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Length
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The lead track off of their first album, “Never Meant” immediately throws the listener into the emo/math rock/post-rock sound for which American Football is known.
Played in 6/4 time, the song is about trying to justify a failed relationship. It’s easy to be in love, but what do you do after it falls out? Suppressing all the memories and emotions and hiding them away – that’s what lead singer Mike Kinsella deals with here.
Steve Lamos, from 'Never Meant: The Complete Oral History of American Football', said:
"We decided before the album was even recorded that we were going to quit. I vividly remember finishing the “Never Meant” take. I just thought, “Wow we’ll never play the song that well again.” It’s funny: now I’m not even crazy about that song. I don’t dislike it but it’s not my favorite. There are others like “Stay Home” and “Honestly” that I like playing more in a live setting. But that recorded version of “Never Meant” feels pretty special."
Stereogum listed "Never Meant" as one of the "30 Essential Songs From The Golden Era Of Emo" and "The Summer Ends" as one of the "30 Essential Post-Rock Songs". NME listed the album as one of "20 Emo Albums That Have Resolutely Stood The Test Of Time". Rolling Stone ranked the album at No. 6 on their list of the 40 Greatest Emo Albums of All Time. "Never Meant" was named the greatest emo song of all time by Vulture.
On June 5, 2014, a music video was released for "Never Meant". Directed by Chris Strong, the video was filmed inside and around the house and features on the album cover artwork. The video was set in Urbana, Illinois, around 1999. Strong revealed that the storyline was "about a brief relationship between two characters at the end of their college experience". Strong had other people portray the band.
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![American Football [Deluxe Edition]](https://lastfm.freetls.fastly.net/i/u/300x300/040008013c1b4c34ccbc4c64ee22bc51.jpg)
