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"I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" was written by Daryl Hall, John Oates and Sara Allen; and released as the second single from the group's tenth studio album, Private Eyes (1981). The song became the fourth number one hit single of their career on the Billboard Hot 100. It features Charles DeChant on saxophone.
The single debuted at number 59 on the Hot 100 the week of November 14, 1981 as the highest debut of the week and after eleven weeks, on January 30, 1982, it reached the top of the chart, staying there for a week. "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 US R&B chart, a rare feat for a white act. It was the only record to hit number one on both the Hot 100 and then-Hot Soul charts during all of 1982. The single was certified Gold by the RIAA for shipments of one million units on January 7, 1982. According to the Hall & 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?"
It also peaked at number one on the Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay chart on December 18, 1981, staying at the top of the chart for six weeks and remaining on it for fifteen weeks, making it their biggest hit on the R&R airplay chart. This single was also the first top 10 hit for the duo in the UK, peaking at number eight in the UK Singles Chart. It was certified Silver by the BPI on March 1, 1982 for shipments of 250,000 units.
The song has been sampled numerous times including in "Say No Go" by De La Soul, "Sunrise" by Simply Red, "The Final Hour" and "Take Me to Your Leader" by MF Doom (under the King Geedorah moniker), and "On Hold" by The xx. Anderson .Paak has stated that Dr Dre's "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" was originally also going to sample the song.
According to Daryl Hall, during the recording of "We Are the World", Michael Jackson approached him and admitted to lifting the bass line for "Billie Jean" from a Hall & Oates song, apparently referring to "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)." Hall says that he told Jackson that he had lifted the bass line from another song himself, and that it was "something we all do."
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