No Way Lyrics – Six

Song Overview

Song Credits

• Featured Vocal: Renée Lamb (as Catherine of Aragon)
• Ensemble Vocals: Aimie Atkinson, Christina Modestou, Izuka Hoyle, Natalie Paris & Genesis Lynea
• Producer: Kenny Wax
• Writers / Composers: Lucy Moss & Toby Marlow
• Release Date: September 12, 2018
• Album: Six: The Musical (Studio Cast Recording)
• Genre: Pop-theatre, UK Nu-Musical
• Label: 6 Music Ltd.
• Length: 4 minutes 9 seconds
• Language: English (Modern slang-peppered)
• Instruments: Synth bass, electric guitar stabs, trap-lite drums, choral pads
• Recording Studio: Angel Studios, London
• Copyright © & ? 2018 6 Music Ltd.

Song Meaning and Annotations

If Catherine of Aragon had TikTok, this would be her clap-back anthem—four minutes of stomping beats and rolled-Rs aimed straight at Henry VIII’s ego. The groove is salsa-tinged pop with a neon club finish; the verses fire like a courtroom cross-examination, the chorus lands like a royal decree. The wider show SIX lets each queen grab a mic; Catherine swings first and makes it very clear: the divorce papers are going straight in the shredder.

The style fusion is cheeky: reggaeton-flavoured percussion under Eurovision synth brass, plus crowd-chant backing vocals that feel half-stadium, half-cathedral. Mood-wise it’s half victory lap, half “try me.” Aragon lists receipts—years of loyalty, a surviving daughter, a track record of ruling while Henry played soldier. Every bar drips with resolve: she’s not begging, she’s negotiating from the throne.

N-n-n-n-n-n-no way / You wanna replace me? Baby, there’s no way

That hook—triple-speed consonants followed by a drop into bassy swagger—mimics a fortress door slamming. It’s Catherine’s boundary rendered in 808s. When the ensemble echoes her lines, it feels like the whole Spanish court has her back.

The Build-Up

Opening salvo: Catherine sets the terms: she’s been cool, she’s been classy, she’s swallowed gossip for years. But the “golden rule” (keep calm) snaps the second Henry angles for annulment.

Pre-chorus: A quick syllable race—“I put up with your sh— / Like every single day.” The censored expletive lands funnier than the full word would, keeping the track PG-spicy for audiences while still feeling deliciously defiant.

Bridge: Biblical shade: Catherine flips Henry’s own Leviticus citation back at him, then reminds him she already provided Mary. It’s theological judo set to a club beat.

Symbols & Subtext

The repeated “no way” isn’t just refusal—it’s sovereignty. Every staccato no chips away at patriarchal expectation. The nunnery line references Henry’s real-life threat to lock her up; the song turns that power play into a punch line.

Catherine of Aragon’s big moment in SIX the Musical—the salsa-inflected anthem “No Way”—isn’t just a catchy opener. It is a four-minute masterclass in regal defiance, one that folds five centuries of dynastic drama into a pop framework shaped by Shakira’s hip rolls and Beyoncé’s bite. From the very first trumpet stab, we are reminded that Catherine arrived at Henry VIII’s court with Spain’s confident swagger and an unshakable sense of her own destiny.

Born the youngest daughter of Ferdinand II and Isabella I, Catherine had politics in her bloodstream. Her first marriage, to Henry’s elder brother Arthur, was pure diplomacy, meant to seal an Anglo-Spanish alliance. Arthur’s sudden death left her widowed at sixteen, but not for long: in 1509, she wed the new king, the athletic, poetry-loving Henry VIII. She was twenty-three, he just seventeen, yet for nearly a quarter-century, theirs was the Tudor power couple.

That harmony began to fray in the 1520s. Years of miscarriages convinced Henry that God disapproved of a union with his brother’s widow. He cited Leviticus: “they shall be without sons”, and conveniently forgot that the couple already had a daughter, the future Mary I. At the same time, Anne Boleyn’s clever flirtations were turning courtly heads. Henry wanted a son, wanted Anne, and wanted an exit. The trouble was, Pope Clement VII would not grant a straightforward annulment. Henry, stuck in a Catholic maze, had quite literally “no way” to shake off his first wife.

This stalemate powers the musical’s refrain. When Catherine belts “no way,” she is not pleading; she is announcing. The lyric is laced with mockery—she even calls the king “baby,” a patronizing flick that highlights their age gap and echoes Beyoncé’s sarcastic “Who do you think I am, baby?” from “Don’t Hurt Yourself.” Instead of an angry tirade, Catherine opts for a cool, almost teasing tone. That choice aligns with historical accounts: contemporaries admired her composure in public, even while Henry paraded mistresses like Bessie Blount or, more fatefully, Mary Boleyn.

The song’s Latin heartbeat is more than a nod to Aragonese geography. It underscores Catherine’s refusal to surrender her heritage. She had grown up in a realm where queens could and did rule—her own mother, after all, had conquered Granada. For a woman steeped in that tradition, being told to retreat to a convent felt not only insulting but absurd. When Church and Crown pressed her to disappear quietly, Catherine answered with a very modern “absolutely not.”

One reason the number lands so forcefully is its sly acknowledgement of Tudor tabloids. Henry might claim scriptural scruples, yet he had already fathered an acknowledged bastard, Henry FitzRoy, by Blount. Gossip that two of Mary Boleyn’s children were the king’s as well swirled around court. “No Way” turns this hypocrisy inside out, reminding listeners that the queen had long tolerated his wandering eye in silence. Once divorce entered the conversation, though, silence was no longer strategic.

The Legatine Court of 1529—Henry’s so-called “Great Matter”—is distilled in one theatrical gesture. Catherine strides downstage, kneels before her husband, and recites every service she has rendered England: ambassador for Spain, protector during Henry’s French campaigns, patron of learning, mother to a princess. Then, with a measured pause that modern directors love to stretch, she walks out. That walk is the essence of “No Way”: composed, deliberate, unforgettable.

Musically, the bridge conjures a cloistered choir. House lights fade to gold crosses while Catherine vows she will not “shh” and vanish behind convent walls. The gospel-tinged chord is both joke and prophecy, because Catherine would indeed spend her final years in near isolation at Kimbolton Castle. She never recanted, never recognized Anne as queen, and signed her last letters “Catherine the Queen.” When she died on 7 January 1536, the English people mourned her as the rightful consort and whispered that Henry’s subsequent misfortunes—Anne’s execution, Edward’s fragile health—might well be divine payback.

In the end, “No Way” accomplishes what many history books miss. It restores Catherine’s voice, reveals her wit, and reminds us that grace can be a weapon every bit as sharp as steel. She enters the show measured and majestic, exits to riotous applause, and leaves the audience humming a chorus that doubles as a verdict: sometimes saying “no” is the most powerful act of all.

Similar Songs

1. “Sorry Not Sorry” – Demi Lovato
   Both tracks swing swagger over betrayal. Demi’s modern R&B snap mirrors Catherine’s renaissance roast: unapologetic, belted high notes, and a chorus built for hair-flip GIFs.
2. “Survivor” – Destiny’s Child
   A three-part harmony of resilience. Like Catherine, the trio lists wrongs endured, then shouts triumph over them. Percussive synths, marching hi-hats, and “you thought I’d crumble” energy make them sonic cousins.
3. “Ex-Wives” – SIX Cast
   The show’s opener layers each queen’s resentment into one punchy prologue. Hear it as the narrative big-sister to “No Way,” sharing the same pop-concert DNA but spreading the spotlight across all six monarchs.

Questions and Answers

Is “No Way” historically accurate?

While the slang is 21st-century, Catherine did refuse Henry’s annulment for years, citing both canon law and her role as rightful queen. The attitude is exaggerated for stage, but the backbone is spot-on.

What musical styles collide in the track?

Think Latin pop percussion, UK chart synths, gospel-choir call-and-response, and a sprinkle of reggaeton rhythm—history class disguised as a club banger.

Why repeat “no” so many times?

The rapid-fire consonants mimic a locked gate: each “n” another bolt, each “o” an iron hinge. It’s melodic storytelling—her refusal turned into rhythm.

Does the Bible verse reference come from real events?

Yes. Henry used Leviticus 20:21 to argue their marriage was cursed. Catherine countered with her own scriptural arguments, claiming their union was valid. The lyric condenses that theological tennis match.

How does this song set the tone for the rest of SIX?

Catherine’s uncompromising stance establishes the musical’s thesis: these women reclaim their voices. Each queen follows her lead, turning pain into pop spectacle.