"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; however, Motown decided it would be better for the Jackson 5. It was the first single released from the group's 1971 album Maybe Tomorrow, and was one of the group's most successful records. It has been covered numerous times, most notably in 1974 by Gloria Gaynor and in 1987 by British pop group The Communards. The Jackson 5 original version 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 number-two hit for three consecutive weeks on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, stuck behind Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World" (May 8–22, 1971), and a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the United States. In the United Kingdom, it reached number 33 on the UK Singles Chart. Notable televised performances of the song by the Jackson 5 (and their newer incarnation, The Jacksons) include: The Flip Wilson Show, November 4, 1971 – this recording appears on the 2009 Jackson 5 CD I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters One More Time (Jackson 5 TV special), January 10, 1974 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, April 4, 1974 Cher, March 16, 1975 The Jacksons, July 7, 1976 Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, May 16, 1983 In addition, the song appeared on the animated TV show The Jackson 5ive in the episode "A Rare Pearl", which aired on January 15, 1972. This version appears in the 1994 movie Crooklyn and on the second volume of its soundtrack album. Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts Isaac Hayes version Isaac Hayes first recorded the song for his 1971 album Black Moses. Released as a single, this version reached number five on the Billboard R&B chart, number 19 on the Easy Listening chart, and number 22 on the Hot 100. Hayes re-recorded the tune for the soundtrack of the 2008 film Soul Men, in which he appears alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac. The film's producers dedicated the 2008 version to Mac and Hayes, who both died before the project was released. Gloria Gaynor version A major version by Gloria Gaynor, re-imagined as a disco record in 1974, was