Never Can Say Goodbye

**remicks** · August 25th, 2009, 02:04 AM

*****

What is it about this song??? :icon_confused:

as discussed elsewhere, IMO, as recorded by Gloria Gaynor via Meco , NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE became disco's first "UNABASHED, No Doubt About It: I Am Disco, Hear Me Roar " disco record ....

.... but even before this version
this song had captured the groove sensibilities of other notorious disco mainstays

Isaac Hayes in 1971:

Dennis Coffey & Mike Theodore in 1973 :

1973 ! --- when the two of them also released on that same LP :

YouTube - Dennis Coffey Taurus

could disco really be far away !!? :icon_biggrin:

:icon_cool::icon_cool:

*****

**needlefingers** · August 25th, 2009, 06:18 AM

I've always found it interesting that the songwriter is better known to us as an actor.

Clifton Davis best known role is that of Reverend Gregory on the TV show Amen.

Clifton Davis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Check out his bio at allmusic.com

**needlefingers** · August 25th, 2009, 02:13 PM

This is from allmusic.com about the song and it's founding.....

Sometimes, happenstance plays an importance part in the making of hit records. Producer Hal Davis was in his Los Angeles office at Motown Records when he heard a catchy melody being played on a piano in the next room. Investigating, he found aspiring songwriter Clifton Davis who'd come to the label to shop his song "Never Can Say Goodbye" to its publishing firm, Jobete Music. Expressing interest in recording the song, Clifton was happily taken aback when Hal told him that he'd produced the Jackson 5's R&B/ pop chart-topper "I'll Be There." Producer Davis booked a recording session for that night, assembling such first-call talent as guitarist David T. Walker, Art Wright, drummer Gene Pello, bassist Bob West, and pianist Joe Sample of the Crusaders, some of whom had played on some of the J-5's biggest hits. The beautiful arrangement by Gene Page perfectly fits the quiet, introspective tone of the lyrics. It was also a very "grown up" ballad for the group and to some extent balanced out their " bubblegum soul" image. Amazing as it sounds, there was some dissent in the label's A&R department, with some thinking the record would blow a good thing by alienating the group's massive teen following. Luckily label founder Berry Gordy intervened and "Never Can Say Goodbye" topped the R&B charts for three weeks in spring 1971. Clifton also wrote another number one R&B hit for the Jackson 5, "Lookin' Through the Windows," and starred in the TV sitcoms That's My Mama and Amen.

**Disco Funk** · August 25th, 2009, 06:44 PM

I didn't realize that Clifton also wrote Lookin Through The Windows. It has a haunting melody, and there's a part at 1:47 in the youtube clip below that is reminiscent of Never Can Say Goodbye, but it didn't take off the way "Never" did. That latter song certainly must have made lots of money for Clifton, since there are so many compilation CDs with the Gloria Gaynor disco version. Once her version came out, nobody went back to the ballad version.

I put down some other versions of the track below, mostly jazzy funk guitar remakes.

Disco Funk

**Disco Funk** · August 25th, 2009, 06:45 PM

And if you think you're up to singing karaoke!!

Disco Funk

**needlefingers** · August 25th, 2009, 07:14 PM

Also post-Gloria...

**Cdnbob** · August 26th, 2009, 12:27 PM

You might also be interested in these versions too (sorry can't figure out how to post a YouTube video in a post)...

Sheena Easton (1999)
YouTube - SHEENA EASTON --- NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE ---1999.

The Jacksons (from their variety series)
YouTube - The Jacksons Variety Show 1977 "Never Can Say Goodbye"

Alicia Keyes
YouTube - Never can say goodbye

Yazz (A UK singer - never heard of her myself)
YouTube - Yazz - Never Can Say Goodbye