What Part of No
Encyclopedia
"What Part of No" is a song recorded by American country music
artist Lorrie Morgan
. Released as the second single from her 1992 album Watch Me
, the single reached Number One on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts dated for the week of February 27, 1993, holding the Number One position for three weeks. To date, it is Morgan's biggest hit.
She performed the song on the live telecast of the 11th annual Music City News Country Songwriters Awards. A cover version has also been recorded by pop
singer Deborah Gibson
.
cites "What Part of No" in an article on the politics of country music, giving it as an example of his argument, "Most significantly, the commercial appeal of the current generation of country women seems directly linked to a feminist oriented lyric." He argues that this song, together with Morgan's other hits "Watch Me" and "Five Minutes", sends a message that the singer "takes clear control of her relationships" and then discusses similar trends in songs by other artists. The song is also mentioned in the introduction to a legal article, "What Part of ‘No’ Don’t You Understand?", as "forcefully relat[ing] the anguish of a victim of sexual harassment."
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Lorrie Morgan
Lorrie Morgan
In 1996 Morgan married Jon Randall, a singer/songwriter now credited with writing the 2004 Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss hit "Whiskey Lullaby"; they divorced three years later in 1999....
. Released as the second single from her 1992 album Watch Me
Watch Me
Watch Me is an album by American country music singer Lorrie Morgan. It was released on 9 October 1992. It peaked at #15 on the Billboard country albums chart, and includes the singles "Watch Me" "What Part of No" , "I Guess You Had to Be There" , and "Half Enough"...
, the single reached Number One on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts dated for the week of February 27, 1993, holding the Number One position for three weeks. To date, it is Morgan's biggest hit.
She performed the song on the live telecast of the 11th annual Music City News Country Songwriters Awards. A cover version has also been recorded by pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer Deborah Gibson
Deborah Gibson
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Gibson is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. In 1987 she was pronounced the youngest artist to write, produce, and perform a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, with her song "Foolish Beat" and she remains the youngest female to write, record, and...
.
Story
A woman in a social setting is approached repeatedly by a persistent man who sends her a rose, then buys her a drink and asks her to dance. The woman, uninterested in the man despite his advances, finally asks "What part of 'no' don't you understand?"Analyses
The writer Sandy CarterSandy Carter
Sandy Carter is a recognized leader in Social business, a best selling author, and one of the most influential women in Web 2.0 technology. As IBM Vice President, Social Business Sales and Evangelism she is responsible for setting the direction for IBM’s Social Business initiative, a $200B market...
cites "What Part of No" in an article on the politics of country music, giving it as an example of his argument, "Most significantly, the commercial appeal of the current generation of country women seems directly linked to a feminist oriented lyric." He argues that this song, together with Morgan's other hits "Watch Me" and "Five Minutes", sends a message that the singer "takes clear control of her relationships" and then discusses similar trends in songs by other artists. The song is also mentioned in the introduction to a legal article, "What Part of ‘No’ Don’t You Understand?", as "forcefully relat[ing] the anguish of a victim of sexual harassment."
Chart positions
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
External links
- What Part of No at The Phrase Finder