Song: I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)
Artist: CeeLo Green (with Daryl Hall)
Original artists: Hall and Oates
If you are a fan of watching music videos, I think there is a reasonable chance that you
will be familiar with a series of mini concerts for the internet called Live from Daryl’s
House (LFDH), often shortened to just Daryl’s House. These are, in the main,
reworkings of songs (either Hall’s or the guest’s) recorded originally at Hall’s house in
Millerton, New York State. Later, the recordings moved to his club and restaurant in
Pawling, NY.
There were 85 shows in total, which had Hall teaming up with others (both established
and up-and-coming) from right across the spectrum of popular music. The results are:
quite spectacular.
Part of the original reason for doing the shows was Hall’s rebellion against being on
tour. He tired of travelling from city to city and had the idea of inviting his fans to come to
him instead. It worked!
In addition to CeeLo Green, other names who have appeared on the show include:Nick
Lowe; the Bacon Brothers (actor Kevin and his brother Michael); Smokey Robinson;
Booker T Jones (of Booker T and the MGs); Billy Ocean; Joe Walsh (Eagles); the
O’Jays and Kenny Loggins.
As you might imagine, with 85 shows and, say, five songs per show, there is no
shortage of choice. But I’ve picked the combination of CeeLo Green and Hall, where
Green just improvises at the end of the song, I Can’t Go for That.
Hall and Oates recorded the original in 1981 and it scored chart success becoming their
fourth No 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Many listeners interpret the lyrics as being about a
relationship, but, in reality, it was a swipe by the pair against the music business and
voiced their unwillingness to be pushed around by record labels, managers and agents.
If you are unfamiliar with CeeLo’s work you will probably be familiar with his hits Crazy
and Forget You (actually F*ck You). Green and Hall do an excellent uncensored version
of the latter. But please only go looking for it on the internet if you are not put off by the
liberal use of swear words.
