The Most Positive Word Is No - Sunny Side Eye | Funny Song About Saying No & Bou

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Sunny Side Eye

DaveBaileyMe

soul-pop, funk-pop, pop-rock

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[Intro — spoken over handclaps and bass]
I used to think positivity sounded like:

“Sure!”
“Absolutely!”
“Whatever you need!”

Turns out—

sometimes positivity sounds like:

No.

[Backing vocals]
Oooooh!

[Lead]
Yeah. I know. Scandalous.

[Verse 1]

I used to say yes
before you finished the question

Like customer service
was my spiritual profession

Can you stay late?
Sure, I can

Can you do extra?
That’s the plan

Can you help Sunday?
Absolutely

Can you rearrange your whole life
for me conveniently?

[Backing vocals]
She said yes!
She said yes!

[Lead, spoken]
She needed supervision.

[Pre-Chorus]

I thought no was rude
I thought no was cold

I thought good people bend
until they fold

I thought disappointment
was something to prevent

So I kept saying yes

and paying the emotional rent

[Chorus]

The most positive word is no

No, I can’t
No, I won’t
No, not this time
No, I don’t

No doesn’t mean
I stopped loving you

It just means
I finally love me too

The most positive word is no

Clear little word
with nowhere to hide

Funny how one syllable

can give you back your life

[Backing vocals]
NO!

[Lead]
That felt good.

[Verse 2]

I used to soften every boundary
till it barely had a pulse

“Well, maybe…”
“If you really need…”
“I suppose…”

Girl.

That is not a boundary.

That is a suggestion
wearing a cardigan.

You say:

“Can you do one more thing?”

Old me says:

“Of course!”

New me says:

“What’s the budget?”

[Backing vocals]
OHHHHH!

[Lead]
Look at growth.

[Pre-Chorus 2]

I thought being kind
meant never being firm

Thought love meant shrinking
so nobody had to squirm

But if your peace depends
on me abandoning mine

That isn’t peace

That’s just excellent branding.

[Chorus]

The most positive word is no

No, I can’t
No, I won’t
No, not this time
No, I don’t

No doesn’t mean
I stopped loving you

It just means
I finally love me too

The most positive word is no

Clear little word
with nowhere to hide

Funny how one syllable

can give you back your life

[Post-Chorus — girl-group chant]

No to the guilt trip
No to the late night
No to the free work
dressed up as “be nice”

No to the favor
that somehow grew legs

No to the sentence:

“It’ll only take a sec.”

[Lead]
It never takes a sec.

[Verse 3 — rhythmic talk-sing / rap]

I got a new vocabulary
short but effective

No thanks
Not today
That’s outside the objective

Can’t make it
Won’t do it
That’s not what we agreed

Funny how a boundary
sounds harsh

when someone profits from your need

to be liked

to be good

to be easy to call

to be everything to everyone

and somehow nothing at all

I spent years thinking
“No” would make me smaller

Turns out every honest “No”

made my yeses worth more.

[Backing vocals soften]
Mmm.

[Bridge — soulful, piano/organ]

Because yes means more
when no is allowed

Love means more
when it isn’t fear dressed proud

Kindness means more
when it comes from a choice

And peace feels different

when you can hear your own voice

I don’t need walls
around every door

I just need to know

I can close one

when I don’t want more.

[Build — spoken into rising choir]

So if you’re waiting
for permission—

here.

You can disappoint someone.

They will survive.

You can change your mind.

You can leave the plate unfinished.

You can charge for the extra work.

You can say:

“That doesn’t work for me.”

And the sun will still come up.

[Backing vocals]
Probably!

[Lead]
Let’s not overpromise.

[Final Chorus — huge gospel-pop lift]

The most positive word is no

No to resentment
No to the show

No to pretending
I don’t already know

No isn’t bitter
No isn’t cruel

No is what happens
when I stop breaking my own rules

The most positive word is no

And now my yes can finally mean yes

I’m still kind
I’m still warm

I’m just done confusing love

with stress

The most positive word is no

Say it soft
Say it slow

You don’t need a courtroom

You can simply say:

No.

[Outro — stripped, playful]

[Backing vocals]
No?

[Lead]
No.

[Backing vocals]
What if we really need—

[Lead]
Still no.

[Backing vocals]
What if it only takes—

[Lead]
Absolutely not.

[Backing vocals]
She’s growing!

[Lead]
I know.

It’s exhausting everyone.

[Final chord]

4190/7500

[Intro — spoken over handclaps and bass] I used to think positivity sounded like: “Sure!” “Absolutely!” “Whatever you need!” Turns out— sometimes positivity sounds like: No. [Backing vocals] Oooooh! [Lead] Yeah. I know. Scandalous. [Verse 1] I used to say yes before you finished the question Like customer service was my spiritual profession Can you stay late? Sure, I can Can you do extra? That’s the plan Can you help Sunday? Absolutely Can you rearrange your whole life for me conveniently? [Backing vocals] She said yes! She said yes! [Lead, spoken] She needed supervision. [Pre-Chorus] I thought no was rude I thought no was cold I thought good people bend until they fold I thought disappointment was something to prevent So I kept saying yes and paying the emotional rent [Chorus] The most positive word is no No, I can’t No, I won’t No, not this time No, I don’t No doesn’t mean I stopped loving you It just means I finally love me too The most positive word is no Clear little word with nowhere to hide Funny how one syllable can give you back your life [Backing vocals] NO! [Lead] That felt good. [Verse 2] I used to soften every boundary till it barely had a pulse “Well, maybe…” “If you really need…” “I suppose…” Girl. That is not a boundary. That is a suggestion wearing a cardigan. You say: “Can you do one more thing?” Old me says: “Of course!” New me says: “What’s the budget?” [Backing vocals] OHHHHH! [Lead] Look at growth. [Pre-Chorus 2] I thought being kind meant never being firm Thought love meant shrinking so nobody had to squirm But if your peace depends on me abandoning mine That isn’t peace That’s just excellent branding. [Chorus] The most positive word is no No, I can’t No, I won’t No, not this time No, I don’t No doesn’t mean I stopped loving you It just means I finally love me too The most positive word is no Clear little word with nowhere to hide Funny how one syllable can give you back your life [Post-Chorus — girl-group chant] No to the guilt trip No to the late night No to the free work dressed up as “be nice” No to the favor that somehow grew legs No to the sentence: “It’ll only take a sec.” [Lead] It never takes a sec. [Verse 3 — rhythmic talk-sing / rap] I got a new vocabulary short but effective No thanks Not today That’s outside the objective Can’t make it Won’t do it That’s not what we agreed Funny how a boundary sounds harsh when someone profits from your need to be liked to be good to be easy to call to be everything to everyone and somehow nothing at all I spent years thinking “No” would make me smaller Turns out every honest “No” made my yeses worth more. [Backing vocals soften] Mmm. [Bridge — soulful, piano/organ] Because yes means more when no is allowed Love means more when it isn’t fear dressed proud Kindness means more when it comes from a choice And peace feels different when you can hear your own voice I don’t need walls around every door I just need to know I can close one when I don’t want more. [Build — spoken into rising choir] So if you’re waiting for permission— here. You can disappoint someone. They will survive. You can change your mind. You can leave the plate unfinished. You can charge for the extra work. You can say: “That doesn’t work for me.” And the sun will still come up. [Backing vocals] Probably! [Lead] Let’s not overpromise. [Final Chorus — huge gospel-pop lift] The most positive word is no No to resentment No to the show No to pretending I don’t already know No isn’t bitter No isn’t cruel No is what happens when I stop breaking my own rules The most positive word is no And now my yes can finally mean yes I’m still kind I’m still warm I’m just done confusing love with stress The most positive word is no Say it soft Say it slow You don’t need a courtroom You can simply say: No. [Outro — stripped, playful] [Backing vocals] No? [Lead] No. [Backing vocals] What if we really need— [Lead] Still no. [Backing vocals] What if it only takes— [Lead] Absolutely not. [Backing vocals] She’s growing! [Lead] I know. It’s exhausting everyone. [Final chord]

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