Never (Heart song) explained

Never
Cover:	Heart Never.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Heart
Album:	Heart
B-Side:	Shell Shock
Genre:	Hard rock
Length:	4:07
Label:	Capitol
Producer:	Ron Nevison
Prev Title:	What About Love
Prev Year:	1985
Next Title:	These Dreams
Next Year:	1986

"Never" is a song by American rock band Heart, released on August 29, 1985, as the second single from the band's eponymous eighth studio album (1985).^[1] It was written by Holly Knight, Gene Bloch (from the band Device) and "Connie" (a pseudonym for Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, and Sue Ennis).

"Never" is a rock song with an uplifting lyric to a person who has been discouraged by love. Like the preceding "What About Love", the music video for "Never" received heavy rotation on MTV.

"Never" peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the first time that Heart earned consecutive top ten entries, and the first time a Heart album generated two top ten singles. In the UK, it was a Top 10 hit in 1988 as part of a double A-side reissue with "These Dreams", intended to capitalise on the success of "Alone" the previous year. While "Never" was ostensibly the lead track, airplay focused almost exclusively on "These Dreams".

A reworking of the song appears on the Japanese version of Heart's live album The Road Home.^[2] "Only in that version of 'Never'," observed Nancy Wilson, "did the song get the rootsy vibe that stands up to time."^[3]

Reception

Cash Box said it is "a slow driving ballad" that has "a succinct arrangement and production."^[4] Billboard called it "crisply buoyant power rock."^[5]

Personnel

Heart

• Ann Wilson – vocals
• Nancy Wilson – lead guitar, background vocals
• Howard Leese – lead guitar, keyboards, background vocals
• Mark Andes – bass guitar
• Denny Carmassi – drums

Additional musicians

• Peter Wolf – synthesizers
• Lynn Wilson – background vocals
• Holly Knight – keyboards

Technical

• Scotty Olson – guitar technician
• Gary Chalk – drum technician
• Ron Nevison – production, engineering
• Mike Clink – engineering assistance
• Brian Foraker – second assistant engineer
• Mike Reese – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood California)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1985–1986)! scope="col"

Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[6]	48
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[7]	20
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles^[8]	6

Chart (1988)! scope="col"

Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles)^[9]	34

Year-end charts

Chart (1985)! scope="col"

Position
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles^[10]	71

Chart (1986)! scope="col"

Position
US Billboard Hot 100^[11]	18

Notes and References

1. New Releases . . August 23, 1985 . 30 . 857904873.
2. Web site: Heart – the Road Home (1995, CD). Discogs.
3. Charles. Cross. Charles R. Cross. The home stretch. Classic Rock. July 2018. 250. 67.
4. Single Releases. Cash Box. September 14, 1985. 2022-08-01. 11.
5. Billboard. September 14, 1985. 2022-08-01. 90. Reviews.
6. Book: Kent, David . David Kent (historian) . Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . illustrated . St Ives, N.S.W. . Australian Chart Book . 1993 . 136 . 0-646-11917-6.
7. Book: Pennanen, Timo . Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 . fi . 1st . Helsinki . . 2006 . 978-951-1-21053-5.
8. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 7, 1985 . . September 24, 2019.
9. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles . . 5 . 14 . April 2, 1988 . 27 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
10. Web site: The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1985 – Top 100 Pop Singles . Cash Box . December 28, 1985 . September 24, 2019.
11. Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 1986 . Billboard . September 24, 2019.