View source for Never Can Say Goodbye

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{{about|the song|the album by Gloria Gaynor|Never Can Say Goodbye (Gloria Gaynor album)|the album by Joey DeFrancesco|Never Can Say Goodbye: The Music of Michael Jackson}}
{{refimprove|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox single
| Name = Never Can Say Goodbye
| Cover = Never_Can_Say_Goodbye_-_Jackson_5.jpg
| Artist = [[Jackson 5]]
| Album = [[Maybe Tomorrow (The Jackson 5 album)|Maybe Tomorrow]]
| B-side = "She's Good"
| Released = {{Start date|1971|3|16|mf=y}} <small>(U.S.)</small>
| Format = [[Vinyl record]] <small>(7" 45 RPM)</small>
| Recorded = June 1970<br />Hitsville West, [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles, CA]]
| Genre = [[Soul music|Soul]]
| Length = 2:58
| Label = [[Motown]]
| Writer = [[Clifton Davis]]
| Producer = [[Hal Davis]]
| Last single = "[[Mama's Pearl]]" <br>(1970)
| This single = "'''Never Can Say Goodbye'''" <br>(1971)
| Next single = "[[Maybe Tomorrow (The Jackson 5 song)|Maybe Tomorrow]]" <br>(1971)
}}
"'''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 (music)|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 [[Communards (band)|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'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Pop Singles]] chart, stuck behind [[Three Dog Night]]'s "[[Joy to the World (Three Dog Night song)|Joy to the World]]" (May 8-May 22, 1971), and a #1 hit on the ''Billboard'' [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|Black Singles]] chart in the United States.<ref>{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=287}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, it reached #33 on the [[UK Singles Chart]].
An alternate version (live performance on [[Flip Wilson Show]] from 1971 with an extra part added to it) appears on the Jackson 5 CD "[[I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters]]" released in 2009. The song was performed on the Flip Wilson Show (4 November 1971), [[The Jackson 5 Show]] (5th November, 1972), [[TUPI]] (1974), [[One More Time (1974 TV special)|One More Time]] (10 January 1974), [[Johnny Carson Show]] (4th April, 1974), [[Cher Show]] (16 March 1975) and [[The Jacksons TV Series]] (7th July, 1976).

==Chart performance==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!align="left"|Chart (1971)
!align="left"|Peak<br />position
|-
|align="left"|US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]]
| style="text-align:center;"|2
|-
|align="left"|US ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' Top 100
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|align="left"|[[RPM (magazine)|Canada]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5388&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=vbh4sfpd91a99auqar1apg3np4|title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada|work=collectionscanada.gc.ca}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|14
|-
|align="left"|[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]
| style="text-align:center;"|33
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!align="left"|Chart (1971)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank
|-
|US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1971.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1971/Top 100 Songs of 1971|website=Musicoutfitters.com|accessdate=2016-10-04}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|40
|-
|US ''Cash Box'' <ref>{{cite web|url=http://50.6.195.142/archives/70s_files/1971YESP.html |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2016-05-30 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626162215/http://50.6.195.142/archives/70s_files/1971YESP.html |archivedate=2015-06-26 |df= }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|11
|}
{{col-end}}

==Gloria Gaynor version==
{{Infobox single
| Name = Never Can Say Goodbye
| Cover = Never_Can_Say_Goodbye_-_Gaynor.jpg
| Artist = [[Gloria Gaynor]]
| Album = [[Never Can Say Goodbye (Gloria Gaynor album)|Never Can Say Goodbye]]
| B-side  = "We Just Can't Make It"
| Released = October 27, 1974 <small>(U.S.)</small>
| Format = [[Vinyl record]] <small>(7" 45 RPM)</small>
| Recorded = 1974
| Genre = {{flatlist|
*[[Disco]]
*[[Soul music|soul]]}}
| Length = 6:19
| Label = [[MGM Records|MGM]]
| Writer = Clifton Davis
| Producer = {{flatlist|
*Jay Ellis
*[[Meco|Meco Monardo]]
*[[Tony Bongiovi]]
*[[Harold Wheeler (musician)|Harold Wheeler]]}}
| Last single = "Honey Bee" <br>(1974)
| This single = "'''Never Can Say Goodbye'''" <br>(1974)
| Next single = ''[[Reach Out, I'll Be There]]" <br> (1975)
}}
A second major version, reimagined as a [[disco]] record by [[Gloria Gaynor]] in 1974, was a number-nine hit on the U.S. Pop Singles chart and went to number thirty-four on the Soul Singles chart.<ref>{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=226}}</ref> The Gloria Gaynor version became one of the defining recordings of the disco era.  Indeed, her version peaked at #2 in the UK during January 1975, and #3 in Canada, surpassing the Jackson Five's original recording in those nations.

Gaynor's cover, released on MGM records, was produced by the Disco Corporation of America, a production company newly formed by [[Meco|Meco Monardo]] and [[Tony Bongiovi]] to which Gaynor was signed. Also working on this production were Jay Ellis and [[Harold Wheeler (musician)|Harold Wheeler]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discomusic.com/people-more/39_0_11_0_C|title=Meco Monardo|work=DiscoMusic.com}}</ref>

Though Gaynor is perhaps best known for her 1978/1979 hit "[[I Will Survive]]", her version of "Never Can Say Goodbye" has the distinction of occupying the number-one spot on the very first Dance/Disco chart ever to appear in [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'' magazine]].  ''Never Can Say Goodbye'' was also the title of Gaynor's debut album on which the single appeared.

The [[Newark, New Jersey]], native has re-recorded the song on more than one occasion, in increasingly Hi-NRG tempos, and subsequent remixes have hit the dance charts.

Gaynor's version of the song was heard on the TV series ''[[Charmed]]'' ("That '70s Episode"), and is featured on the [[video game series]] ''[[Just Dance 2015]]''.

==Chart performance==
{{col-begin|width=65%}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Chart (1974–75)
! Peak<br />position
|-
|align="left"|[[Kent Music Report|Australia]]
| style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|align="left"|[[RPM (magazine)|Canada]]<ref>http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.6133a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.6133a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.6133a</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|align="left"|[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]
| style="text-align:center;"|2
|-
|align="left"|U.S. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]]<ref>''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990'' - {{ISBN|0-89820-089-X}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|9
|-
|align="left"|U.S. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' Adult Contemporary<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/adult-contemporary/1975-01-04 |title=Adult Contemporary Music Chart |publisher=Billboard |date=1975-01-04 |accessdate=2016-10-04}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|11
|-
|align="left"|U.S. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' Dance/Disco 
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|align="left"|U.S. ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' Top 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19750201.html |title=Cash Box Top 100 2/01/75 |website=Tropicalglen.com |date=1975-02-01 |accessdate=2016-10-04}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|8
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Chart (1975)
! Rank
|-
|Australia <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austchartbook.com.au/ |title=Australian Chart Book |website=Austchartbook.com.au |date= |accessdate=2016-10-04 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305064644/http://www.austchartbook.com.au/ |archivedate=2016-03-05 |df= }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|25
|-
|Canada <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?file_num=nlc008388.4057a&brws_s=&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=kj49qv3s42cs13uq0ttdkcm1k1|title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada|work=collectionscanada.gc.ca}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|50
|-
|U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1977.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1975/Top 100 Songs of 1975 |publisher=Musicoutfitters.com |date= |accessdate=2014-07-03}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|71
|-
|U.S. ''Cash Box'' <ref>{{cite web|url=http://50.6.195.142/archives/70s_files/1977YESP.html |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2016-07-26 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044622/http://50.6.195.142/archives/70s_files/1977YESP.html |archivedate=2016-03-04 |df= }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|79
|}
{{col-end}}

==The Communards version==
{{Infobox single
| Name = Never Can Say Goodbye
| Cover = 
| Artist = [[The Communards]]
| Album = [[Red (Communards album)|Red]]
| B-side         = "'77, The Great Escape" <small>(7")</small> <br> "Tomorrow" [Remix] <small>(U.S. 12")</small>
| Released = 1987 <small>(International release)</small>
| Format = [[Vinyl record]] <small>(7" 45) (12" single)</small> CD Maxi Single
| Recorded = 1987
| Genre = [[Hi-NRG]]<ref>{{cite book|first= Graham |last= Betts |title= Motown Encyclopedia |year= 2014 |publisher= AC Publishing |location= "Never Can Say Goodbye – The Jackson 5 [Single]" |isbn= 978-1-31144-154-6}}</ref>
| Length = 4:30 <small>(7" 45 RPM)</small><br>4:53 <small>(Album Version)</small><br>7:50 <small>(12" single)</small><br>7:50 and 5:35 <small>(CD Maxi single)</small>
| Label = [[London Records|London]] (UK) / [[MCA Records]] (U.S.) / Metronome (Germany)
| Writer = Clifton Davis
| Producer = [[Stephen Hague]]<br> Remix and additional production by [[Shep Pettibone]]
| Last single = "Tomorrow" <br>(1987)
| This single = "'''Never Can Say Goodbye'''" <br>(1987)
| Next single = "[[For a Friend]]" <br>(1988)
}}
In 1987, British band [[The Communards]] had a hit with a [[Hi-NRG]] cover of the Clifton Davis classic, which was featured on their second album, ''Red''.

Their version reached number four in the [[UK Singles Chart]], number 51 on the U.S. [[Billboard Hot 100]], and peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot Dance/Disco chart in the U.S. The group had reached number one on those charts covering another 1970s classic, "[[Don't Leave Me This Way]]", in 1986.

The Communards version was also featured in the episode "[[Father's Day (Doctor Who)|Father's Day]]", which was set in 1987, in the first series of the revived ''[[Doctor Who]]''. It also could be heard in the final episode of ''[[Whites (TV series)|Whites]]'', featuring a dance number<ref>http://www.hulu.com/watch/246531/whites-episode-6<br>Sorry, currently our video library can only be watched from within the United States<br>Hulu is committed to making its content available worldwide. To do so, we must work through a number of legal and business issues, including obtaining international streaming rights. Know that we are working to make this happen and will continue to do so. Given the international background of the Hulu team, we have both a professional and personal interest in bringing Hulu to a global audience.</ref> by [[Stephen Wight]] and recently{{specify|date=November 2015}} as the signature tune to the British comedy series ''[[Vicious (TV series)|Vicious]]''.

A music video was commissioned for this version of the song, directed by [[Andy Morahan]].<ref name="mvdbase">{{cite web|url=http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=6379|title=mvdbase.com - the Communards - "Never can say goodbye"|work=Music Video DataBase|last=Garcia|first=Alex S|accessdate=November 1, 2015}}</ref>

==Other covers==
The song was covered by a number of artists, including [[Isaac Hayes]],  [[Grant Green]], [[Andy Williams]], [[Junior Walker]], [[The Supremes]] (in 1971),
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whosampled.com/cover/view/80749/The%20Supremes-Never%20Can%20Say%20Goodbye_The%20Jackson%205-Never%20Can%20Say%20Goodbye/ |title=The Supremes cover of The Jackson 5's 'Never Can Say Goodbye' |publisher=WhoSampled |date= |accessdate=2016-10-04}}</ref> [[Smokey Robinson]] (in 1973),
<ref>{{cite web|author=AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/smokey-mw0000320366 |title=Smokey - Smokey Robinson &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |date=1973-06-19 |accessdate=2016-10-04}}</ref> [[Cal Tjader]], [[David T. Walker]], [[The Sandpipers]], [[Rahsaan Roland Kirk]], [[Johnny "Hammond" Smith]], [[Herbie Mann]], [[Yazz]], [[Sheena Easton]], [[Gerald Albright]], [[Sonny & Cher]], [[David Benoit (musician)|David Benoit]], [[Westlife]], The Impact of Brass and [[Matchstik]] "The Mj Tribute".

[[Isaac Hayes]] first recorded the song for his 1971 album ''[[Black Moses (album)|Black Moses]]''. Released as a single, this version reached #5 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' R&B chart, #19 on the Easy Listening chart, and #22 on the Hot 100.  Hayes re-recorded the tune for the soundtrack of the 2008 film ''[[Soul Men (film)|Soul Men]]'', in which he appears alongside [[Samuel L. Jackson]] and [[Bernie Mac]]. The film's producers dedicated the 2008 version to both Mac and Hayes, who both died before the project was released.

[[Vanessa L. Williams|Vanessa Williams]] covered the song for her 2005 studio album ''[[Everlasting Love (Vanessa Williams album)|Everlasting Love]]''. Her version features [[George Benson]].

In 2008, pianist [[David Benoit (musician)|David Benoit]] recorded a version for his covers-packed album ''Heroes''<ref>{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r1384320|pure_url=yes}}|title=Heroes overview|work=[[Allmusic]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/albums/Heroes/|title=Heroes : David Benoit : Concord Music Group|work=[[Concord Records|Concord Music Group]]}}</ref> and [[saxophone|saxophonist]] [[Gerald Albright]] covered the song on the album ''Sax for Stax''.<ref>{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r1385017|pure_url=yes}}|title=Sax for Stax overview|work=[[Allmusic]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smooth-jazz.de/starportrait/Albright/Saxforstax.htm|title=Gerald Albright - Sax for Stax|work=Smooth-jazz.de}}</ref> In 2009, keyboardist [[Bob Baldwin (musician)|Bob Baldwin]] along with guitarist [[Chuck Loeb]] covered the song from Bob's album ''Lookin' Back''.<ref>{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r1573339|pure_url=yes}}|title=Lookin' Back overview|work=[[Allmusic]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jazzreview.com/cdreview.cfm?ID=590 |title=CD Review of Bob Baldwin |work=Jazzreview.com |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715052432/http://www.jazzreview.com:80/cdreview.cfm?ID=590 |archivedate=2010-07-15 |df= }}</ref>

In 2010, Singapore singer [[Olivia Ong]] recorded a cover on her album ''Olivia''.

Guitarist [[Zachary Breaux]] covered the song on his 1997 album, ''Uptown Groove'', which was his final studio album released before his death one month later after the album's release.

The Astronomical Kid sampled the song in a performance during ''The X Factor USA''.

[[Dianna Agron]] covered the song in 2012 during the eleventh episode of the [[Glee (season 3)|third season]] of the American musical television series ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'', entitled "[[Michael (Glee)|Michael]]". The performance received mostly positive reviews. Jen Chaney of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' gave the song a "B−", and said it "worked much better than every track that preceded it" because it adapted the song to the show "instead of trying to out-Jackson Jackson".<ref name="WP2">{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/celebritology/post/glee-by-the-musical-numbers-maxing-out-on-michael-jackson/2012/01/31/gIQA4UkfgQ_blog.html|title={{-'}}Glee' by the musical numbers: Maxing out on Michael Jackson |date=January 31, 2012 |last=Chaney |first=Jen |work=[[The Washington Post]] |publisher=[[Katharine Weymouth]]|accessdate=February 6, 2012}}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''{{'s}} Joseph Brannigan Lynch called it "a nice summation of her character's journey, but not vocally impressive enough to justify listening to outside of the episode" and gave it a "B".<ref name="EW2">{{cite news|url=http://tvrecaps.ew.com/recap/glee-michael-jackson-episode/|title={{-'}}Glee' recap: An 'Off the Wall' Tribute to MJ|last=Lynch|first=Joseph Brannigan|date=February 1, 2012|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|accessdate=February 6, 2012}}</ref> Crystal Bell of ''[[Huffington Post|HuffPost TV]]'' described it as a "blah performance", but Kate Stanhope of ''[[TV Guide]]'' said it was "sweet and reflective".<ref name="HP2">{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/glee-recap-michael-jackson_b_1245481.html|title={{-'}}Glee' Recap: Tribute To Michael Jackson |first=Crystal|last=Bell|work=HuffPost TV|publisher=Huffington Post|date=January 31, 2012|accessdate=February 6, 2012}}</ref><ref name="TVG2">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/Glee-Winter-Premiere-1041994.aspx|title=''Glee''{{'s}} Promising Road to Graduation Begins|first=Kate|last=Stanhope|work=TV Guide|date=January 31, 2012|accessdate=February 6, 2012}}</ref> Erica Futterman of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' wrote that it was "a tune well-suited for Quinn's sultry voice and the flipped meaning she gives the lyrics", and ''[[TVLine]]''{{'s}} Michael Slezak had a similar take: he gave it an "A" and called it a "remarkably lovely fit" for her voice.<ref name="RS2">{{cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/glee-recap-a-tribute-worthy-of-a-king-20120201 |title={{-'}}Glee' Recap: A Tribute Worthy of a King |last=Futterman |first=Erica |date=February 1, 2012 |work=[[Rolling Stone]]|publisher=Wenner Media LLC |accessdate=February 6, 2012}}</ref><ref name="TVL2">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvline.com/2012/01/glee-recap-season-3-episode-11-michael/|title=''Glee'' Recap: A Thriller of a Night!|first=Michael|last=Slezak|work=[[TVLine]]|publisher=[[Mail.com Media]]|date=January 31, 2012|accessdate=February 6, 2012}}</ref>

In 2012, [[Wu-Tang Clan]] rapper [[Raekwon]] released his cover version of the song in which he raps over the instrumental.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xclusiveszone.net/2012/12/raekwon-never-can-say-goodbye/ |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2015-02-07 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207034227/http://www.xclusiveszone.net/2012/12/raekwon-never-can-say-goodbye/ |archivedate=2015-02-07 |df= }}</ref>

==In popular culture==
*While appearing on ''The Hollywood Squares'' Clifton Davis sang a bit of the song ''a capella'' and then was asked who wrote the song.  His answer was "I did" to which the contestant agreed (and was correct).
*The Jackson 5 version appears in the 1994 movie ''[[Crooklyn]]'' and on the second volume of its soundtrack album
*[[Nicole Kidman]] sings a few lines of the song in the animated film ''[[Happy Feet]]'' (2006)
*[[Will Ferrell]] sang the song on the first episode of ''[[The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien]]''
*The Gloria Gaynor version of the song was heard on the TV series ''[[Charmed]]'' ("That '70s Episode")
*The Communards cover is featured in the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode "[[Father's Day (Doctor Who)|Father's Day]]"
*[[Jorge Núñez (singer)|Jorge Núñez]] sang the song on the top 13 show on [[American Idol (season 8)|''American Idol'' season 8]]
*[[J Xavier]] sampled the [[Jackson 5]] version for his single, "I Love My Music"
*The song is the theme for the 2013 British comedy show [[Vicious (TV series)|''Vicious'' (TV series)]]
*The Gloria Gaynor version is confirmed to appear in ''[[Just Dance 2015]]''

The Neptunes remixed "Never Can Say Goodbye" on the album ''[[The Remix Suite]]'' (2009).<ref>{{cite web|author=Nick Neyland |url=http://www.prefixmag.com/news/q-tip-and-the-neptunes-feature-on-michael-jackson-/31710/ |title=Q-Tip and The Neptunes Feature on Michael Jackson: The Remix Suite &#124; Prefix |website=Prefixmag.com |date=2009-08-12 |accessdate=2016-10-04}}</ref>

==Personnel==
*Written by [[Clifton Davis]]

"Never Can Say Goodbye" was originally copyrighted on June 10, 1970 [EU0000187089] and then was copyrighted again on December 21, 1970 [EP0000281027].

===The Jackson 5===
*Lead vocals: [[Michael Jackson]]
*Background vocals: [[Jackie Jackson]], [[Tito Jackson]], [[Jermaine Jackson]] and [[Marlon Jackson]]
*Produced by [[Hal Davis]]
*Instrumentation by various [[Los Angeles]] studio musicians

===Gloria Gaynor===

*Lead vocals: [[Gloria Gaynor]]
*Produced by the Disco Corporation of America ([[Meco|Meco Monardo]], [[Tony Bongiovi]], Jay Ellis producers; [[Harold Wheeler (musician)|Harold Wheeler]] arranger)

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
* {{MetroLyrics song|jackson-5|never-can-say-goodbye}}<!-- Licensed lyrics provider -->

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
  | before = "[[What's Going On (song)|What's Going On]]" by [[Marvin Gaye]]
  | title  = ''Billboard'' [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|Best Selling Soul Singles]] [[List of number-one rhythm and blues hits (United States)|number-one single]] (The Jackson 5 version)
  | years  = May 1, 1971 – May 15, 1971 
  | after  = "[[Bridge over Troubled Water (song)|Bridge over Troubled Water]]" by [[Aretha Franklin]]
}}
{{succession box
  | before = none
  | title  = ''Billboard'' [[Dance Club Songs|Disco Action]] [[Number-one dance hits of 1974 (USA)|number-one single]] (Gloria Gaynor version)
  | years  = October 26, 1974 – November 16, 1974
  | after  = "[[Express (B. T. Express song)|Express]]" by [[B.T. Express]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Isaac Hayes}}
{{jackson5}}
{{The Jackson 5 singles}}
{{Gloria Gaynor}}
{{Jimmy Somerville}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Never Can Say Goodbye}}
[[Category:1971 songs]]
[[Category:1971 singles]]
[[Category:1974 singles]]
[[Category:1987 singles]]
[[Category:The Jackson 5 songs]]
[[Category:Motown singles]]
[[Category:London Records singles]]
[[Category:MCA Records singles]]
[[Category:Metronome Records singles]]
[[Category:MGM Records singles]]
[[Category:Isaac Hayes songs]]
[[Category:Gloria Gaynor songs]]
[[Category:The Communards songs]]
[[Category:Andy Williams songs]]
[[Category:Music videos directed by Andy Morahan]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Tony Bongiovi]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Stephen Hague]]
[[Category:Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one singles]]
[[Category:Billboard Dance Club Songs number-one singles]]
[[Category:Disco songs]]
[[Category:Yazz songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Clifton Davis]]