Forgotten Songs of the '90s: that dog.

Forgotten Songs of the ‘90s: that dog.

that dog. were one of the most overlooked bands of the ‘90s and it was because they came out around the same time as Beck and Weezer that they got overlooked. But by the time 1997 came, the band was experiencing new levels of success on radio with “Never Say Never.”

Carried by the vocals of Anna Waronker, the band definitely stood out by having sisters Petra and Tonya Haden on violin and bass respectively and Tony Maxwell on drums. “Never Say Never” had a difficult beginning before its birth; Anna was working on a solo record in 1996 and “Never Say Never” was one of the songs she’d created. However, when her record label, DGC/Geffen heard the record, they decided it would be better if that dog. rerecorded the record. Anna reluctantly agreed and the band set about revamping the song.

By adding in a Moog synthesizer and violin breakdown and excellent three-part harmonies throughout, the band made the song that much stronger and I guess you could say more radio-friendly. By the time it came to make the video, the label decided it was time to make Anna a sex symbol, dressing her in low-cut blouses and high skirts in a video that’s kind of weird for a band that never really had an image.

In the fall of 1997, about five months after the album came out, it was announced that the band was breaking up with musical differences cited as a reason. What’s sad about the breakup is that the band were at the height of their commercial power and looked to only get bigger from there. But I suppose there will be a time when the band gets the full recognition they deserve as will the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ydSJKBbLt0

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