Never Say Never (song)

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“Never Say Never”

Single by Romeo Void from the album Benefactor
Released	1982
Format	12"
Recorded	1981
Genre	Rock
Length	5:53 / 6:05 / 3:27
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Debora Iyall

"Never Say Never" is a 1982 song by the New Wave band Romeo Void. "Never Say Never" was a favorite on early MTV. The song is driven by a throbbing, funky bassline and punctuated by jagged guitar. It has been written, however, that "it's Debora Iyall's teasing, existential musings – which predated and predicted the aloof yet frank sexuality of early- and mid-90s artists such as Elastica and Liz Phair – that elevate 'Never Say Never' from a mere post-punk relic into a subversive, influential classic." The song's repeated refrain of "I might like you better if we slept together" has been called "one of rock's all-time greatest lines," [1] because it works as a come-on and a put-down, simultaneously. But beyond mere titillation, a "careful listen to the verses, with their intimations of incest, murder, homelessness, and other dark subjects, makes plain that singer/lyricist Debora Iyall has more on her mind than grudging salaciousness." [2]

[edit] Legacy

The song was featured in the 1984 film, Reckless, starring Aidan Quinn as a football star and renegade. Quinn's character takes over the school dance's DJ booth to play the single, much to the dismay of all his classmates. A dance sequence ensues with Quinn's character moshing about while a somewhat distraught Darryl Hannah tries to figure out how to dance with him. The song is also featured in the 2002 videogame Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as part of the New Wave radio station Wave 103. Queens of the Stone Age recorded a version that was featured on the soundtrack album of the John Travolta and Thomas Jane film The Punisher (2004). Also, a small segment of the song was featured in a scene of the film Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. In February 2006 Australian electro house group Vandalism also released a cover version of the song, the band Slunt also recorded a version of the song.