Born Ocie Lee Smith in Mansfield, Louisiana, Smith moved with his parents to Little Rock, Arkansas, before their divorce saw Smith and his mother move to Los Angeles.
After completing a psychology degree at Southern University, Smith joined the Air Force, and served throughout the US, Europe and Asia. While in the Air Force, Smith began entering talent contests and toured with Horace Heidt. On his discharge in July, 1955, Smith went into jazz music to pay the bills.
Smith gained his first break as a singer with Sy Oliver and made an appearance on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. His success on that show led to a recording contract with Cadence Records.
Smith's debut release was a cover of the Little Richard hit "Tutti Frutti" in December, 1955. The song was not a hit, but convinced MGM Records to sign Smith to a solo contract, resulting in three more releases, but still no hits.
In 1961, Smith was recruited by Count Basie to be his vocalist, a position he held until 1965. He also continued to record with different labels, but a hit remained elusive. (His highest chart position was number 127, for his 1967 release, "That's Life"). By 1968, Smith's then label, Columbia Records, was ready to release him from his contract, when he entered the charts for the first time with "Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp".
"Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp" is a sentimental recollection of a Mom who turns to prostitution to support her family after they are abandoned by the alcoholic father. It was originally recorded by country artist Johnny Darrell, but Smith's cover had much greater success.
Smith changed the first part of his name to O.C. and recorded a cover of the Bobby Russell song "Little Green Apples", which shot to number 2 on the pop charts and won Smith a 1969 Grammy Award for "Best Song".
While Smith was unable to scale these heights again, he continued to record, reaching number 34 with "Daddy's Little Man", before retiring from music to study divinity. In 1985, Smith became Dr. O.C. Smith, pastor of the City of Angels Science of Mind Centre in Los Angeles, and he continued to preach until his death in 2001.
Never Say Never
O.C. Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never can say goodbye
Even though the pain and heartache
Seem to follow me wherever I go
Though I try and try to hide my feelings
They always seem to show,
And I always have to say no
Tell me why is it so
That I never can say goodbye, no, no, no, no, now
Never can say goodbye
Every time I think I've had enough
And start heading for the door
There's a very strange vibration
Piercing me right through the core
It says, turn around, you fool
You know you love him more and more
Tell me why is it so
Don't wanna let you go
I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh ooh baby (don't wanna let you go girl)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no
Ooh, oh I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh ooh ooh (don't wanna let you go girl)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no, ooh
Never can say goodbye, no, no, no, no, now
Never can say goodbye
I keep thinking that our problems
Soon are all gonna work out
But there's that same unhappy feeling
There's that anguish, there's that doubt
It's the same old dizzy hangup
Can't do with you or without
Tell me why is it so
Don't wanna let you go
I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh ooh baby (hey baby)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no
Ooh, oh I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh oh (hey baby)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no, ooh
I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh ooh baby (hey baby)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no
Ooh, oh I never can say goodbye girl
Ooh oh (hey baby)
The lyrics to O.C. Smith's song "Never Say Never" explore the struggle of letting go of a relationship despite the pain and heartache it brings. The singer expresses their inability to say goodbye, despite their attempts to hide their feelings. Whenever they think they've had enough and try to leave, there is a strange vibration that reminds them of their love for their partner, forcing them to turn around and stay. This cycle of wanting to leave but being unable to is described as a "dizzy hangup" that keeps them attached to the relationship. The singer acknowledges that their problems may eventually work out, but the doubts and unhappiness persist.
The song portrays a complicated and conflicting emotional state. The singer doesn't want to let go of their partner, despite the difficulties and pain they experience. They are caught in a loop of wanting to leave to escape their troubles, but ultimately staying because of their love. The lyrics highlight the struggle of holding onto something even when it may not be the healthiest or happiest choice.
Line by Line Meaning
I never can say goodbye, no, no, no, no, now
I am unable to bring myself to say farewell, no matter how hard I try, at this very moment
Never can say goodbye
It is impossible for me to bid farewell
Even though the pain and heartache
Despite the ongoing pain and sorrow
Seem to follow me wherever I go
Persistently accompanying me wherever I happen to be
Though I try and try to hide my feelings
Although I make constant efforts to conceal my emotions
They always seem to show
They always manage to become evident
Then you try to say you're leaving me
Then you attempt to inform me of your departure
And I always have to say no
And I constantly find myself refuting it
Tell me why is it so
Please explain to me the reason behind this
That I never can say goodbye, no, no, no, no, now
That I am perpetually unable to utter farewell, no matter how hard I try, at this very moment
Never can say goodbye
It is impossible for me to bid farewell
Every time I think I've had enough
Whenever I believe I have reached my limit
And start heading for the door
And begin to move towards the exit
There's a very strange vibration
There is an incredibly unusual sensation
Piercing me right through the core
Penetrating deeply into my being
It says, turn around, you fool
It communicates, fool, turn back
You know you love him more and more
You are aware that your love for him grows stronger and stronger
Tell me why is it so
Please explain to me the reason behind this
Don't wanna let you go
I do not wish to release you from my grasp
I never can say goodbye girl
I am perpetually unable to bid farewell to you, my dear
Ooh ooh baby (don't wanna let you go girl)
Oh, my love (I do not wish to let you slip away, my dear)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no
It is impossible for me to utter farewell, no matter how hard I try, no matter how much I decline
Ooh, oh I never can say goodbye girl
Oh, my dear, I can never bid you farewell
Ooh ooh ooh (don't wanna let you go girl)
Oh, my love (I do not wish to let you slip away, my dear)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no, ooh
It is impossible for me to utter farewell, no matter how hard I try, no matter how much I decline, oh
I keep thinking that our problems
I persistently believe that our troubles
Soon are all gonna work out
Will eventually resolve themselves
But there's that same unhappy feeling
However, that same feeling of discontentment remains
There's that anguish, there's that doubt
There is that agony, there is that uncertainty
It's the same old dizzy hangup
It is the repetitive and perplexing obsession
Can't do with you or without
Unable to live with you, unable to live without you
Tell me why is it so
Please explain to me the reason behind this
Don't wanna let you go
I do not wish to release you from my grasp
I never can say goodbye girl
I am perpetually unable to bid farewell to you, my dear
Ooh ooh baby (hey baby)
Oh, my love (hey, my love)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no
It is impossible for me to utter farewell, no matter how hard I try, no matter how much I decline
Ooh, oh I never can say goodbye girl
Oh, my dear, I can never bid you farewell
Ooh oh (hey baby)
Oh, my love (hey, my love)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no, ooh
It is impossible for me to utter farewell, no matter how hard I try, no matter how much I decline, oh
I never can say goodbye girl
I am perpetually unable to bid farewell to you, my dear
Ooh ooh baby (hey baby)
Oh, my love (hey, my love)
I never can say goodbye, no no no, no no no
It is impossible for me to utter farewell, no matter how hard I try, no matter how much I decline
Ooh, oh I never can say goodbye girl
Oh, my dear, I can never bid you farewell
Ooh oh (hey baby)
Oh, my love (hey, my love)
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Clifton Davis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind