"Never Been to Spain" is a song written by Hoyt Axton, originally released on his 1971 LP Joy to the World and later that year performed by Three Dog Night, with Cory Wells on lead vocal. It was featured on their 1971 album Harmony.Three Dog Night, Harmony Discogs.com, Retrieved February 7, 2015 The recording was produced by Richard Podolor.Three Dog Night, "Never Been to Spain" single release 45.cat.com, Retrieved February 7, 2015
Background The lyrics consist of the narrator ruminating about overseas locales that he has never visited, but about which he feels he has some proxy experience, primarily via the music, but also due to other presumed highlights found in those places. He loosely compares his own actual travels to these more worldly spots.
In the final verse, he observes that while he has "never been to heaven", he has "been to Oklahoma", where he was told he was born, thus implying a kinship between the two places. Hoyt Axton, who was born in Oklahoma, explained that he originally wrote, "...in Oklahoma, born in a coma...." However, it was considered inappropriate; thus, the lyrics were changed to "not Arizona".
Chart history
In the US, "Never Been to Spain" peaked at number five on the Billboard chart, and number 18 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart in 1972.Three Dog Night, "Never Been to Spain" U.S. Chart Positions Retrieved February 7, 2015 Outside of the US, "Never Been to Spain" reached number three in RPM in CanadaThree Dog Night, "Never Been to Spain" Canada Chart Position Retrieved February 7, 2015 and number 34 in Australia.
Weekly charts Chart (1971–1972)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)34Canada RPM Top SinglesThree Dog Night, "Never Been to Spain" Canada Chart Position Retrieved February 7, 20153New Zealand (Listener)Flavour of New Zealand, 24 April 197212US Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - 5US Billboard Adult Contemporary18US Cash Box Top 1005
Year-end charts Chart (1972)RankCanada 64US Billboard Hot 10073US Cash Box62
Other notable versions Ronnie Sessions released his version as a single in 1972 that reached number 36 on the Billboard Country chart.Ronnie Sessions, "Never Been to Spain" Chart Position Retrieved February 7, 2015
References