''Never Can Say Goodbye'' is the debut album by
Gloria Gaynor, released on
MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...
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
"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 ...
" was released in the UK as a single and reached number 2 in early 1975.
History
The album features three hit singles – "Honey Bee", "Never Can Say Goodbye", and "
Reach Out, I'll Be There
"Reach Out I'll Be There" (also formatted as "Reach Out (I'll Be There)") is a song recorded by the Four Tops from their fourth studio album '' Reach Out'' (1967). Written and produced by Motown's main production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland, ...
" – 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
Thomas Jerome Moulton (, ; born November 29, 1940) is an American record producer. He experimented with remix in disco music and this led to its wide adoption as a standard practice in the industry. He also invented the breakdown section, and the ...
(not credited on the record itself). This album version of "Never Can Say Goodbye" features double drum beats during the verse links, which is not heard in the single version. Gloria Gaynor also was involved in the songwriting of a number of the tracks, including "Real Good People".
The album was remastered and reissued with bonus tracks in 2010 by
Big Break Records.
BBR Records - CD re-issue of ''Never Can Say Goodbye'' from 2010
/ref>
Track listing
Personnel
*Gloria Gaynor – vocals
*Lance Quinn, Jerry Freidman, Jeff Mironov – electric guitars
* Bob Babbitt – bass
*Pat Rebillot
Patrick Earl "Pat" Rebillot (born April 21, 1935) is an American jazz pianist and composer.
Early life and education
Born in Louisville, Ohio, Rebilliot studied music at Mt. Union College and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music with Jeno Tak ...
– electric piano
*Carlos Martin – congas
*Allan Schwartzberg
Allan Schwartzberg (born December 28, 1942) is an American musician and record producer. He has been a member of the rock band Mountain, Peter Gabriel's first solo band, toured with Brecker Brothers' Dreams, B.J. Thomas, Linda Rondstadt, Stan Get ...
– drums
Production
*Meco Monardo
Domenico Monardo (born November 29, 1939), known as Meco, is an American record producer and musician, as well as the name of his band or production team. Meco is best known for his 1977 space disco version of the ''Star Wars'' theme from his ...
– arrangers
* Norman Harris – arrangers
* Harold Wheeler – arrangers
*Lou Del Gatto – arrangers
*Tony Bongiovi
Anthony C. Bongiovi (born September 7, 1947) is an American record producer and recording engineer. He is the cousin of musician Jon Bon Jovi.
Career
Bongiovi has produced records by Gloria Gaynor, Talking Heads, Aerosmith ('' Classics Live''), ...
– producer
* Meco Monardo – producer
*Jay Ellis – producer
*Paul Leka
Paul Leka (February 20, 1943 – October 12, 2011) was an American songwriter, record producer, pianist, arranger, and orchestrator, most notable for co-writing the 1960s hits " Green Tambourine" and "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye", the latter of ...
– producer
*Tony Bongiovi – recording engineer
*Bernie Block – cover photography
*David Krieger – cover design
*Bill Leby – art direction
*Tom Moulton
Thomas Jerome Moulton (, ; born November 29, 1940) is an American record producer. He experimented with remix in disco music and this led to its wide adoption as a standard practice in the industry. He also invented the breakdown section, and the ...
– mixing
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1975 debut albums
Gloria Gaynor albums
Albums produced by Tony Bongiovi
MGM Records albums