Never There

"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 appeared at number 30 on the Triple J Hottest 100 countdown for 1998.[1]

"Never There"
Single by Cake
from the album Prolonging the Magic
B-side"I Will Survive"
ReleasedSeptember 27, 1998 (1998-09-27)
Studio
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 McCrea, the lyrics 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".[2]

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

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.[9]

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the European CD single and Prolonging the Magic liner notes.[11][16]

Studios

  • Recorded at Pus Cavern, Paradise Studios (Sacramento, California), Hyde St. Studios, and Coast Recorders (San Francisco, California)
  • Mastered at Precision Mastering (Los Angeles)

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[21] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Australia September 27, 1998 CD Capricorn [15]
United States October 20, 1998 Contemporary hit radio [22]
United Kingdom April 19, 1999
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
[23]

References
  1. "Triple J Hottest 100 1998". Australian Broadcasting Company. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  2. Bell, Carrie (October 10, 1998). "The Modern Age" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 41. p. 81. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  3. "Cake Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  4. "Cake Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  5. "Íslenski Listinn (27.11–4.11. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). November 27, 1998. p. 12. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  6. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 47.
  7. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6974." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  9. "Production Notes" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 42. October 17, 1998. p. 96. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  10. Never There (US CD single liner notes). Cake. Capricorn Records. 1998. 566526-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. Never There (European CD single liner notes). Cake. Capricorn Records. 1998. 566 526-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. Never There (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Cake. Capricorn Records, Mercury Records. 1999. 870 810-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. Never There (UK CD1 liner notes). Cake. Capricorn Records, Mercury Records. 1999. 870 811-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. Never There (UK CD2 liner notes). Cake. Capricorn Records, Mercury Records. 1999. 870 813-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. "Australian-charts.com – Cake – Never There". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  16. Prolonging the Magic (US CD album liner notes). Cake. Capricorn Records. 1998. 314 538 092-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 7037." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  18. "Cake Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  19. "Cake Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  20. "1999 – The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. 138. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  21. "American single certifications – Cake – Never There". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  22. "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1270. October 16, 1998. p. 76.
  23. "New Releases – For Week Starting 19 April, 1999: Singles". Music Week. April 17, 1999. p. 27.
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