Song of the Day 11/22: Daryl Hall and John Oates, “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)”

Here’s the proof that we’re living in the most contentious times since the Civil War:
Daryl Hall is suing John Oates.

The lawsuit, filed in Nashville, is sealed, so we don’t know what it’s about. But that link to Philadelphia magazine includes an embedded video of an interview Hall did with Bill Maher last year, and it seems the duo isn’t especially close. In it, Hall expresses some frustration with always having “and Oates” attached to everything he does and details some of the Hall and Oates songs that are in reality Oates-free. “He’s my business partner,” Hall said. “He’s not my creative partner.”

“I Can’t Go For That” was the fourth of their six No. 1 singles, the second from 1981’s “Private Eyes.” It was also a huge hit with black audiences – it was the only record to top both the Hot 100 and the R&B chart in 1982.

The song is a good example of Hall’s point. He was fooling around with the drum machine one night, came up with the bass line on on organ. The next day he, his partner Sarah Allen and Oates worked on the lyrics. Oates came up with on the guitar line and sings backing vocals. He said the song “is about the music business. That song is really about not being pushed around by big labels, managers, and agents and being told what to do, and being true to yourself creatively.”