# What was it that Hall and Oates couldn't go for? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 12, 2001, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877 "2001-08-12T03:55:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/1 "2001-08-12T03:55:55Z")
Or maybe just Hall, since he sings it and the song is called “ **I** Can’t Go For That”. Anyway, couldn’t go for what? My theory: Hall was devoted to his SO, and fulfilled her every physical and emotional need. But the pressure of fame took its toll, and one day they were at a movie. SO asked him, during the previews, to get her some popcorn, and he replied, “I can’t go for that! I’ll get mobbed at concessions! 'Sides, I’m beat: you think it’s easy for a white guy to dance?” ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/2 "2001-08-12T04:46:01Z")
No can do. ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/3 "2001-08-12T04:51:39Z")
whoa. Here she comes…watch out boys, she’ll chew you up! ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/4 "2001-08-12T05:59:52Z")
Is it just possible that ‘I Can’t Go For That’ was written by the same lyricist who penned ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’? The protaganist in this song is a policeman who has just had lunch with his girlfriend. She has just dumped him. They stand on the street corner and he says: ‘Don’t leave me this way. Go down there, take the second left, first on your right and keep going.’ In the final version of the song, some of the words were changed to make it sound better. ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/5 "2001-08-12T06:25:09Z")
> [@](#): > > SO asked him, during the previews, to get her some popcorn, and he replied, “I can’t go for that!” Yea, she’s gone too far, and it really doesn’t matter anyway. ---
**Author:** ![23skidoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f04885/32.png) [@23skidoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/23skidoo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/6 "2001-08-12T07:14:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > **Or maybe just Hall, since he sings it and the song is called “I Can’t Go For That”. Anyway, couldn’t go for what?** Perhaps it’s the same thing that Meatloaf won’t do for love… [sub]I would do anything for love, but I won’t do _that_.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/7 "2001-08-12T08:21:48Z")
Say it isn’t so. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/8 "2001-08-12T14:17:14Z")
Come on guys, get with it! Hello??? _I can’t go for being twice as nice I can’t go for just repeating the same old lines_ Sheesh do I have to do everything around here? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/9 "2001-08-12T14:32:33Z")
I’m not sure, but I think it may be the same thing that Meatloaf wouldn’t do for love. ---
**Author:** ![MysterEcks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MysterEcks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysterEcks)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/10 "2001-08-12T19:05:05Z")
You guys are so close…but so far away. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/11 "2001-08-12T19:21:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mrblue92 \* > \*\*Yea, she’s gone too far, and it really doesn’t matter anyway. \*\* At least she can rely on her old man’s money. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/12 "2001-08-12T19:38:26Z")
Sounds like we need to hire some **Private Eyes** to solve this case. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/13 "2001-08-12T19:59:58Z")
You’re out of touch. ---
**Author:** ![absoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@absoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/absoul)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/14 "2001-08-12T20:14:08Z")
I believe she wants his soul, don’t they all? 😃 Easy ready willing overtime When does it stop, where do you dare me to draw the line You got the body now you want my soul Don’t even think about it say No Go Now I’ll do anything you want me to I’ll do almost anything that you want me to But I Can’t Go For That No Can Do :/plays a sax solo: ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/15 "2001-08-12T20:14:53Z")
Maybe Meatloaf should practice a method of modern love. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-it-that-hall-and-oates-couldnt-go-for/75877/16 "2001-08-12T20:24:01Z")
If I recall correctly, what they couldn’t go for is “that”. Hey speaking of which, anyone remember what the Greatest Love of All is, according to Whitney Houston? Yes, it’s learning to love \*\*yourself. That is the greatest love of all. And yet, I so love 80s music.