No More Rhyme Explained

No More Rhyme
Cover:Nomorerhymedebbie.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Debbie Gibson
Album:Electric Youth
B-Side:Over the Wall (Dub Version)
Recorded:1988
Genre:
Length:4:13
Label:Atlantic
Producer:Fred Zarr
Prev Title:Electric Youth
Prev Year:1988
Next Title:We Could Be Together
Next Year:1989

"No More Rhyme" is a song by American singer-songwriter and actress Debbie Gibson. The song was released as the third single from her sophomore studio album Electric Youth (1989) only in North America, Australia, and Japan. Like all of the album, the song was solely written by Gibson. Frequent collaborator Fred Zarr produced the song. "No More Rhyme" was not issued a single in Europe, where the next single "We Could Be Together" was released instead. The song is a pop ballad.

The song had moderate success, peaking at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 13 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Internationally, the song entered the charts in Canada, Australia, and Belgium (Flanders).

The music video features Danica McKellar from the hit TV show The Wonder Years playing a cello. In the original recording of "No More Rhyme", Bob Osman played the cello.[1]

Critical reception

Despite other critical and public acclaim for the song, Oscar Wednesday of Cashbox reacted to this record with the following statement: "This tender ballad makes me want to lean over into little Debbie’s ear and whisper, "How can I say doo-doo? Let me count the ways."[2] Given its peak chart position, he was obviously in the minority.

Chart history

Weekly charts

Chart (1989)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[3] 58
Canada (RPM)[4] 24
US Cashbox[5] 20
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[6] 8

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Guerra . Joey . 2019-03-11 . Debbie Gibson's 'Electric Youth' album is 30 years old . 2024-01-31 . Midland Reporter-Telegram . en-US.
  2. Oscar. Wednesday. Singles: Debbie Gibson – "No More Rhyme". Cashbox. 17 June 1989. 52. 49. 22. New York. The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc.. 4 February 2023. World Radio History. 0006-2510. https://web.archive.org/web/20220327074418/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1989/CB-1989-06-17.pdf. 27 March 2022.
  3. Web site: Gavin. Scott. This Week In 1989: July 23, 1989. Chart Beats: A Journey Through Pop.. September 30, 2020. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20200926235155/https://www.chartbeats.com.au/post/23july1989. September 26, 2020.
  4. Web site: Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada (Top Singles – Volume 50, No. 5 May 29, 1989) . . www.collectionscanada.gc.ca . April 30, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160308142913/http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.6352&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.6352.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.6352 . March 8, 2016 . live .
  5. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Cash Box Pop Hits 1952-1996. Sheridan Books, Inc.. 2014. 978-0-89820-209-0.
  6. Web site: Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada (Adult Contemporary – September 1, 1989) . . www.collectionscanada.gc.ca . March 12, 2024 .