Say No Go

Album: 3 Feet High And Rising (1989)
Charted: 18
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is a put-down of class A drug users, in particular "base" (otherwise known as crack-cocaine). The title is a reference to Nancy Reagan's late-'80s anti-drug campaign "Just Say No."
  • The vocal hook in the chorus is sampled from Daryl Hall and John Oates' "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)." Other samples include "Crossword Puzzle" by Sly & the Family Stone, "Best Of My Love" by The Emotions, "Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms)" by the Detroit Emeralds and "I'm Chief Kamanawanalea (We're the Royal Macadamia Nuts)" by The Turtles.
  • The album Three Feet High And Rising was the first daisy age LP to be a hit. It was also the first hip-hop release to attract copyright problems when The Turtles hit De La Soul with a lawsuit over a string sample of "You Showed Me" on "Transmitting Live from Mars." Three Feet High And Rising was voted the top album of 1989 by The Face magazine and referred to as "The Sgt. Pepper of Hip Hop" by Village Voice, whose critics poll also voted this the top album of 1989 by a substantial margin. In addition it was ranked #7 in Spin's "100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005."
  • Trugoy the Dove of De La Soul recalled to Rolling Stone: "Crack. We grew up around neighborhoods where there was an epidemic. We knew drug dealers and some of us actually stood on the corner ourselves. We didn't know about songs where people were boasting about being drug dealers at that time, so for us, speaking about social issues and things that were going on in our neighborhood worked. Those three words, 'say no go,' kinda caught our ear and we thought we could make that about not doing drugs."
  • The video was one of the first directed by Mark Pellington, who did it freelance while working in the promos department for MTV. Pellington went on to direct the "Jeremy" video for Pearl Jam and "Beautiful Girl" video for INXS.

    De La Soul has a rather colorful motif, but Pellington did "Say No Go" in black and white, reflecting the gritty subject matter.

Comments: 1

  • Dave from Edmonton, CanadaThe album is called "Three Feet High and Rising", just so you know.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Booker T. Jones

Booker T. JonesSongwriter Interviews

The Stax legend on how he cooked up "Green Onions," the first time he and Otis Redding saw hippies, and if he'll ever play a digital organ.

Zakk Wylde

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

Ramones

RamonesFact or Fiction

A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song Spoofs

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song SpoofsSong Writing

When singers started spoofing their own songs on Sesame Street, the results were both educational and hilarious - here are the best of them.

Petula Clark

Petula ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Petula talks about her hits "Downtown" and "Don't Sleep In The Subway," and explains her Michael Jackson connection.