The Distance & Never There Cake audio buffed out

The Distance & Never There by Cake
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"The Distance" is a song by American band Cake. Released in August 1996, "The Distance" was the first single from the band's second album, Fashion Nugget, and is considered one of their most popular songs. It was written by the band's guitarist at the time, Greg Brown.

This was used in an episode of The Simpsons called "Saddlesore Galactica."

The song's opening lyric, "Reluctantly crouched at the starting line", is prominently featured in the remix "The Starting Line" by Neil Cicierega on his album Mouth Moods.

The song is heard in the opening of episode 10 "SHNGRLA" in season 1 of Twisted Metal.

Reluctantly crouched at the starting line
Engines pumping and thumping in time
The green light flashes, the flags go up
Churning and burning, they yearn for the cup
They deftly maneuver and muscle for rank
Fuel burning fast on an empty tank
Reckless and wild, they pour through the turns
Their prowess is potent and secretly stern

As they speed through the finish, the flags go down
The fans get up and they get out of town
The arena is empty except for one man
Still driving and striving as fast as he can
The sun has gone down and the moon has come up
And long ago somebody left with the cup
But he's driving and striving and hugging the turns
And thinking of someone for whom he still burns

He's going the distance
He's going for speed
She's all alone
In her time of need

Because he's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
He's going the distance
No trophy, no flowers, no flashbulbs, no wine
He's haunted by something he cannot define
Bowel-shaking earthquakes of doubt and remorse
Assail him, impale him with monster-truck force
In his mind, he's still driving, still making the grade

She's hoping in time that her memories will fade
Cause he's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
The sun has gone down and the moon has come up
And long ago somebody left with the cup
But he's striving and driving and hugging the turns
And thinking of someone for whom he still burns

'Cause he's going the distance
He's going for speed
She's all alone
In her time of need

Because he's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
He's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse

He's going the distance
He's going for speed
He's going the distance

Here's an excerpt from Rolling Stone's (RS.com) interview with Greg Brown who wrote the song and explains its meaning. He also explains about why the race car metaphor is used.

RS.COM: Will the success of The Distance" mean you'll be writing more songs?

GREG BROWN: Man, I sure hope so. I was delighted that John was receptive to it, because he's been writing songs for a long time. It was the only song I wrote to appear on the record. I'm really happy with it. John did a great vocal track. Victor (Damiani) put down a good bass line, and Vincent (di Fiore) came up with a cool trumpet part.

RS.COM: What's the song about?

GB: I wrote it about a relationship of mine. It's about a guy who races and races, even after the race is over. He's basically clueless. I used the race car metaphor so it wouldn't be so sentimental ... it seemed apt.

RS.COM:Is sarcasm a difficult device to pull off in song writing?

GB: Well, I'm not a sarcastic guitarist, but it's pretty recurrent in our songs. John uses it probably for the same reason I used the race car metaphor in "Distance": to basically distance himself from the song.

"Never There" is the first single released from Cake's third studio album, Prolonging the Magic (1998). The song was commercially successful, topping the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and appearing on the music charts of four other countries.

According to Cake vocalist John McCrea, the lyrics are sung from the viewpoint of a boy who is frustrated that his girlfriend never answers his phone calls. The boyfriend believes he will not make it through life without her, but in reality, he needs to focus on his own concerns instead. McCrea has described "Never There" as "a country song in disguise".

The music video for "Never There", directed by McCrea, features Cake performing in a western-style bar, while a story arc covers a trucker calling his girlfriend on a pay phone and she never answers as she is too busy partying with male body builders in speedos. It was filmed in Sacramento, California.

Never There
Cake
Written by: Mc Crea John M
Album: Prolonging the Magic
Released: 1998

I need your arms around me
I need to feel your touch

I need your understanding
I need your love, so much
You tell me that you love me so
You tell me that you care
But when I need you (baby)
But when I need you (baby)
Baby (you're never there)

On the phone long, long distance
Always through such strong resistance
First you say you're too busy
I wonder if you even miss me

Never there
You're never there
You're never ever, ever, ever, there

A golden bird that flies away
A candle's fickle flame
To think I held you yesterday
Your love was just a game

A golden bird that flies away
A candle's fickle flame
To think I held you yesterday
Your love was just a game

You tell me that you love me so
You tell me that you care
But when I need you (baby)
Baby!

Take the time to get to know me
If you want me why can't you just show me
We're always on this roller coaster
If you want me why can't you get closer

Never there
You're never there
You're never ever, ever, ever, there

Never there
You're never there
You're never ever, ever, ever, there