| "Never Been Any Reason" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Head East | |
| from the album Flat as a Pancake | |
| B-side | "One Against the Other" |
| Released | 1975 |
| Recorded | 1974 |
| Genre | Hard rock |
| Length | 5:11 (album version) 3:25 (single version) |
| Label | Pyramid Records A&M Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Mike Somerville |
| Producer(s) | Head East |
| Music video | |
| "Never Been Any Reason" on YouTube | |
"Never Been Any Reason" is the debut single by Head East from their debut album Flat as a Pancake . It was composed by the band's guitarist, Mike Somerville. It is often considered Head East's signature song, [1] peaking at number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100, and continues to be played on classic rock radio stations in the US, generations after it was released.
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The song features keyboardist Roger Boyd's double-tracked Minimoog solos throughout the song. Asked about the solos via the band's official website, Boyd said they were created due to an accident during mixing:
- "It is two Minimoogs. Back in those days we did not have computerized mixing and had to mix "on the fly;" we forgot to mute one of the moog solos and when it went by we thought WOW! so we decided to go back and record the second part to match/compliment[ sic ] the primary solo part." [2]
Lead vocals are alternated between drummer Steve Huston singing the first two lines of the verses and lead vocalist John Schlitt on the remainder of the song. [3] Both the last line of each verse and the choruses feature multi-part vocal harmonies sung by all the members of the band.
The song was featured in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused , and later in the 2005 film Sahara .
AC/DC appropriated the song's riff for their 1980 hit "You Shook Me All Night Long". [4]
Never Been Any Reason has become the official theme song for the internationally recognized Riverwest 24 [5] bike race held annually in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Spotify listens spike due to the song being played on loop for 24 hours straight.
