I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)

"I Can't Go for That"
Song

"I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" is a 1981 song recorded by Daryl Hall and John Oates.

It was the fourth number-one hit single of their career on the Billboard Hot 100 and the second hit single from their album Private Eyes. It features Charles DeChant on saxello.

On January 30, 1982, "I Can't Go for That" ended a 10-week run at the top of the Hot 100 by Olivia Newton-John's song, "Physical" (which had knocked out Hall & Oates' "Private Eyes" from the top spot). The song also went to number one on the Hot Dance Club Play chart for one week in January 1982.

Thanks to heavy airplay on urban contemporary radio stations, "I Can't Go for That" also topped the U.S. R&B chart, a rare feat for a non-African American act. According to the Hall and Oates biography, Hall upon learning that "I Can't Go For That" had gone to number one on the R&B chart, wrote in his diary, "I'm the head soul brother in the U.S. Where to now?"

"I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" is one of the 14 Hall and Oates songs that have been played on the radio over one million times, according to BMI.

The single 45 version is actually not just an edit of the album song, but an edit of the dance mix rather than the version from "Private Eyes".

Composition

Daryl Hall sketched out the basic song one evening at a music studio in New York City in 1981 after a recording session for the Private Eyes album. Hall began to play a bass line on a Korg organ, and sound engineer Neil Kernon recorded the result. Hall then came up with a guitar riff, which he and Oates worked on together. The next day, Hall and Sara Allen worked on the lyrics.

Awards and accolades

"I Can't Go for That" was voted number six on VH1's list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s."

Covers

The song has been covered by a number of recording artists including Brian McKnight, The Nylons, Les Go (with Alfredo Alias), Donny Osmond, East End, Kansascali, Orson, Peniston.

In 2010, The Bird and the Bee covered this song for their tribute album Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates.

Olivia Ong recorded a Bossa Nova based version on her 2010 album, called Olivia.

Samples and interpolations in other songs

The original track has often been sampled in R&B and hip-hop songs. The following is a partial list:

• 1989 - "Say No Go" - De La Soul
• 1993 - "V.S.O.P" - Above the Law
• 1996 - "So Deep" - Dan-e-o
• 1997 - "I'll Do Anything" - Heavy D
• 1998 - "I Can't Go for That" - 2 Live Crew
• 1999 - "Wait 'Til I Get Home" - C-Note
• 2001 - "Traffic" - Stereo MC's
• 2002 - "4 Myself" Mac Dre ft. Devious and Dubee
• 2003 - "Take Me To Your Leader" - King Geedorah
• 2003 - "Sunrise" - Simply Red
• 2004 - "I Can't Go For That/Happy People Remix" - Notorious B.I.G. / R. Kelly ("Happy People" samples Spandau Ballet's "True")
• 2006 - "Give and Go" - Girl Talk
• 2006 - "Can't Go On" - Örten
• 2006 - "Mama (Loves a Crackhead)" - Plan B

Some songs have included a vocal interpolation of the chorus, including:

• 1996 - "My Crew Can't Go for That" - Trigger tha Gambler
• 2000 - "Can't Go for That" - Tamia
• 2006 - "No Can Do" - Tech N9ne

Other songs have included a re-recorded variation of the song's famous descending arpeggio, including:

• 2000 - "After Party" - Koffee Brown

Additionally, the JP/PAL Version of Sonic CD's Boss music beat is sampled from this song.

Chart performance

Chart (1981-1982)	Peak position
Canadian Singles Chart	2
Netherlands Singles Chart	13
New Zealand Singles Chart	5
Swedish Singles Chart	10
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	1
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	12
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs	1
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles	1
UK Singles Chart	8

See also

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)

External links

• Video on VH1 Classic website