THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

997-Eden Kane-Forget-Me-Not.

1962-Number 3 single.

Best Bit-At 0.41. If you think of three very talented musical brothers, you instantly think Bee Gees, but what about the Sarstedts.’

Eden Kane was born Richard Graham Sarstedt on March 29th, 1940, in New Delhi, British India, just prior to stardom his management team changed his stage name to Eden Kane. ‘Eden,’ because of it’s biblical associations, as at that time Adam Faith (see also best songs 745) was a big Pop star, and ‘Kane,’ because one of his managers Michael Barclay was a fan of the film ‘Citizen Kane.’ After the death of his father in 1954, Kane along with his mother, his two brothers, and his sisters emigrated to Croyden, in London, England, where he formed a ‘Skiffle’ group, the ‘Fabulous 5,’ which included his two younger brothers Peter and Clive. After winning a talent contest, he was contracted to sing an advertising jingle for ‘Cadbury’s Drinking Chocolate,’ which was played regularly on ‘Radio Luxembourg, which led to him being signed to ‘Pye Records’ in 1960. Eden Kane became a ‘teen idol’ in the early 1960’s, in the period between the peak of ‘Rock N’ Roll,’ and the just prior to the era of the Beatles.

Eden Kane had two younger brothers who also both had hit singles. The second eldest of the brothers was Peter Sarstedt, (1941-2017) who is best remembered for his 1969 UK Number 1 single ‘Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?’ (see also best songs 910) His other brother was Robin Sarstedt, (1944-2022) whose only hit single in the UK was ‘My Resistance Is Low,’ which made Number 3 in 1976. In 1973 all three brothers joined forces to form ‘The Sarstedt Brothers,’ releasing the Album ‘Worlds Apart Together.’

The discography of Eden Kane includes seven studio Albums released between 1962-2014, and 19 singles issued between 1960-1971. In the UK, five of those singles reached the top 40, with his 1961 song ‘Well I Ask You’ making Number 1, while none of his Albums or singles have broken into the American charts. After music tastes changed in the mid 1960’s Eden Kane continued to tour, and he also became an actor on the ‘Star Trek’ team, making several appearances in the various television series, and also in the films, using his real name Richard Sarstedt.

‘Forget-Me-Nots was written by Les Vandyke, (1931-2021) arranged by John Keating, (1927-2015) and produced by Bunny Lewis, (1918-2001) who were the same trio who had also worked on Eden Kane’s Number 1 hit ‘Well I Ask You.’ Les Vandyke was born John Worsley on June 21st, 1931, in Battersea, London, England, he died on August 6th, 2021, at the age of 90. Worsley wrote three UK Number 1 singles including both of Adam Faith’s (1940-2003) chart toppers,’What Do You Want,’ (1959) (see also best songs 745) and ‘Poor Me’ (1960.) He also wrote ‘Jack in the Box’ (UK, Number 4-1971) for Clodagh Rodgers, and ‘Gonna Make You an Offer You Can’ Refuse’ (UK, Number 8-1973) for Jimmy Helms. John Keating is best remembered for writing the ‘Theme from Z-Cars,’ which was the theme tune to the long running BBC television series, the song peaked at Number 8 in the UK in 1962, and has since been adopted by the English football club Everton as the song that the team come out to at home matches. Bunny Lewis produced four UK Number 1 singles, as well as ‘Well I Ask You,’ (1962) he also produces ‘Cara Mia,’ (1954) and ‘Answer Me,’ (1953) which were both chart toppers for David Whitfield, (1925-1980) and ‘Only Sixteen’ (1959) for Craig Douglas.

‘Forget-Me-Nots’ is the tale of the narrator realising that his romantic relationship is coming to an end, but in one last attempt to try to win his love back, he tries to remind them of the wonderful times that they had previously shared.

‘There’s no need to remind me. love’s afire when the kisses grow hot. So take this ember, then you’ll remember Forget-Me-Not.’