"This Never Happened" followed "You're Goin' Back to Jail" in the La Jolla run. The structure of the plot was different back then, as well. No kids aka "Picture Show," more to do for Sheriff Ted and his "love" for Bonnie, "How 'Bout a Dance" didn't even happen until the end of Act 2 following "Dyin' Ain't So Bad" in the scope of things, etc etc.
I'm so glad that they recorded "This Never Happened Before." It would have been great to get some of my other favorite songs too like "Short Order World" and "Sixteen Years," but if we only get just one that was the one to preserve!