I Can’t Go For That
DARYL HALL&JOHN OATES Lyrics


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Easy, ready, willing, overtime,
Where does it stop, where do you dare me to draw the line.
You've got the body, now you want my soul,
Don't even think about it, say no go.

I, I 'll do anything that you want me to do,
And I'll do almost anything, that you want me too, ooh,
But I can't go for that, (No can do)
No, I can't go for that, (No can do)
Oh, I can't go for that, (No can do)
I can't go for that, can't go for that, can't go for that.

I can't go for being twice as nice,
I can't go for just repeating the same old lines.
Use the body, now you want my soul,
Ooh, forget about it, now say no go.

I, I 'll do anything that you want me to do,
And I'll do almost anything, that you want me too, ooh,
But I can't go for that, (No can do)
No, I can't go for that, (No can do)
Oh, I can't go for that, (No can do)
I can't go for that, can't go for that, can't go for that.

I, I 'll do anything that you want me to do,
And I'll do almost anything, that you want me too, ooh,
But I can't go for that, (No can do)
No, I can't go for that, (No can do)
Oh, I can't go for that, (No can do)
I can't go for that, can't go for that, can't go for that.

I can't go for that, can't go for that (No can do)
I can't go, I can't go, for that, (No can do)
Oh, I can't go for that, (No can do)
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no can do,




Oh, I can't go for that, yeah, (No can do)
No, no, no, no, no, no

Overall Meaning

The song "I Can't Go For That" by Hall and Oates expresses a strong message about setting boundaries in relationships. The lyrics describe a situation where one person is asking for too much from their partner, beyond what they are willing to give. The verses start with the description of an easy and willing partner, but the chorus emphasizes that there are limits to what they can tolerate. The repeated phrase "no can do" conveys the idea that there are some requests that are simply not acceptable.


The chorus emphasizes the singer's determination not to compromise their values. The line "I'll do almost anything that you want me to do" shows that they are willing to be flexible to a certain extent, but there are some things that they will not tolerate, like being asked to "use the body" or "repeat the same old lines." This reinforces the idea that there are lines that should not be crossed in a relationship.


Overall, "I Can't Go For That" is a song about respect, boundaries, and self-respect. It is a reminder that it is important to stand up for oneself and not let others take advantage.


Line by Line Meaning

Easy, ready, willing, overtime,
You're being very seductive and making it easy for me, but I want to make sure we establish some boundaries before this goes too far.


Where does it stop, where do you dare me to draw the line.
I appreciate the flattery, but I need to know where you're going with this and how far you want me to go.


You've got the body, now you want my soul,
You might be physically attracted to me, but I need to make it clear that I won't compromise my values or principles for physical pleasure.


Don't even think about it, say no go.
I'm not interested in pursuing anything further if it means I have to compromise my integrity or values.


I, I 'll do anything that you want me to do,
I'm willing to be open-minded and accommodating to a certain extent, but I have my limits and boundaries.


And I'll do almost anything, that you want me too, ooh,
I'm willing to experiment and try different things, but there are certain things that are non-negotiable for me.


But I can't go for that, (No can do)
I won't compromise my values or principles for the sake of physical pleasure or flattery.


No, I can't go for that, (No can do)
I won't be swayed by superficial charms or physical attraction if it means compromising my values or principles.


Oh, I can't go for that, (No can do)
I won't engage in any behavior that goes against my values or principles, no matter how appealing it may seem in the moment.


I can't go for that, can't go for that, can't go for that.
I won't budge on this matter, no matter how much you try to persuade me.




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MELISSA A. ELLIOTT, DARYL HALL, SARA ALLEN, JOHN WILLIAM OATES, BRYCYN JAMARI MALYKKE EVANS, ROOSEVELT III HARRELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@joanietaylor-mitchell8559

When this came out I was dieing from stage 4 Breast Cancer..Now I'm celebrating 70th Birthday Season 2021. God Said Ni Can Do..Thanking Almighty God fir not just Salvation life Everlasting

@MrTsiolkovsky

You couldn't go for that.

@jamarfletcher4349

Love u baby

@tommyspring1904

Glad your here now! I survived cervical cancer stage 2 .. keep loving life sista!!

@antayat123

Beautiful!

@TheDarkDutchman

Wow! Glad you're still here!

220 More Replies...

@soul1380

That tinkling electronic keyboard really makes the song dreamy.

@Cosmopolitanovida

Cocaine?

@chuckythedoll4815

This song is still good. Because it is so well sung and the rhythm. Daryl was one of the best r&b singers out there.

@Chase_Jones

80's fans, there's an awesome original 80's inspired band today called Fire Tiger

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