level.
Like other sea urchins in the class Echinoidea, "Salmacis" have an omnivorous diet that comprises of algae and soft-bodied organisms like sea pens and jellyfish. Their bodies are covered with short, thick spines, and pedicellariae to deter predators. They are dioecious with separate male and female sexes. "Salmacis" sea urchins reproduce through external fertilization, releasing sperm and eggs into their surrounding environments. Their gonads serve both reproduction and nutrient storage functions.
Species.
These are species according to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and World Register of Marine Species. Species like "Salmacis sphaeroides" and "Salmacis bicolor" are distributed across the Indo-Pacific Ocean, scattered across coastal areas in Southern China, Southern Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore. "Salmacis virgulata" was found and recorded in Sri Lanka. "Salmacis belli" can be found along the coasts of Northern Australia.

Salmacis bicolor
Species of sea urchin
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Salmacis bicolor is a species of sea urchin in the Temnopleuroida family Temnopleuridae found in the western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. the name derives from Salmacis (Ancient Greek: 'Σαλμακίς'), a nymph of Greek mythology, and latin 'bicolor' (two-coloured).
References.
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Salmacis (Caria)
Town of ancient Caria
Salmacis or Salmakis () was a town of ancient Caria. While the famed fountain appears in Strabo, the town is only mentioned in inscriptions. It was a "polis" (city-state) and a member of the Delian League.
Its site is unlocated.
References.
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Diabolik Lovers
Japanese visual novel franchise
 is a Japanese otome game franchise by . Its first entry was released in October 2012 for the PlayStation Portable system. The franchise has released seven games with the first two having been remastered for the PlayStation Vita and released as "Limited V Editions". The seventh game was released in March 2019 playable on Nintendo Switch. The franchise has brought forth two 12-episode anime television adaptations by Zexcs, which aired from September to December 2013, and September to December 2015. The first series was followed by an original video animation (OVA), which was included in "Diabolik Lovers: Dark Fate" in February 2015. It has been made into various manga, anime, drama CDs, music CDs and fanbooks. Three stage plays also ran in August 2015, August 2016, and January 2018.
In February 2020, Rejet announced and launched a new project happening within the same universe as Diabolik Lovers, titled Carnelian Blood (Japanese: "カーネリアンブラッド", Hepburn: "Kānerian Buraddo") featuring thea 5-man unit called EROSION.
Gameplay.
Players take on the role as Yui Komori (小森 ユイ, "Komori Yui", - default name), who can choose from a variety of male characters as her love interest. In "Diabolik Lovers", every playable character's route is split into three sections: Dark, Maniac and Ecstasy. Each of these three sections is split into a prologue, ten subsections, and an epilogue. There are three possible endings for each character based on her choices.
The games were first brought out on PSP, by the third game they were continued in PS Vita / PS TV format, the first two games were soon also brought out in this format. In 2017 it was announced the first three games would be brought out on PlayStation 4. In 2018, a new game titled "Diabolik Lovers: Chaos Lineage" was announced and released in March 2019 on the Nintendo Switch.
Thus far seven games have been released:
Plot.
The main heroine, Yui Komori, is just a normal teenage girl in high school until her father, a priest, travels overseas for work. As a result, Yui is sent to a new town and arrives alone at a mansion which will be her new home. Nobody greets her, however, the door swings open on its own accord. Yui finds a handsome young man sleeping with no heartbeat on a couch. To her shock, he awakens, and five other young men gradually appear. Yui discovers that all six of them are brothers, but by three different mothers, and that they were all vampires from the very beginning.
After living with the Sakamakis for a month, Yui starts to have strange dreams and apparitions regarding a mysterious "Eve". One night, on their way to school, the brothers and Yui get involved in an unexplainable fiery car crash. The next day, four vampire brothers come to the house and kidnap her. What will happen with the Sakamakis? Will she come back?
 Protagonist:
 The main character of the game and anime (name is changeable in the games)
 Yui Komori (小森 ユイ, "Komori Yui")
 Voiced by:
 Rie Suegara (Japanese),
 Maggie Flecknoe (English)
 17 years old. Second year student at Reitei Academy High School. 158cm tall. Platinum blonde hair, pink eyes. The protagonist of this work. A Christian who aspires to be a nun, she always carries a rosary given to her by her father. Ayato teases her about her small breasts, but he praises her legs and the taste of blood. Since childhood, she has been able to see ghosts and has encountered psychic phenomena such as poltergeists, but she has not paid much attention to them, saying that she is just a little strange. When her father is transferred overseas, she ends up staying with an acquaintance, but is welcomed as a "sacrificial bride" by the Sakamaki family, whose siblings are all vampires. In the second anime and some routes in "MORE, BLOOD", she is abducted by the Mukami brothers, so she lives with the Mukami family. As a baby, Richter transplanted Cordelia's heart into her, giving her the "finest blood" and unconsciously attracting vampires. As the daughter of the Demon King, Cordelia's high magical power means she can be resurrected as long as her heart remains, so in some routes of the game and the TV anime, her soul waits for an opportunity to take over Yui's body. Also, because she has Cordelia's heart, she is qualified to become "Eve," and it is said that the vampire chosen by her can awaken as "Adam." She is cheerful, bright, optimistic, but has a strong personality. In the first series, she was often swayed by the other person or the atmosphere of the situation, but in "MORE, BLOOD," there are more scenes where she expresses her own will. Her father, Seiji Komori, a vampire hunter, is not her biological father but her adoptive father, but Yui herself did not know this fact for a long time.
 The Sakamaki brothers are the sons of Karlheinz, but from three different mothers. The oldest sons, Shū and Reiji, were conceived by Karlheinz's second wife, Beatrix. The triplets, named Ayato, Kanato, and Laito, were born from Karlheinz's first wife, Cordelia. The youngest, Subaru, came from Karlheinz's third wife, Christa. Even though they are brothers, they don't get along with each other, and they seem rather distant due to the way they were brought up.
Voiced by: Kōsuke Toriumi (Japanese); Ty Mahany (English)
(Child) Voiced by: Kahoru Sasajima (Japanese); Krystal LaPorte (English)
 Shu is the eldest son of the Sakamaki family, the current master of the mansion, and the first son of Beatrix. Shū grew up being given too much-unwanted attention from his mother. Due to Cordelia's hostilities towards Beatrix to be Karlheinz's best wife, she put all the pressures on the young Shu. He is one of the brothers who seem to have any prior knowledge of Yui's arrival, mentioning "that person" had contacted him asking to have her stay with them as a guest. According to the students of the school, Shū is the owner of the music room and can always be found sleeping there. Shu needs to use a lot of persuasion in order to get him awake and do something for himself. Shū loves music despite being apathetic and lazy. His only friend was a human boy named Edgar, who died in a fire, set on his village by Reiji. Shu was unable to save him, so he thought that his life was limited from humans. Despite Shū being the eldest, he's never responsible for looking after his brothers and the house. Instead, he mostly pushes these duties onto Reiji.
Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi (Japanese); David Wald (English)
(Child) Voiced by: Yuka Nishigaki (Japanese); Nancy Novotny (English)
 Reiji is the second son of the Sakamaki family and the second son of Beatrix. He is very formal and is generally the most composed aside from Shū. Although Shū is his only full-blood brother, he despises him for being the supposed favorite of their mother. It was also due to Beatrix neglecting him throughout his childhood because of Cordelia's hostilities. He eventually took his anger out by setting fire to Edgar's village when Shu refused to listen to their mother. When it seemed that Edgar's death wasn't enough to impress his mother and made Shū withdrawn, Reiji took out his anger again by hiring a vampire hunter to assassinate Beatrix. He later regretted this when she died at peace, happy to be freed from Cordelia's harassment and to be able to witness her son's mark of adulthood. He values rules and demands that others follow them, even though many of his decrees are odd and self-made. Reiji chooses to be the role model of the house even though he is the second son. Although Reiji has a very polite attitude and almost always acts like a gentleman, he is a man of very harsh words. Along with his passion for experimenting and making drugged potions, he loves to collect kitchenware.
Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa (Japanese); Chris Patton (English)
(Child) Voiced by: Hiroko Ushida (Japanese); Shannon Emerick (English)
 Ayato is the third son of the Sakamaki family, the eldest triplet, and the first son of Cordelia. He is the lead male protagonist serving as the storyline's hero. As a child, Ayato was similarly put pressure upon to be the best, just as Shū was. However, unlike Shu, he never received love from his mother. He was abused by her (both physically and verbally) to the point where she attempted to drown him if he was not the best. Therefore, he grew up always having to be the best; causing him to develop a self-centered, arrogant, and overconfident personality. He refers to himself most of the time as "Ore-sama". Due to never receiving any type of love from his mother. He is the first of the Sakamakis to appear at the beginning of the first episode of the anime's first season, as well as the first one to drink Yui's blood. He is also very good at playing basketball, and his favorite food is takoyaki. Prior to the start of the series, Ayato and his triplet brothers killed their mother. He stabbed Cordelia and drank her blood, claiming it to be the best.
Voiced by: Yūki Kaji (Japanese); Corey Hartzog (English)
(Child) Voiced by: Kaori Mizuhashi (Japanese); Tiffany Grant (English)
 Kanato is the fourth son of the Sakamaki family, the second oldest of the triplets, and the second son of Cordelia. He is usually referred to as the "problem triplet". As a child, he received little attention from his mother. Very often, Cordelia would have sexual encounters with different men right in front of him. Due to being neglected, he often played alone and talked to his dolls, usually to his precious Teddy which he takes with him everywhere. However, there were occasions when his mother would request him to sing for her. She nicknamed him her "little songbird", because of his beautiful voice. Kanato tends to cry often and gets violently angry when he doesn't get his demands. He speaks politely, but is extremely sadistic and tends to display violent outbursts. He is also shown to be abusive. Kanato is also obsessed with the dead to the point where he prefers them to the living. Prior to the start of the series, he and his triplet brothers killed their mother. Kanato burned her body and placed her cremated remains in his Teddy.
Voiced by: Daisuke Hirakawa (Japanese); Blake Shepard (English)
(Child) Voiced by: Yuko Sasamoto (Japanese); Luci Christian (English)
 Laito is the fifth son of the Sakamaki family, the youngest triplet, and the third son of Cordelia. He was sexually abused by his mother and began seeing her as a lover rather than a parent. When Karlheinz found out about the unusual relationship between them, he locked him in the basement. Later, Cordelia went to see him and told him that she was now having sexual relations with someone else and had only been using Laito for pleasure. The overall shock and the situation ended up with Laito becoming perverted and not having a clear understanding of love. He is always cheerful and loves to joke but is similar to Ayato when teasing Yui. However, his personality suddenly changes when something goes against his wishes, usually when Yui is too defiant around him. However, Laito has a phobia of insects, specifically spiders. Prior to the start of the series, Laito and his triplet brothers killed their mother. He pushed Cordelia off the balcony after pretending to help her fend off Ayato who had stabbed her and drank her blood earlier on. In terms of manipulation and scheming, he is arguably the worst of all the brothers. Intelligent, quick thinking, and skillful in his lies, he is the only brother that actively attempts to drive the MC insane. Highly dangerous, avoid.
Voiced by: Takashi Kondō (Japanese); Jessie James Grelle (English)
 Subaru is the sixth and youngest son of the Sakamaki family and the only son of Christa. He is usually alone and never cares about whats happening around him, due to how he was brought up. His mother became mentally unstable after he was born, which made his relationship with her very complicated. Christa kept denouncing him as her son (both physically and verbally), and was constantly pressuring him to kill her, which was something he could not bring himself to do. This caused Subaru to see himself as filthy and unwanted, thus resorting to violence to vent out his anger and frustrations. He even goes as far as to break everything when he is extremely angered. However, Subaru manages to compress this side when he is around Yui, though he is still prone to outbursts. He is a delinquent type who loves to damage things, but there is a tsundere and gentle side of him that only Yui can see. He happens to care about Yui when he encouraged her to escape the mansion while she still had the chance. When Yui chose to stay in order to find the answers to her questions, he reluctantly complied with her decision by giving her his silver knife to protect herself. It is also hinted that Subaru is in love with her, though he denies such a possibility.
Voiced by: Tomoaki Maeno
 Kino is said to be an illegitimate child of Karlheinz. He made his first appearance in the sixth franchise of the series, "Diabolik Lovers, Lost Eden". He was abandoned as an infant in a land called "Rothenberg" and was raised by a family of ghouls. However, living among the ghouls was not easy for Kino as he was discriminated against, bullied, and shunned. Everything changed for him one day when his vampire powers were awakened, which made Kino convinced that he was the illegitimate son of Karlheinz. Using his powers, he made the ghouls obey him and he decided to kidnap Yui in order to become Adam with her as Eve.
The Mukami brothers were new characters who debuted in the second version of the franchise, "Diabolik Lovers More, Blood". Unlike the Sakamaki brothers, they are not blood-related to one another. They were originally humans who were later turned into vampires by Karlheinz, who serves as their benefactor. The Mukami brothers made their first anime appearances in the OVA of "Diabolik Lovers" and they appeared as new characters in the second season of the anime.
Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai (Japanese); Adam Gibbs (English)
 Ruki is the eldest son of the Mukami family and is known as the 'Brains' of the group. When he was still a human, Ruki was the son of an aristocrat. As a child, he was spoiled and arrogant until his family went bankrupt. He became an orphan after his father committed suicide, while his mother ran away with her secret lover. This caused Ruki to distrust people since his mother never came back for him, even when she told him in a letter that she still loves him. Ruki ended up in the orphanage where he was bullied by the other orphans and mistreated by


Don't You (Forget About Me)
1985 single by Simple Minds
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" is a song by the Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released as a single in 1985. It was written and composed by the record producer Keith Forsey and the guitarist Steve Schiff for the film "The Breakfast Club" (1985). Simple Minds initially declined to record it, preferring to record their own material, but accepted after several other acts also declined.
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" became a breakout hit for Simple Minds, an iconic song and a 1980s anthem. The single reached No. 1 in the United States and Canada, becoming Simple Minds' biggest hit in the United States. It also reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top ten in charts around the world.
Recording.
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" was written by Steve Schiff and Keith Forsey for the film "The Breakfast Club" (1985). Forsey and Schiff were inspired by a scene in which an introvert and a school bully bond while no one else is watching. Forsey said, "It was: don't forget, when we're back in the classroom, you're not just a bad guy and we've got other things in common."
Simple Minds initially declined to record "Don't You (Forget About Me)", as they felt they should only record their own material. Their guitarist, Charlie Burchill, said they felt it did not suit them as "we had delusions of being ultra-hip". Their manager, Bruce Findlay, believed it would be successful in the United States. He arranged a private screening of "The Breakfast Club" in an effort to change their minds, but they still declined. Their lead vocalist, Jim Kerr, said later: "We couldn't give a toss about teenage American schoolkids."
Forsey offered "Don't You (Forget About Me)" to Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music, who declined as he was working on his album "Boys and Girls" (1985). Ferry said later: "It was just bad timing ... Keith Forsey sent me a demo of the song and it sounded like a hit to me." The record label, A&M, suggested Corey Hart, who had a hit at the time with "Sunglasses at Night", but Forsey did not think he was the right singer. Forsey's frequent collaborator Billy Idol also declined.
Kerr's wife, the songwriter Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, liked the song and urged him to record it. Simple Minds agreed to try it after spending a few days with Forsey and becoming friends. They were impressed by Forsey's work in German experimental music, such as Amon Düül II, and his work with Giorgio Moroder, including "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer.
Kerr added the "hey hey hey" to the introduction and the "la la la" to the ending, intending to write new lyrics, but Forsey insisted on keeping them. Burchill added power chords, and said later: "It was almost a caricature – I associated powerchords with American AOR. But it worked." The "Financial Times" wrote that the chords "[helped] turn Forsey's sweet paean to teenage longing into a rousing, stadium-sized anthem".
Simple Minds did not anticipate the song's success. In 2016, Burchill said: "When I listen to it now, it’s obviously a brilliant, well-crafted pop song. I’m embarrassed we dissed it so much."
Release and critical reception.
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" was played during the opening and closing credits of "The Breakfast Club" (1985). It was included on the film's soundtrack. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" was released as a single in February 1985 in the United States and reached No. 1 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 in May 1985. The song reached No. 1 in Canada in June 1985. It is the band's only number-one hit on the US Top Rock Tracks chart, staying atop that chart for three weeks. The song became Simple Minds' breakout hit, as well as its biggest American hit.
"Cashbox" said that "though the lyric theme is a simple enough declaration, the lead vocals and vivid orchestration make the tune complex and moving". The song was included on the band's greatest hits compilation album, "Glittering Prize 81/92" (1992). It soon became a fixture of the band's live sets, with an extended audience participation section during its inclusion on the 2015 tour to promote the band's "Big Music" album.
John Leland of "Spin" described the song as "a romantic and melancholy dance track" that "cuts ice both in the living room and on the dance floor". The song has become iconic, and has been described by AmericanSongwriter.com as "an ‘80s masterpiece" and "an American teen anthem".
Cover versions.
In February 2021, indie folk band Boy & Bear along with Annie Hamilton covered "Don't You (Forget About Me)" for Australian youth radio station Triple J's "Like a Version". The cover placed 92nd in Triple J's first Like a Version Hottest 100. Billy Idol also covered the song as an add-on track to his "Greatest Hits" album in 2001.
Music video.
The music video – filmed inside Knebworth House, Hertfordshire, England – was directed by Daniel Kleinman. It takes place in a darkened room with a chandelier, a rocking horse, a jukebox, and television sets displaying scenes from "The Breakfast Club". The room gets increasingly cluttered with random objects as the video progresses until the last minute. The video was published on YouTube on 3 December 2010; as of February 2025, it had been viewed more than 358 million times.
Charts.
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Personnel.
Simple Minds
References.
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Don't Forget About Us
2005 single by Mariah Carey
"Don't Forget About Us" is a song by American R&B singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox and Johntá Austin, and produced by Carey, Dupri and Cox. On October 10, 2005, it was released as the lead single from the reissue of her tenth studio album, "The Emancipation of Mimi:" "Ultra Platinum Edition" (2005). The song is influenced by R&B and hip hop soul music genres, and lyrically chronicles the emotions felt by the protagonist after the loss of their relationship. Carey explained that the true meaning of the song is to be interpreted by the listener, therefore not disclosing its entire meaning publicly.
The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, with many heavily comparing it to Carey's previous single "We Belong Together". Several reviewers felt the song's similarity marked Carey's lack of creativity with it, while others embraced its radio-friendly formula. "Don't Forget About Us" became Carey's seventeenth chart topping single on the US "Billboard" Hot 100, tying the record for most number-one singles by a solo artist set by Elvis Presley 36 years before. Internationally, the song topped the charts in Finland, and reached the top-ten in Hungary.
Carey performed the song at the 33rd Annual American Music Awards, and during the half-time of the Thanksgiving game between the Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons. Additionally, the song was included on the set-lists of Carey's The Adventures of Mimi and Angels Advocate Tours. The song's music video chronicles the two time frames, Carey in the present, as well as the past memories she shared with her ex-lover that continue to haunt her. "Don't Forget About Us" was nominated for two awards at the 49th annual Grammy Awards held on February 11, 2007.
Background and release.
After being branded Carey's "comeback album" by music critics, and becoming the highest selling album of her career post-"Glitter" (2001), "The Emancipation of Mimi" inspired Carey to return to the studio, in hopes of writing and producing new material for her next studio album. During a writing session with Jermaine Dupri, Carey wrote "Don't Forget About Us" as a possible single for her next album, reminiscent of the material on "The Emancipation of Mimi". After hearing the unfinished version of the song, L.A. Reid, CEO at the time of Carey's label Island Records, was very satisfied with the song. He convinced Carey to continue writing and producing new songs, and suggested on re-releasing the album, which had already sold over four million units in the United States alone. Carey agreed to the idea of re-releasing "The Emancipation of Mimi", feeling eager to release the song, as well as other material to her fans, instead of making them wait for a brand new album. In an interview with MTV News, Carey discussed the decision of releasing the song immediately, as well as the re-release of the album:
'Don't Forget About Us' was a song that Jermaine [Dupri] and I started writing and didn't finish, and L.A. Reid heard it. He was excited about it and he was like, 'We should re-release the album. I agreed because were trying to figure out what to do with the song because we loved it so much, and we didn't want to wait until the next album to send it to radio.
After completing the song, Carey announced on October 13, 2005, via her official website, that she would be re-releasing "The Emancipation of Mimi". Additionally, she explained how the album would contain four new songs, and would be promoted internationally by the new single, "Don't Forget About Us". The song was released throughout the globe as the fifth official single from "The Emancipation of Mimi", and the first from the re-release, tentatively titled, "Ultra Platinum Edition". The song was first serviced to American contemporary hit, rhythmic contemporary, and urban contemporary radio stations on October 10, 2005. In Australia, a CD single was issued on December 5, 2005. The following Monday, on December 12, a CD single was issued in the United Kingdom. On January 27, 2006, a CD was released in Austria and Germany. A release in Italy followed on February 6 and in Taiwan on February 17. On January 29, 2021, an EP was issued.
Composition.
"Don't Forget About Us" is a mid-tempo song lasting three minutes and fifty-three seconds, while drawing influence from pop and R&B with downtempo beats music genres. Written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox and Johntá Austin, and produced by the former three, the song drew comparisons to Carey's "We Belong Together". According to Michael Paoletta from "Billboard", the song features a similar tempo, lyrical style, instrumentation and production as the latter song, and incorporates a reminiscent vocal performance from Carey. The song is in the key of B♭ major and has a "moderately slow" tempo of 72 beats per minute. Carey's vocal range spans three octaves and six semitones from the low-note of D3 to the high-note of A♭6. Lyrically, the song describes the potency of a "first love", and features a protagonist pleading to her lover to "not forget about them". Critics noted that the song's lyrics both let go of a lover, as well as cherishing their memory. Carey sings, "You just let it die / With no goodbyes", indicating a relationship that has long decayed, and how she has let it drift away, while also adding, "There's only one me and you / And how we used to shine / No matter what you go through / We are one, that's a fact that you can't deny", indicating that while they are no longer together, she will continue to cherish the memory of them and how strong their love was. According to Carey, she refrained from giving away too much of the song's lyrical meaning, in order to allow fans to possibly interpret the song in their own way:
I try not to get too specific so that people can apply the lyrics to their own lives. When I was growing up and listening to the radio and I would hear a song that reminded me of a certain person or a situation or whatever, I would want to be able to completely connect it to that moment. And then if I heard someone explaining it and making it into something totally different, it ruined it for me. So I kind of like to keep it open for people's imaginations. It evokes something different depending on who listens to it and at what time. "Don't Forget About Us" could give you a good, happy memory, or you could be miserable, crying, listening to it over and over. All in all, I think it's good to have music you can live vicariously through, and that's what a lot of people have told me this record has been for them.
Critical reception.
"Don't Forget About Us" garnered generally positive reviews from music critics, though many compared it to, and felt it shared several similarities with Carey's previous single, "We Belong Together". Bill Lamb from About.com rated the song four out of five stars, who while noting the song's careful formula, complimented Carey's more mature and lower range vocals: "Mariah is clearly settling into a more mature style and lower range vocals than in her early career." Additionally, Lamb commented that although not as "strong" as "We Belong Together", the song was marginally better than another single from "The Emancipation of Mimi", "Shake It Off". "Billboard"'s Michael Paoletta drew heavy comparisons to "We Belong Together", noting the song's similar tempo, lyrical style, instrumentation and vocal stamp. He commented that although "Don't Forget About Us" was "satisfying" on its own, it suggested that Carey had hit a creative wall. Andre Meyer from CBC News described the song as "stronger" than anything Carey released from 2001 to 2005, and wrote "[It] cops the jittery R&B vibe that made Destiny's Child so potent." Reviewers from "The New Yorker" and "Music Week" were both taken aback by the single, calling it "beautiful" and "gentle", respectively. Todd Martens from the "Los Angeles Times" compared it heavily to Carey's 2008 single "Bye Bye", describing their piano melody as "a close match". In 2007, "Don't Forget About Us" was nominated for two Grammy Awards, in the "Best Female R&B Vocal Performance" and "Best R&B Song" categories, although not winning either.
Chart performance.
"Don't Forget About Us" was released as the fourth international single from "The Emancipation of Mimi" (2005), and the first from its re-release, the "Ultra Platinum Edition". The song reached the top of the "Billboard" Hot 100 in its eleventh week, spending two consecutive weeks at the position. "Don't Forget About Us" became Carey's 17th chart-topping single in the United States, tying the record set by Elvis Presley for most number-one singles by a solo artist (Carey has since surpassed this record with "Touch My Body" in 2008 and "All I Want for Christmas is You" in 2019.) Currently, the only act to hold more US number-one singles than Carey are The Beatles, who gained twenty throughout their career while Carey has accumulated 19 to date. "Don't Forget About Us" stayed in the top forty for eighteen weeks and reached number one on other "Billboard" component charts, including the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The song was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments of over 1,000,000 units.
Outside the United States, the song achieved moderate international charting. In Australia, "Don't Forget About Us" debuted at its peak position of number twelve on the singles chart, during the week of December 18, 2005. In its second week, the song stalled at number twelve, before beginning its eleven-week descent on the chart. In Finland, "Don't Forget About Us" peaked at number one, becoming Carey's second number-one single in that country and first since "Anytime You Need a Friend" (1994). On the Italian singles charts, the song charted for only one week, peaking at number eleven. In both the Wallonian and Flemish territories in Belgium, the song peaked at numbers two and one, although plummeting outside the top-fifty the following week. On the Dutch Top 40 chart, "Don't Forget About Us" debuted at number ninety-two during the week dated February 2, 2006. Spending one week at its peak position of number four, the song dropped to thirty-two the following week. In New Zealand, it peaked at number twelve, and spent a total of four weeks fluctuating in the singles chart. Similarly on February 26, 2006, the song debuted and peaked at number nineteen on the Swiss Singles Chart, and spent a total of five weeks on the chart. On the UK Singles Chart week dated December 12, 2005, "Don't Forget About Us" began its seven-week run at its peak of number eleven.
Music video.
Background.
Filmed in Los Angeles, the music video reunited Carey with Paul Hunter, director of the video for her 1997 single, "Honey". Since its release, Carey claimed it to be one of her favorite videos, due to its complex scenery and fun nature. She explained that she had wanted to work with Hunter again for some time, and was happy to be able to film another music video alongside him. In an interview with MTV News, Carey described her feelings regarding the video, as well as sentiments towards the video's director, Hunter: "But I was so happy to work with him again 'cause ever since 'Honey' I've been trying to relive the splendor of that moment. It's more of just a plain beauty piece with sentimental overtones, but it was great to work with Paul again." Following a tale of love and separation, the video alternates between two different time frames. The first of these involves a tearful Carey in the present, while the second invokes memories of a relationship with a former lover (played by Dolce & Gabbana model Christian Monzon). When questioned regarding a possible relationship with Monzon, Carey said "Erm, how do we play this? OK, he's a very nice guy, he's been in a fabulous Dolce & Gabbana advert - did you see it? And we've had some nice conversations and, um, a nice time. OK, I'll say he definitely did a very good job in the video." Additionally, Carey and Hunter placed several secrets within the video's scenery, that would be intended for the "die-hard fans". Following the video's completion, it premiered on MTV and several other music video channels on November 1, 2005. Aside from the video's script, Carey channeled Marilyn Monroe, one of her icons growing up. During a pool scene, Carey re-enacts a part from Monroe's film "Something's Got to Give" (1962). In an interview with MTV News, Carey spoke of the re-enactment:
That shot was totally and completely inspired by 'Something's Got to Give,' Marilyn Monroe's last movie that never got finished. It's an homage to her, because I've never seen anyone re-create it. So many people have emulated so many of Marilyn's classic moments, but it's just that I'm a big fan of hers, and I thought it was really pretty at night with the pool. No one could ever be as fabulous as Marilyn was, but it's in honor and homage to her.
Synopsis.
The music video chronicles two alternative time frames, with the first of Carey in the present, tearful and remorseful their separation, while the other of several different past memories in which she shared with her lover. The video begins with Carey wearing a long brown blouse, laying on a sofa in an elegantly furnished home. As the song begins, she stands up and walks around the living room, while remembering and lamenting her failed relationship. As the first memory of Carey and her lover together on a soccer field is shown, she is once again shown in the present, however clothed in a large white sweater while tears trickle down her cheek. As the memory continues of that night on the soccer field, they are seen together, caressing each other and holding each other in a tight embrace. Carey, in the present, makes her way into a heated pool, where she lays her leg on the deck, re-enacting a famed scene from Marilyn Monroe's unreleased film, "Something's Got to Give" (1962). The next memory is of the pair together in the same pool, however in happier times. During the song's bridge, the scenes alternate from Carey at her home in the present, to the duo holding each other intimately in a car. The video ends with Carey alone in the car, while wearing her lover's jacket.
Chart performance.
"Don't Forget About Us" music video peaked at #1 on Billboard's Hot Videoclip Tracks chart.
Remixes.
The main remix of "Don't Forget About Us" was produced by Jermaine Dupri and is known as the Mr. Dupri mix. It features guest appearances from rappers Juelz Santana, Krayzie Bone and Layzie Bone. The Mr. Dupri mix was added to iTunes Music Store for download, while several dance remixes (by Ralphi Rosario & Craig J., Quentin Harris and Tony Moran & Warren Rigg) were produced and made available for sale at other download retailers. In January 2006, a new remix titled the Desert Storm remix, produced by DJ Clue (who also remixed "We Belong Together" and "Shake It Off") featuring Styles P and Fabolous, was released to U.S. radio. This remix appeared on DJ Clue's album "Fidel Cashflow 2006". A video was also helmed for the Desert Storm mix and can be found on Clue's official MySpace page; it has shots of Carey, Styles P, DJ Clue and Fabolous in the studio and enjoying themselves.
Live performances.
Carey performed "Don't Forget About Us" on several televised appearances, as well on all of her tours following its release. On November 15, 2005, the "Chicago Tribune" announced that Carey would perform during the half-time on the Thanksgiving game between the Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons. Airing on the 24th, Carey performed "Shake It Off", as well as her newly released single from the album's re-release, "Don't Forget About Us". On November 22, 2005, Carey opened the 33rd annual American Music Awards with a performance of "Don't Forget About Us", held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Appearing on stage in a "sequined, silver, spaghetti-strap gown slit to the waist", Carey completed the song before accepting the first award of the evening. Dave West from Digital Spy described it as a "blistering performance", and claimed Carey "wowed" the crowd with her live rendition of the song. Two months later, she celebrated the new year on television, placing as the featured performer at the Times Square Ball drop on New Year's Eve in New York. The special, titled Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, aired on ABC at 10 pm on December 31, and featured Carey on stage wearing a short sparkling dress, and performing a selection of the album's singles.
On Carey's 2006 The Adventures of Mimi Tour stop at Madison Square Garden, she sang "Don't Forget About Us" while wearing a sparkling bikini top and black leggings. She introduced the song as a "thank you" to fans for "making this my 17th number one single". Four years later during Carey's Angels Advocate Tour in 2010, she had not performed the song on the first few runs of the tour. At the show in Phoenix, she told the crowd that she had forgotten the song until that night: "I had forgotten about this song the whole tour and I don't know why. Funny I should forget it, considering the title." Dressed in a "form-fitting short dress with a flared, tutu-like bottom" for the first portion of the night, Carey completed the song as the fourth on the set-list.
Formats and track listings.
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Credits and personnel.
Credits are adapted from "The Emancipation of Mimi" liner notes.
Charts.
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Don't You Forget About Me (film)
Don't You Forget About Me is a 2009 Canadian documentary film about screenwriter, director, and producer John Hughes. Directed by Matt Austin, the film was named after the 1985 song of the same name by Simple Minds, which in turn was the theme song for Hughes' film "The Breakfast Club". The film specifically focused on Hughes' fade from prominence in the early 1990s.
Background.
The documentary details the journey of a group of young filmmakers who go in search of the reclusive icon, documenting their search through interviews of the people with whom Hughes had worked and fans of his films. Those interviewed include Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, Kelly Le Brock, Mia Sara, Alan Ruck, Kevin Smith, Roger Ebert, and Jim Kerr of the band Simple Minds. Filming began in 2006.
Home media.
The film was completed in 2008, but did not find a distributor for over a year.
When Hughes died of a heart attack, aged 59, on August 6, 2009, a bidding war broke out for the film. It was announced on August 11, 2009, that the film would be distributed by Alliance Films. The film aired on the TV channel Encore for a brief time as well.
References.
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Don't Forget Me (Smash song)
2012 single by the cast of Smash
"Don't Forget Me" is an original song introduced in the fifteenth episode of the first season of the musical TV series "Smash", entitled "Bombshell". It was written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, but in the show's fictional universe, it was written by the songwriting team of Tom Levitt (Christian Borle) and Julia Houston (Debra Messing) for their Marilyn Monroe musical "Bombshell".
In the episode, the song is sung by Karen Cartwright (Katharine McPhee) as Marilyn Monroe during a Boston preview for the musical after having just taken over the role from Rebecca Duvall (Uma Thurman), who has been felled by illness.
The song is reprised by Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) in the twelfth episode of Season 2, "Opening Night", as part of the performance of "Bombshell's" opening night on Broadway opening, with Ivy playing the lead of Marilyn.
The song was initially released as a single from iTunes and Amazon.com's MP3 store and is currently available on the cast album "Bombshell".
Production.
The song is about Marilyn Monroe's legacy, how she will inspire people, and make the world a better place through her tragic 'cautionary tale'. It has a tempo of quarter = 138 and is described as "Moderately flowing". The song ranges from F#3 to Eb5. It starts off in the key of E Major, but has a key change after the first chorus to F Major and another at the end of the bridge to G-flat Major.
Within the context of the series, the song is written by the songwriting duo as a finale song in under 3 hours after a reprise of Let Me Be Your Star in a suicide scene was deemed too depressing as the final number. After all the drama that went on beforehand, "Karen walks out onstage [after managing to memorize the song in record time] and brings down the house with 'Don’t Forget Me'. As the song ends, "we see Ivy back in the dressing room with a bottle of pills". Chris Rovzar of Vanity Fair suggests the following, "we don’t hear the final response from the Bombshell audience, but the way they reacted during the key change in “Don’t Forget Me” suggests they were poised to give a standing ovation". The song ends with the camera spinning in a circle around Karen as she "triumphant[ly] flail[s]...her arm[s in the air]".
Critical reception.
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“Don’t Forget Me”, a final energetic ballad that led into a “Let Me Be Your Star” reprise [is an example of how the show's best element has always been its original music]. Even though I was furious that it was McPhee singing it and not Megan Hilty...the song moved me, and I thought it was a fitting way to end a musical about the life of Marilyn Monroe. She pleads for the audience to remember her good qualities, how hard she strived, and not how hard she suffered. She wants to be a legend. A tall order, but as Marilyn is the textbook definition of legend in our culture, it doesn't feel stretched, and even the fade-in of a large projection of her face comes at just the right moment. It’s sappy and overstated, sure, but so is much of the best work on Broadway, and I know I would have applauded like mad for that finale had I been in the audience...[Karen] brings it home, and it’s magical. This is one of Tom and Julia’s best songs yet, [and is worth] 4.5 out of 5 Jazz Hands.
Rachel Syme, "'Smash' finale recap: Let Megan Hilty be your star", Los Angeles Times.
Chris Rovzar of Vanity Fair comments that "the lyrics were terrible and the composition spotty", and questions whether this was because within the context of the episode, "Tom and Julia supposedly did write it in just three hours", or because Shaiman and Wittman had genuine faith on the song. While he says that Karen "hit [the song] out of the park", he suggests that some lyrics were less than believable, such as "help for the downtrodden”, which he argues was never "one of Marilyn’s signature messages".
Though he gave the show as a whole much praise, even stating that "[he'd] buy tickets for it tomorrow if the show actually existed", Michael Slezak of TV Line gave "Don't Forget Me" a negative review, describing the "final ballad [that] Tom and Julia cook...up for Karen" as "downright embarrassing". He described the music as in the style of "rejected Disney princess theme songs", and also criticized the out-of-place and cheesy lyrics, such as, ”when you sing happy birthday to someone you love/or see diamonds you wish were all free/ Please say that you won’t, I pray that you don’t forget me”. He claims that the song requires a rewrite.
PerezHilton.com described Don't Forget Me as a "breathtaking finale performance".
JJ of TV Is My Pacifier said of the song, "the orchestration was amazing, the lyrics worked, and it really tied into Marilyn and the music of 'Bombshell'. I couldn't have imagined a better finale".
Idolhead wrote in his blog that the song is "one for the ages", and speculated it would be up for an award, along with “Let Me Be Your Star”, the unofficial theme song of the show.
Nathaniel Rogers of Thefilmexperience.net describes the song as "the second worst original song in a generally sensational musical score", and described it as a "weak song" that sounds like the "interchangeable anthemic ballads that they always end American Idol with". He gave the song a C− grade.
Jonathan Elliott of CinemaBlend.com describes the song as a "nice capper on the season".
Pat Cerasaro of broadwayworld.com describes "Don't Forget Me" as the "spine-tingling new swan song epilogue for the show-within-the-show".
References.
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Don't Forget (Demi Lovato song)
2009 single by Demi Lovato
"Don't Forget" is a song by American singer Demi Lovato, from her debut album of the same name. It was written by Lovato and the Jonas Brothers, who co-produced the song with John Fields. It was released as the album's third and final single on March 17, 2009, through Hollywood Records. The inspiration of the song came from Lovato falling in love with someone who later left her. According to Lovato, it is one of the songs on the album that she most relates to. Musically, "Don't Forget" is a midtempo glam rock ballad that features Lovato singing with breathy falsetto vocals. An accompanying music video was released on March 20, 2009. In 2023, the song was re-recorded for her first remix album "Revamped".
Upon the release of the album, "Don't Forget" was well-received from music critics, who noted the transition from her "tween sound" to more mature material. The song achieved moderate commercial success, reaching number forty-one on the "Billboard" Hot 100. It also reached number seventy-six on the Canadian Hot 100. Lovato has performed the song numerous times including on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show".
Background and composition.
"Don't Forget" was written by Lovato along with the Jonas Brothers, who produced it with John Fields. The song features Dorian Crozier and Michael Bland on drums, and Fields on bass, guitars and keyboards. Nick Jonas also played the guitar and percussion on the song. The song is registered as "Did You Forget" with the Broadcast Music, Inc. Lovato has stated that "Don't Forget" is one of the songs on "Don't Forget" that she relates to the most, and that she felt "a lot of emotion while recording it". In an interview with PopEater, she elaborated, "Everyone goes through the experience of falling in love, but then the other person just walks away, and goes somewhere else. I went through an experience like that and wanted to write about it. I got over it, and now a year later I don't have those feelings about that person anymore." The song and "La La Land" were included as bonus tracks on European editions of her sophomore album "Here We Go Again".
"Don't Forget" is a midtempo glam rock ballad sung with vulnerable and breathy vocals in a falsetto tone. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the song is set in common time with a metronome of 92 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of E major and Lovato's vocal range spans from the note of C♯4 to the note of E5. The song includes a "rocking" instrumental and a heavy guitar break. Ed Masley of "The Arizona Republic" compared the track to songs by Green Day. Lyrically, "Don't Forget" is about one of Lovato's old love interests who left her just as she was falling in love with him. The theme is demonstrated in lyrical lines such as, "Did you forget that I was even alive? Did you forget everything we ever had?"
Music video.
"Don't Forget" was directed by Robert Hales. According to Lovato, different video treatments had been written, but she rejected them as she wanted to come up with the idea herself. She said, "They had treatments [for the video], but I was just like, 'No, scratch them.' I want to come up with the idea. I want to show you the colors, I want to show you everything. This is art to me and I don't want it to be somebody else's decision." In an interview with PopEater, Lovato said of the video:
"It was actually really freezing cold [in the rain]. You could see your breath. And I was in the rain for only a short time – my whole band was out there for an hour-and-a-half. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do on a shoot. But it went by so quickly. I had a body suit on underneath my clothes, so there's a little fun fact for you. I was trying not to break my focus pretty much the entire shoot, because I