"Never There" is the first single released from American alternative rock band Cake's third studio album, Prolonging the Magic (1998). The song was commercially successful, topping the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and appearing on the music charts of four other countries. In Australia, the song was ranked at number 30 on the Triple J Hottest 100 countdown for 1998.
Content According to Cake vocalist John McCrea, the lyrics of "Never There" are sung from the viewpoint of a boy who is frustrated that his girlfriend never answers his phone calls. The boyfriend believes he will not make it through life without her, but in reality, he needs to focus on his own concerns instead. McCrea has described "Never There" as "a country song in disguise".
Chart performance The song spent three weeks at number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, surpassing "The Distance" (which peaked at number four) as the band's highest-charting single. "Never There" was the band's first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 78. In Iceland, the song was a top-10 hit, peaking at number nine in November 1998. The song also charted in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, reaching numbers 75, 42, and 66, respectively.
Music video The music video for "Never There", directed by McCrea, features Cake performing in a western-style bar, while a story arc covers a trucker calling his girlfriend on a pay phone and she never answers as she is too busy partying with male body builders in speedos. It was filmed in Sacramento, California.
Track listings
US and European CD single "Never There" (LP version) – 2:44 "Cool Blue Reason" (LP version) – 3:27
UK 7-inch single A. "Never There" – 2:44 B. "I Will Survive" – 5:11
UK CD1 "Never There" (LP version) "Cool Blue Reason" (LP version) "Is This Love?" (live) "Never There" (video)
UK CD2 "Never There" (LP version) – 2:44 "The Distance" (LP version) – 3:01 "You Part the Waters" (live) – 2:50 "The Distance" (video) – 3:04
Australian CD single "Never There" (LP version) – 2:44 "Cool Blue Reason" (LP version) – 3:27 "Half as Much" – 2:54
Credits and personnel Credits are lifted from the European CD single and Prolonging the Magic liner notes.
Studios Recorded at Pus Cavern, Paradise Studios (Sacramento, California), Hyde St. Studios, and Coast Recorders (San Francisco, California) Mastered at Precision Mastering (Los Angeles)
Cake John McCrea – writing, vocals, acoustic guitar, production Vincent Di Fiore – trumpet, background vocals Todd Roper – drums, background vocals Gabriel Nelson – bass guitar Rusty Miller – electric guitar
Other personnel Tyler Pope – electric guitar Kirt Shearer – mixing Craig Long – mixing Don C. Tyler – mastering
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (1998–1999)PeakpositionAustralia (ARIA)75Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)9
Year-end charts Chart (1998)PositionUS Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)48 Chart (1999)PositionUS Adult Top 40 (Billboard)64US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)7
Certifications
Release history RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)AustraliaSeptember 27, 1998CDCapricornUnited StatesOctober 20, 1998Contemporary hit radioUnited KingdomApril 19, 1999
References