Never Can Say Goodbye

"Never Can Say Goodbye" is a song written by Clifton Davis and originally recorded by The Jackson 5. The song was originally written and intended for the Supremes to record; however Motown decided the song would be better for the Jackson 5. Released as a single in 1971, it was one of the group's most successful songs. The song has been covered numerous times, most notably in 1974 by disco diva Gloria Gaynor and in 1987 by British pop group The Communards.

The Jackson 5

The recording features 12-year-old Michael Jackson singing a serious song about a love, with accompaniment from his brothers. Although such a record was unusual for a teenage group, "Never Can Say Goodbye" was a #2 hit for three consecutive weeks on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, stuck behind Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World" (May 8-May 22, 1971), and a #1 hit on the Billboard Black Singles chart in the United States. In the United Kingdom, it reached #33 on the UK Singles Chart. An alternate version (live performance from 1971 with an extra part added to it) appears on the Jackson 5 CD "I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters" released in 2009.

Never Can Say Goodbye (Gloria Gaynor album)

Never Can Say Goodbye is the debut album by Gloria Gaynor, released on MGM Records in January 1975. It is most notable for including several early Disco recordings. The album charted in the US Billboard at number 25 in the US Pop chart, and at number 21 in the US R&B chart. In the UK the album peaked at number 32, "Never Can Say Goodbye" was released in the UK as a single and reached number 2 in early 1975.

The album features three hit singles; "Honey Bee", "Never Can Say Goodbye" and "Reach Out, I'll Be There" which are featured full-length on the album's first side in a 19-minute disco suite, then a famous first devised by Tom Moulton. This album version of 'Never Can Say Goodbye' features double drum beats during the verse links, which is not heard in the single version. The second side of the album mostly consists of slower Soul music songs. Notably, vocalist Gloria Gaynor also was involved in the songwriting of a number of the tracks, including "Real Good People".