Never There

"Never There" is the first single released from American alternative rock band Cake's third studio album, Prolonging the Magic. 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 appeared at number 30 on the Triple J Hottest 100 countdown for 1998.[2]

"Never There"
Single by Cake
from the album Prolonging the Magic
B-side"I Will Survive"
ReleasedSeptember 27, 1998[1]
Recorded1998
Length2:44
LabelCapricorn
Songwriter(s)John McCrea
Producer(s)John McCrea
Cake singles chronology
"Friend Is a Four Letter Word"
(1998)		 "Never There"
(1998)		 "Let Me Go"
(1999)
Music video
"Never There" on YouTube

Content

According to Cake vocalist John McCrae, the lyrics are from the viewpoint of a boy who is frustrated that his girlfriend never answers his calls. The boyfriend believes he will not make it through life without her, but in actuality, he needs to be there for himself. McCrae has described "Never There" as "a country song in disguise".[3]

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.[4] "Never There" was the band's first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 78.[5] In Iceland, the song was a major hit, peaking at number nine in November 1998.[6] The song also charted in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, reaching numbers 75, 42, and 66, respectively.[7][8][9]

Music video

The music video for "Never There", directed by McCrae, 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.[10]

Track listings

Charts

References
  1. "Australian-charts.com – Cake – Never There". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  2. "Triple J Hottest 100 1998". Australian Broadcasting Company. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  3. Bell, Carrie (October 10, 1998). "The Modern Age" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 110 no. 41. p. 81. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  4. "Cake Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  5. "Cake Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  6. "Íslenski Listinn (27.11–4.11. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). November 27, 1998. p. 12. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  7. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 47.
  8. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6974." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  9. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  10. "Production Notes" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 110 no. 42. October 17, 1998. p. 96. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  11. Never There (US 7-inch single sleeve). Cake. Capricorn Records, Mercury Records. 1999. 870 810-7.CS1 maint: others (link)
  12. Never There (US CD single liner notes). Cake. Capricorn Records. 1998. 566526-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  13. Never There (UK CD1 liner notes). Cake. Capricorn Records. 1999. 870 811-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  14. Never There (UK CD2 liner notes). Cake. Capricorn Records. 1999. 870 813-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  15. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 7037." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  16. "Cake Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  17. "Cake Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  18. "1999 – The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 111 no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. 138. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
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