Darryl Worley took a trip to Afghanistan during December 2002. He went to visit with the soldiers. He was inspired to write Have You Forgotten? which became a huge hit. The demand for the song was high, but Darryl wasn't ready to release a new album. He only had a few songs ready, so Dreamworks came up with a plan. They took 12 songs from his first two albums, Hard Rain Don't Last and I Miss My Friend and put them with four new songs. The end result was Darryl's third album Have You Forgotten? It was released on April 15, 2003.

The songs from Hard Rain Don't Last are Those Less Fortunate Than I, a Good Day to Run, Second Wind, When You Need My Love, The Way Things Are Going and Too Many Pockets. The songs from I Miss My Friend are POW 369, Back Where I Belong, The Least That You Can Do, I Miss My Friend, Tennessee River Run, and Family Tree. The new songs are: Have You Forgotten?, I Will Hold My Ground, I Need a Breather, and Shiloh.

The Tracks:

1. Have You Forgotten?
2. I Will Hold My Ground
3. Pow 369
4. I Need A Breather
5. Back Where I Belong
6. Those Less Fortunate Than I
7. Shiloh
8. Tennessee River Run
9. The Least That You Can Do
10. I Miss My Friend
11. Family Tree
12. A Good Day To Run
13. Second Wind
14. When You Need My Love
15. Too Many Pockets
16. The Way Things Are Goin'

Have You Forgotten? is a song looking back on the terrible day of September 11, 2001. It is a day that Americans will never forget. Alan Jackson had a huge hit with Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning? that is comparable with this song. Both songs stir emotions in the hearts of the American people. The first time I heard Have You Forgotten? I couldn't help but cry. It touched me deeply. "Have you forgotten how it felt that day - To see your homeland under fire - And her people blown away? - Have you forgotten when those towers fell - We had neighbors still inside - going through a living hell." The song also mentions the "heroes in the Pennsylvania field and those lost at the Pentagon". I think that adds something to the song because many times people would mostly mention the victims in the towers and forget the others.

I Will Hold My Ground has a great beat. It is about someone who won't back down, fighting for what is right. POW 369 is about a guy who comes into contact with a POW. He feels thankful for what the man has sacrificed for his country. It is a ballad which serves as a nice tribute to any soldier, especially one who was a POW. I Need a Breather is a fun song about someone just needing to get away from work and the boss. He heads to the beach for "a sweet senorita and a stiff margarita".

Back Where I Belong is a sad song looking back on things from the past. He thinks about his old home, the way his mama sang gospel songs and about fishing with his Daddy. He left it all for the big city and remembers back to the old days wishing he could go back to what he left. Those Less Fortunate Than I is a touching song about everyone doing their part to change the world. It calls our attention to helping the homeless, the hungry and victims of gang violence. Shiloh is a war song about the Civil War. At 4:25 it is the longest track on the album and has a sad tone to it.

Tennessee River Run is a fast, upbeat song. It makes you feel like dancing. It's about a big party on the Tennessee River. You can't get any more country than this. The Least That You Can Do is a breaking up song. I Miss My Friend was a number one song for Darryl. It is a ballad about someone looking back on an old love and missing them. Family Tree is a twangy country sounding song. It's about a couple in the country who don't have much and are now expecting another baby. "Well raising up babies is our new sport - You're one day late and I'm a dollar short". The instruments are great in this song as well as the background vocals.

A Good Day to Run is about a blue collar working man. It's a fun song about getting away to anywhere, forgetting your troubles and leaving them behind. Second Wind is about someone heading down to the gulf of Mexico to get over an old love. When You Need My Love is about a guy wishes he could get over this girl. She just uses him for when she needs him because he can't tell her no. I love the ending - "Now someday someone's gonna love me true - and baby when she does - then I wonder what you're gonna do - when you need my love."

Too Many Pockets is a fast twangy country song. The Way Things Are Going is about a guy who is hard to live with, but his woman is standing beside him. He knows that she will end up leaving him. It's a sad ballad with a nice accoustic guitar.

My Thoughts:

This is a great CD. If you are a country fan and don't have this one in your collection I highly recommend that you get it. Darryl Worley is a talented singer and song writer. Of the 16 songs on this album Darryl was the co-writer on 12 of them. I think Darryl has a great voice and I love that he doesn't try to sound pop. You are sure to find plenty of good ole country twangy songs on his albums. He doesn't try to conform to what many artists are turning country into. He has been compared to Merle Haggard and I think that is a good comparison.

Related Reviews:

When You Need My Love (Single)



Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Listening