Never Say Never (The Fray song)
Encyclopedia
"Never Say Never" or "Never Say Never (Don't Let Me Go)" is a song by Denver-based piano rock band The Fray
that was included on their second studio album, The Fray
. It is the second single from the album and is a direct love song between two people who are "pulling apart and coming together again and again."
The song was certified Platinum
by the RIAA in August 2010 and was ranked #100 on Billboard
's Hot 100 songs of 2009 list. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 2010.
The song is present on the soundtrack of the film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - The Album, and on promos of Inuyasha: The Final Acts last episode on Animax Asia
.
There are currently three versions of the song: the full album version and two radio edits (Half Guitar Solo Edit and Radio edit), which are shorter and cuts out a portion of the song's guitars.
found the single "riveting" and complimented on lead singer Isaac Slade
's falsetto
. Another positive mention came from New Music Reviews: "When The Fray releases a single, you know it’s going to be amazing, and this is another one of those singles. Truly amazing again! 9/10." AbsolutePunk described "Never Say Never" as "a syrupy ballad
" that is "nothing short of astonishing. There's falsetto towards the end and its romantic, wistful and full of understated grace. Backed by strings and a swelling rhythm section, it's a polished and positive step forward [for the band]."
However, David Sessions, editor of Patrol magazine, wrote: "It's the CCM formula without the Jesus: pre-bottled concoctions (strings, astral guitar strumming) slathered on to enliven a fatally soulless mix." Glenn Gamboa, in a review for Newsday
, criticized the song, and the album as a whole, for essentially "sound[ing] the same" as the band's previous work, noting: "It's not a bad sound, but it's also not a necessary one. The conservative songs of The Fray try to shut out the possibility of messing up, but they end up shutting out the possibility of succeeding as well." A reviewer for musicOMH.com wrote: "'Never Say Never' and 'Ungodly Hour' are the band's closest approximations to the big Coldplay
piano ballad, but without Chris Martin
's quirky Englishness (and I never thought I would say that) both tracks ultimately collapse under the weight of their conceits."
On the March 14th episode of the VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown, the Fray stated in an interview that a video was in the works around that time. The music video for Never Say Never surfaced on the internet on April 17, but the video officially premiered on the internet only on April 24, through the band's MySpace
page. It premiered everywhere else on television May 5, 2009.
The video takes place in one only sequence, featuring singer and pianist Isaac Slade walking through a destroyed suburban street after some sort of accident or attack. While Isaac walks through the street, panicked civilians run for safety and police officers and soldiers try to save others in the ruins. The video ends with Isaac finding a woman (played by Jaime King
) who was obviously looking for him. The video ends with the two and everyone else in the neighborhood looking to the distant Los Angeles
cityscape before it completely explodes. The set used in the aftermath of the plane crash scene from Steven Spielberg
's War Of The Worlds was also used to film this clip, located at Universal Studios in Hollywood.
, The Vampire Diaries
, Ghost Whisperer
, So You Think You Can Dance
, Grey's Anatomy
, CSI: Miami
and Brothers & Sisters. The song was also chosen for the soundtrack of the film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
and appeared in the movie when the film's two main characters Sam and Mikaela say goodbye before Sam heads off to college. It also appeared in the film trailer for Brothers.
. Following its inclusion in the soundtrack release of the film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and its appearance on the 2009 season finale of Grey's Anatomy
, the song then climbed over to its peak position of #32. The song spent 20 weeks on the chart. The song peaked at #7 on the Adult Pop Songs
chart. On the Canadian Hot 100
, the song peaked at #51, and on the ARIA Charts
, the song peaked at #38.
The Fray
-Literature:*Fray, a phenomenon in Terry Pratchett's The Carpet People*Fray , a comic book series by Joss Whedon**Melaka Fray, titular character of the comic book series-Music:*"Fray", a song from the album 14 Shades of Grey by Staind...
that was included on their second studio album, The Fray
The Fray (album)
The Fray is the second studio album by The Fray. Released on February 3, 2009, through Epic Records, the album debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200 chart, and became a top 5 hit in Australia and Canada. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2010...
. It is the second single from the album and is a direct love song between two people who are "pulling apart and coming together again and again."
The song was certified Platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the RIAA in August 2010 and was ranked #100 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Hot 100 songs of 2009 list. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 2010.
The song is present on the soundtrack of the film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - The Album, and on promos of Inuyasha: The Final Acts last episode on Animax Asia
Animax Asia
Animax Asia is the Japanese anime TV network Animaxs English language feeds in Southeast Asia and South Asia, as well as its feeds across other regions of mainland Asia, including Hong Kong and Taiwan...
.
There are currently three versions of the song: the full album version and two radio edits (Half Guitar Solo Edit and Radio edit), which are shorter and cuts out a portion of the song's guitars.
Reception
Overall, critical response to "Never Say Never" was mixed. US WeeklyUs Weekly
Us Weekly is a celebrity gossip magazine, founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, who sold it in 1980. It was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986. The publication covers topics ranging from celebrity relationships to the latest trends in fashion, beauty, and entertainment...
found the single "riveting" and complimented on lead singer Isaac Slade
Isaac Slade
Isaac Edward Slade is the lead vocalist, main songwriter, pianist, and co-founder of Denver-based piano rock band The Fray.-Early years:...
's falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
. Another positive mention came from New Music Reviews: "When The Fray releases a single, you know it’s going to be amazing, and this is another one of those singles. Truly amazing again! 9/10." AbsolutePunk described "Never Say Never" as "a syrupy ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
" that is "nothing short of astonishing. There's falsetto towards the end and its romantic, wistful and full of understated grace. Backed by strings and a swelling rhythm section, it's a polished and positive step forward [for the band]."
However, David Sessions, editor of Patrol magazine, wrote: "It's the CCM formula without the Jesus: pre-bottled concoctions (strings, astral guitar strumming) slathered on to enliven a fatally soulless mix." Glenn Gamboa, in a review for Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
, criticized the song, and the album as a whole, for essentially "sound[ing] the same" as the band's previous work, noting: "It's not a bad sound, but it's also not a necessary one. The conservative songs of The Fray try to shut out the possibility of messing up, but they end up shutting out the possibility of succeeding as well." A reviewer for musicOMH.com wrote: "'Never Say Never' and 'Ungodly Hour' are the band's closest approximations to the big Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
piano ballad, but without Chris Martin
Chris Martin
Christopher Anthony John "Chris" Martin is an English song-writer, who is the lead vocalist, pianist and rhythm guitarist of the band Coldplay. He is married to actress Gwyneth Paltrow.-Early life:...
's quirky Englishness (and I never thought I would say that) both tracks ultimately collapse under the weight of their conceits."
Music video
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page. It premiered everywhere else on television May 5, 2009.
The video takes place in one only sequence, featuring singer and pianist Isaac Slade walking through a destroyed suburban street after some sort of accident or attack. While Isaac walks through the street, panicked civilians run for safety and police officers and soldiers try to save others in the ruins. The video ends with Isaac finding a woman (played by Jaime King
Jaime King
Jaime King is an American actress and model. In her modeling career and early film roles, she used the names Jamie King and James King, which was a childhood nickname given to King by her parents, because her agency already represented another Jaime — the older, then more famous model Jaime...
) who was obviously looking for him. The video ends with the two and everyone else in the neighborhood looking to the distant Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
cityscape before it completely explodes. The set used in the aftermath of the plane crash scene from Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
's War Of The Worlds was also used to film this clip, located at Universal Studios in Hollywood.
Popularity in TV series and movies
The song was featured on One Tree HillOne Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
, The Vampire Diaries
The Vampire Diaries (TV series)
The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, based on the book series of the same name written by L. J. Smith. The series premiered on The CW Television Network on September 10, 2009, and is currently in its third season that...
, Ghost Whisperer
Ghost Whisperer
Ghost Whisperer is an American television supernatural drama, which ran on CBS from September 23, 2005 to May 21, 2010.The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon , who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts...
, So You Think You Can Dance
So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
, Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
, CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
and Brothers & Sisters. The song was also chosen for the soundtrack of the film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a 2009 American science fiction-action film directed by Michael Bay and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is the sequel to the 2007 film Transformers and the second installment in the live-action Transformers series...
and appeared in the movie when the film's two main characters Sam and Mikaela say goodbye before Sam heads off to college. It also appeared in the film trailer for Brothers.
Charts
After a slow climb over several weeks, "Never Say Never" finally made its way up to #48 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. Following its inclusion in the soundtrack release of the film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and its appearance on the 2009 season finale of Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
, the song then climbed over to its peak position of #32. The song spent 20 weeks on the chart. The song peaked at #7 on the Adult Pop Songs
Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks
Adult Top 40 is a variation on the United States Billboard charts...
chart. On the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
, the song peaked at #51, and on the ARIA Charts
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, the song peaked at #38.
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
32 |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
26 |
| US Billboard Adult Pop Songs Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks Adult Top 40 is a variation on the United States Billboard charts... |
7 |
| US Billboard Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
13 |
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
38 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
51 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
87 |
Year-end charts
| End of year chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 100 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Platinum |