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Never

written by Holly Knight, Gene Bloch and “Connie”

produced by Ron Nevison

By the early-mid-’80s, some critics were beginning to feel Heart

were washed up. Gone were their wild heydays of “Crazy On You”

(Dreamboat Annie), “Barracuda” (Little Queen), and “Straight On”

(Dog & Butterfly). And though 1983’s “How Can I Refuse?” was a

sizable US hit, sisses Ann and Nancy Wilson hadn’t charted internationally since 1980. Then... (again...) came 1985, the magic year that proved, among other things, that Heart’s critics could hardly have been more off-base.

The earliest incarnations of Heart stem from around 1967, while it would take them till the mid-’70s to strike a recording deal with Mushroom Records (an independent label) and start cranking out hits. Another in addition to those mentioned above is Dreamboat Annie’s “Magic Man.” A decade later in the mid-’80s, Heart struck serious gold again.

Yep... welcome to yet another what you might call super-favorite of mine... another stand-out, as it were. Another of the more wicked awesome songs released to us by a band someone would’ve had to create if they didn’t exist. Smack dab in the middle of the ’80s, Heart semi-abruptly made a monster comeback with the pre-album release of a new single called “What About Love,” on June 1st, ’85. One month and change later, out burst the self-titled Heart album, with four additional singles, three of which became enormous hits. One of those hit singles is covered on this page. (Another of them is covered on the next.)

Like so many gifted acts, Heart’s pop culture transition between eras seemed effortless. Heart (the album), its ’87 follow-up Bad Animals, and the fruits of both labors absolutely screamed ’80s. Just watch the music videos if you’re skeptical. On “Never” here, the writing is credited to two songwriters, as well as “Connie,” a pseudonym for the Wilson sisters. (I could not immediately tell you whether there’s a story behind the sisters going by “Connie,” but I’d find it intriguing if there is.)

Have notes to add? Let me know!

YT:

full version

music video

Heart’s official website

 

1985

Lyrics

Hey baby, I’m talking to you Stop yourself and listen Some things you can never choose Even if you try, yeah / You’re bangin’ your head again ’Cause somebody won’t let you in One chance, one love Your chance to let me know We can’t go on Just running away / If we stay any longer We will surely never get away, oh whoa Anything you want, we can make it happen Stand up and turn around Never let them shoot us down / Never / Never / Never Never run away Hey baby, you know it’s true Why you bother lying When you know that, that you want it too Don’t you dare deny me Now walk those legs right over here Give me what I’m dying for / One chance, one love Hold me down, never let me go We can’t go on Just running away / If we wait any longer We will surely never get away, oh whoa / x1 Never Never (NO!) Never Never run away Never (no, NEVER!) Never Never (no no no no) Never run away Hey baby, I’m talking to you Stop yourself and listen Some things you can never never choose Even if you try, yeah / x1 / x1 / Never, oh whoa Never We can’t go on Never We can’t go on Never, oh whoa N-n-n-never, oh whoa Never never never We can’t go on (we can’t go on (we can’t go on)) Never We can’t go on (we can’t go on (we can’t go on)) Never (baby), oh whoa N-n-never, oh whoa Never (never never never)

first release: Heart (1985/07/06)

HEART—Heart.jpg
NEVER {Single}—Heart.jpg

audio treated sample

This page was originally made on May 31st, 2021 and last edited on July 28th, 2021

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