Clifton Davis is enjoying a full-circle moment this holiday season. As one of the stars of the CBS series Beyond the Gates, the actor-singer is revisiting his musical roots thanks to the 1971 hit he penned for The Jackson 5: “Never Can Say Goodbye.” Davis’ performance is featured in a special holiday episode of the weekday soap opera airing Christmas Eve at 2 p.m. ET and 1 p.m. PT.
Ahead of the airing, Billboard is exclusively sharing a clip from the upcoming episode. It showcases Davis — in his role as the show’s family patriarch, Vernon Dupree — singing the song to his wife, Anita, portrayed by actress Tamara Tunie. His stirring performance will no doubt have viewers and music fans singing along to The Jackson 5 classic.
“It’s quite amazing to think I wrote this song way, way back, and now it’s been written into the show’s story plot,” Davis tells Billboard. “It’s exciting to be singing and sharing this song with another generation. It’s a song that just keeps on giving. I’m humbled as well because it didn’t have to turn out this way. God is good.”
Released 54 years ago as the lead single for the group’s fifth studio album, Maybe Tomorrow, “Never Can Say Goodbye” — produced by Hal Davis — claimed No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks, and No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs tally. It also earned Davis a Grammy nomination for best R&B song. Among other artists who have covered the track are Isaac Hayes and Gloria Gaynor. Davis also wrote the hit title track for The Jackson 5’s 1972 sixth studio album, Lookin’ Through the Windows.
“Never Can Say Goodbye” could also double as the career tagline for the indefatigable Davis. In addition to Broadway credits such as Wicked and his Tony Award-nominated role in Two Gentlemen of Verona, his resumé includes television (Amen, Madame Secretary) and film roles (Any Given Sunday).
In his latest role, Davis costars with Tunie as the heads of the Dupree family. Living in a gated community in “one of the most affluent African American counties” located just outside of Washington, D.C., according to the network boilerplate, the Duprees are a “powerful and prestigious multi-generational family; the very definition of Black royalty. But behind these pristine walls and lush, manicured gardens are juicy secrets and scandals waiting to be uncovered.” Launched in February on CBS and also streamed via Paramount+, Beyond the Gates is executive produced by creator Michele Val Jean.
BEYOND THE GATES cast (from l-r) Daphnée Duplaix, Clifton Davis, Tamara Tunie, and Karla Mosley.
Quantrell Colbert/CBS
During a phone interview with Billboard, Davis — who’s also a minister — recounts his early career hustle simultaneously juggling songwriting and acting gigs, the inspiration behind “Never Can Say Goodbye” and working with the “brilliant” Michael Jackson.
What inspired the song: “It was a combination of two things: I was 23, 24 when I wrote the song. I was wrestling with my past, back when I was moving back and forth between my mother’s home and my father’s home. Whenever I left either of them, I cried because I was leaving one to go to the other. That always put a strain on my heart. Then later, I was in a relationship that was difficult to maintain. I wanted to say goodbye to her, but was unable to because of the love in my heart.”
How “Never” reached The Jackson 5: “I started writing music professionally while I was in the chorus of Broadway’s Hello, Dolly! in 1967 while learning my craft as an actor-singer. By 1970, I had a few songs that I’d written, including one for the Supremes called “Here Comes the Sunrise.” I got the chance to play the song for them and their producer Frank Wilson in Las Vegas. He liked it enough to record it.
“That was my first song with Motown. While signing my contract as a staff songwriter there a month or two later, Wilson introduced me to Jackson 5 producer Hal Davis. I was excited because I had a song for them in my bag that I said I’d love to play for him. “Never” was always meant for the Jacksons. In fact, I wrote it in a tempo like their earlier hit “ABC.” But when Hal heard the song, he said, “No, no. Slow it down a bit.” And I did. I wrote songs on staff at Motown for five years between working in television and on Broadway.”
Working with MJ: “When the group first recorded the song, I wasn’t there. But [Motown founder] Berry Gordy decided it needed a rewrite in one segment. I happened to be in Los Angeles for something else, so I got to go into the studio with The Jackson 5 and teach Michael the song, as I had rewritten it. He got it instantly. He was, like, 11 or 12, but just so brilliant. I had no idea that “Never” would take off like it did. But I did know it was a good thing to have The Jackson 5 singing one of your songs.”
Learning from Motown songwriting icons Ashford & Simpson: “Both Nick and Valerie became friends of mine over the years. Both inspired me. They were so prolific and had such insight as they wrote great music that was timeless. And some of it rubbed off on me.”
Still flexing his songwriter’s pen: “I released an album in 1990 called Say Amen. But I’ve been writing all along … songs about faith, prayer and angels. I’ve got music that nobody’s heard. But we’re going to get it out very soon.”
