No, No, a 1,000 Times No

Blue text on a white background with a red border around the rim

In 1935, this was the title song for the Betty Boop cartoon, “No! No! A Thousand Times No!!” The song, written by Al Sherman, Al Lewis, and Abner Silver became a popular hit.

In the cartoon, Betty and her boyfriend are acting in a melodrama on the stage. The song is her response when the villain crashes the story, ties up Freddy, and attempts to woo her with diamonds and pearls. Freddy escapes his bonds and is eventually victorious in rescuing the damsel in distress. The song is sung in the cartoon by Mae Questel, who later generations may remember as Aunt Bethany in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989).