Never There (Cake song)

"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.^[2]

"Never There"
Single by Cake
from the album Prolonging the Magic
B-side	"I Will Survive"
Released	September 27, 1998 (1998-09-27)
Studio	Pus Cavern, Paradise (Sacramento, California) Hyde St., Coast Recorders (San Francisco, California)
Genre	Alternative rock[1]
Length	2:44
Label	Capricorn
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 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".^[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 top-10 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 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.^[10]

Track listings

US and European CD single[11][12] "Never There" (LP version) – 2:44 "Cool Blue Reason" (LP version) – 3:27 UK 7-inch single[13] A. "Never There" – 2:44 B. "I Will Survive" – 5:11 UK CD1[14] "Never There" (LP version) "Cool Blue Reason" (LP version) "Is This Love?" (live) "Never There" (video)

UK CD2[15] "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[16] "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.^[12][17]

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 Xan McCurdy – electric guitar

Other personnel Kirt Shearer – mixing Craig Long – mixing Don C. Tyler – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1998–1999) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 75 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 42 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[18] 10 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[6] 9 UK Singles (OCC)[9] 66 US Billboard Hot 100[5] 78 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[19] 29 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[4] 1 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[20] 40

Year-end charts Chart (1998) Position US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[21] 48 Chart (1999) Position US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[22] 64 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[23] 7

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[24]	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	[16]
United States	October 20, 1998	Contemporary hit radio		[25]
United Kingdom	April 19, 1999	7-inch vinyl CD	Capricorn Mercury	[26]