The Roots Get Philosophical in ‘Never’ Video

These days, the Roots attach heavy meanings to their songs, and gone is the playful approach they used on songs like 'Proceed' and 'Double Trouble' from years past.

And it's the same with their new video for the song 'Never,' featuring Patty Crash, as the visuals surround a man running frantically, only for the viewer to guess if he's running away or towards something.

The footage begins with an aerial view of an unknown desolate city, as the protagonist wanders around looking perplexed about why his surroundings are in such disarray. It appears some sort of apocalyptic event recently took place, and the main character is coming to grips with the aftermath.

Later in the video a bunch of zombie-like creatures appear with no eyes and tattered skin, looking as if they've survived whatever bad situation took place. It's evident that the main character wants no part of them, and he continues to move on.

By the end of the story, the gentleman falls to his knees when he sees a ray of light shoot down from the sky, which carries him upward. At that moment, it looks like he was searching for that light all along. But here's the twist: the light was merely an illusion, as the camera shows the man kneeling in the streets again, not being any better off than he was at the start of the visual.

Again, a pretty deep meaning for a pretty deep song, but that's what the Roots are specializing in. 'Never' is the latest single released from the group's new album, '...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin.'