"I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" by Daryl Hall & John Oates

#1 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Rated 10 Alert!

Song#:  0822
Date:  11/14/1981
Debut:  59
Peak:  1 (1 week)
Weeks:  21
Genre:  Pop, Blue-Eyed Soul, R&B



Pop Bits:  The duo hit #1 with the lead title-track to their album "Private Eyes" and this second single followed suit to become their fourth #1. It also accomplished a chart rarity by hitting #1 on the R&B chart. Few White acts have had songs reach the upper portion of the R&B chart and fewer still have hit #1. When the "Private Eyes" single hit #1, the song that replace it at the top was Olivia Newton-John's "Physical," which sat in the top spot for 10 weeks. Oddly enough, Hall & Oates returned the kicking-out favor and "I Can't Go for That" knocked "Physical" out of the top spot.

ReduxReview:  For me, this is one of the all-time great blue-eyed soul hits. It is easily my favorite Hall & Oates song. They would have further hits, but I think this was their peak moment. Everything came together for them. What's great about the song is that even though the arrangement uses equipment and sounds that by today's standards are dated, the song remains fresh because of how they utilized them. Play it anytime, anywhere and folks will start groovin'. Brilliance captured in five minutes.

ReduxRating:  10/10

Trivia:  Apparently, years later at the sessions for the multi-artist "We Are the World" song, Michael Jackson confessed to Daryl Hall that he kind of took the bass line for this song and modified it for his hit "Billie Jean."

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