Never Understand

{{Infobox song

| name = Never Understand

| cover = Never Understand.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = The Jesus and Mary Chain

| album = Psychocandy

| B-side = Suck

| released = February 1985

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = {{hlist|Noise pop|punk-pop{{cite web|last=Mason|first=Stewart|title=Taste of Cindy by The Jesus and Mary Chain - Track Info|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/taste-of-cindy-mt0010987925|access-date=18 March 2023|publisher=AllMusic}}}}

| length = 2:54

| label = Blanco y Negro

| writer = William Reid, Jim Reid

| producer = The Jesus and Mary Chain

| prev_title = Upside Down

| prev_year = 1984

| next_title = You Trip Me Up

| next_year = 1985

}}

"Never Understand" is the first single from the Scottish alternative rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain's debut album Psychocandy. It was the band's first release on Blanco y Negro Records and was released through them in February 1985.{{cite web|last=Marszalek|first=Julian|date=8 November 2011|title=Brown Acid Black Leather: The Story Of The Jesus And Mary Chain's Psychocandy|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/07301-jesus-and-mary-chain-psychocandy|access-date=18 October 2015|website=The Quietus}} The song was written by William Reid and Jim Reid, and was produced by The Jesus and Mary Chain. It is considered influential for its use of guitar feedback.{{cite web|last=Kretsch|first=Ron|date=28 April 2015|title=Trent Reznor and Robert Smith talk about the Jesus and Mary Chain's 'Psychocandy'|url=https://dangerousminds.net/comments/trent_reznor_and_robert_smith_talk_about_the_jesus_and_mary_chains_psychoca|access-date=18 October 2015|website=DangerousMinds}}

Chart performance

The single reached number 47 on the UK Singles Chart."[https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/It%20Ain%27t%20Fair Never Understand]". Chart Stats. Retrieved on 9 December 2008.

Critical reception

The song was ranked number 1 among the "Tracks of the Year" for 1985 by NME.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nme.com/features/1985-2-1045389 |title=Albums and Tracks of the Year |date=10 October 2016 |magazine=NME |access-date=8 September 2018 }}

Spin wrote, "On "Never Understand" the feedback shrieks like the zealous adolescent screams that drowned out the Beatles on every live record."{{cite magazine| magazine= Spin | title=Underground|author=Andrea Enthal| date=June 1985|issue=2|page=34}} John Leland added, "The effect is striking, but it has no depth and doesn't go anywhere after the first few seconds. In Hüsker Dü's music, the buzzing guitar and pop hooks enhance one another; Jesus and Mary Chain never puts the two together."{{cite magazine| magazine= Spin | title=Singles|author=John Leland| date=July 1985|issue=3|page=32}}