Never Say Never (Romeo Void song)

"Never Say Never"
Single by Romeo Void
from the album Benefactor
Released	1982
Format	12"
Recorded	1981
Genre	Post-punk, new wave
Length	5:53 / 6:05 / 3:27
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Debora Iyall
Producer(s)	Ric Ocasek & Ian Taylor
Audio sample
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"Never Say Never" is a 1982 song by the new wave band Romeo Void. One of their best-known songs, "Never Say Never" was a favorite on early MTV, featuring a music video filmed in black and white using film noir motifs. The song is driven by a throbbing, funky bassline and punctuated by jagged guitar and saxophone, incorporating post-punk influences.

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 Daryl 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. Also, a small segment of the song was featured in a scene of the film Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. It also was included in the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street. In 2016, it was featured in the show Ash vs Evil Dead during a scene of the season 2 episode Trapped Inside.

Covers

• In 1998 The Smashing Pumpkins included lyrics when performing live within their own song "XYU"
• In 2000 by Queens of the Stone Age, as a bonus track on the album Rated R; the same version was also featured on the soundtrack album of the John Travolta and Thomas Jane film The Punisher (2004). A single was also released in 2000.
• In February 2006 Australian electro house group Vandalism also released a cover version of the song, Paul Van Dyk also used to include this version in his mixes.
• In 2008 by Las Vegas speedpunk band The deadly seven.
• In 2009 the band Julien-K covered Never Say Never on their debut album Death to Analog, listing the song title as Nvr Say Nvr.
• The band Slunt also recorded a version of the song.
• Female rapper Amanda Blank uses the song's lyrics in her first single, "Might Like You Better".
• The band The Degenerettes covered the song on their album, Bad Girls Go to Hell.

Never Say Never EP

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	B+[2]

An EP by American new wave band Romeo Void was released in 1981. It was released on CD in 2006 by Wounded Bird Records, as four bonus tracks to their reissue of Benefactor.

All tracks by Debora Iyall, Peter Woods, Frank Zincavage, Benjamin Bossi and Larry Carter

1. "Never Say Never" – 6:06
2. "In the Dark" – 4:33
3. "Present Tense" – 5:47
4. "Not Safe" – 3:57

Personnel

• Debora Iyall – vocals
• Peter Woods – guitar
• Benjamin Bossi – saxophone
• Frank Zincavage – bass
• Larry Carter – drums, percussion

Chart positions

Album

References