La-La (Means I Love You)
Encyclopedia
"La-La" is a 1968 song originally performed by The Delfonics
. It was written by Thom Bell
and William Hart and produced by Bell and Stan Watson.
"La-La" was a number four US Billboard
pop
, number two R&B
in 1968 and number 19 UK pop
single in 1971. The song is one of the Delfonics' most enduring recordings and perhaps their best loved, seeing a number of cover version
s as well. The song was featured in Spike Lee
's 1994 film, Crooklyn
. In 2004, rapper Ghostface Killah
also sampled
"La-La" for his song "Holla" from his album The Pretty Toney Album
. Nicolas Cage
sang this song to Tea Leoni
in the 2000 film, The Family Man
.
The Delfonics
The Delfonics are a pioneering Philadelphia soul singing group, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their most notable hits include "La-La ", "Didn't I ", "Break Your Promise," "I'm Sorry," and "Ready or Not Here I Come "...
. It was written by Thom Bell
Thom Bell
Thomas Randolph "Thom" Bell is an American songwriter and producer, best known as one of the creators of the Philadelphia style of soul music in the 1970s. He moved to Philadelphia as a child.-Biography:...
and William Hart and produced by Bell and Stan Watson.
"La-La" was a number four US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
pop
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, number two R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
in 1968 and number 19 UK pop
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
single in 1971. The song is one of the Delfonics' most enduring recordings and perhaps their best loved, seeing a number of cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s as well. The song was featured in Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
's 1994 film, Crooklyn
Crooklyn
Crooklyn is a 1994 semi-autobiographical film co-written and directed by Spike Lee. The film takes place in Brooklyn, New York and the neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant during the summer of 1973. Its primary focus is a young girl, Troy , and her family...
. In 2004, rapper Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
also sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
"La-La" for his song "Holla" from his album The Pretty Toney Album
The Pretty Toney Album
The Pretty Toney Album is the fourth studio album by American hip hop artist Ghostface, a member of the Wu-Tang Clan.It is the only album from the artist to be released solely under the title of "Ghostface", ; however, it is otherwise a normal Ghostface Killah release in line with the rest of his...
. Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
sang this song to Tea Leoni
Téa Leoni
Elizabeth Téa Pantaleoni , better known by her stage name Téa Leoni, is an American actress. She has starred in a wide range of films including Jurassic Park III, The Family Man, Deep Impact, Fun with Dick and Jane, Spanglish, Bad Boys, and Ghost Town.-Early life:Leoni was born in New York City...
in the 2000 film, The Family Man
The Family Man
The Family Man is a 2000 drama film directed by Brett Ratner and starring Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni. Cage's production company, Saturn Films, helped produce the film....
.
Covers
- Booker T. & The M.G.s, on Soul LimboSoul LimboSoul Limbo is the eighth album by Booker T. & the MGs, released in 1968 on Stax Records. The album was the first Stax LP issued after the label severed its ties with former distributor Atlantic Records in 1968....
(1968) - Los Rondels, on 7" single (1968), a SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
version titled "La-La Te Amo" - Alton EllisAlton EllisAlton Nehemiah Ellis, OD, was a Jamaican musician best known as one of the innovators of rocksteady music and was often referred to as the "Godfather of Rocksteady". In 2006, he was inducted into the International Reggae And World Music Awards Hall Of Fame.-Biography:Ellis was born in 1938 and...
(1968) - Jackson 5, on ABCABC (album)-Recording Sessions:August 1969 - March 1970Other tracks from ABC recording sessionsI Was Made To Love HerI Hear A SymphonyYou Ain't Giving Me What I Want We Can Have FunHoney Chile...
(1970) - Bill FrisellBill FrisellWilliam Richard "Bill" Frisell is an American guitarist and composer.One of the leading guitarists in jazz since the late 1980s, Frisell's eclectic music touches on progressive folk, classical music, country music, noise and more...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hbq13bLylCY - Todd RundgrenTodd RundgrenTodd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
, on A Wizard, a True StarA Wizard, a True StarA Wizard, a True Star is a progressive rock recording by Todd Rundgren, released in 1973.The album, and especially the first side of the vinyl recording, is an extended medley after the fashion of the Beatles' late recordings; brief songs segue into one another, and the lyrics are frequently...
(1973) - The Jets, on The JetsThe Jets (album)The Jets is the first studio album by The Jets, released in 1985 .The Jets gained airplay on MTV, VH1 and BET with the release of their first single "Curiosity". The song reached #8 on the R&B chart....
(1985) - GrasshopperGrasshopper (band)Grasshopper is a Hong Kong Cantopop boy group formed in 1982. The band consists of Edmond So Chi Wai, Calvin Choy Yat Chi and Remus Choy Yat Kit. Calvin and Remus are brothers and grew up with neighbour Edmond in a poor neighbourhood in Hong Kong. It was Remus who was interested in dancing and...
, on La La Means I Love You (1992) - Swing Out SisterSwing Out SisterSwing Out Sister are a British "sophisti-pop" group best known worldwide for their 1986 song "Breakout". Other hits include "Surrender", "Twilight World", "Waiting Game" and a remake of "Am I the Same Girl?" Though album sales in the U.S. and Europe have levelled off since the early 1990s, the...
, on The Living ReturnThe Living ReturnThe Living Return is the title of the fourth studio album by the British pop group Swing Out Sister. It was released in September 1994 on Fontana Records.-Charts:...
(1994) (also included on the soundtrack to Four Weddings and a FuneralFour Weddings and a FuneralFour Weddings and a Funeral is a 1994 British comedy film directed by Mike Newell. It was the first of several films by screenwriter Richard Curtis to feature Hugh Grant...
) - The Manhattan TransferThe Manhattan TransferThe Manhattan Transfer is an American vocal music group. There have been two manifestations of the group, with Tim Hauser being the only person to be part of both...
with Laura NyroLaura NyroLaura Nyro was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved considerable critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry, and had commercial success with artists such as Barbra Streisand and The 5th...
, on Tonin'Tonin'Tonin' is a studio album released by The Manhattan Transfer on the Atlantic Records label in 1995. The term "tonin'" is associated with the vocal groups of the 1950s and 1960's. The songs on this album are favorites of the The Manhattan Transfer's from that era...
(1995) - PrincePrince (musician)Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
, retitled "La, La, La Means I Love U", on EmancipationEmancipation (album)Emancipation is the nineteenth studio album by Prince . The title refers to Prince's freedom from his contract with Warner Bros. Records after 18 years, with whom he had a contentious relationship...
(1996) - Laura NyroLaura NyroLaura Nyro was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved considerable critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry, and had commercial success with artists such as Barbra Streisand and The 5th...
, on Angel in the Dark (released posthumously in 2001) - The Next Generation (Hawaiian pop group), on Let's Rock! (2002)
- YanokamiYanokamiyanokami is a Japanese band consisting of Akiko Yano and Rei Harakami.In 2003, Akiko found Rei via Quruli's song "Bara no Hana on the album World's End Supernova....
, on Yanokami (2007) - ShaggyShaggy (musician)Orville Richard Burrell , better known by his stage name Shaggy, is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and rapper. He is perhaps best known for his 1995 single "Boombastic" and 2000 single "It Wasn't Me"...
, Badman Nuh Cry (2009) - SittiSitti NavarroSitti Katrina Navarro , also known as Sitti, is a Filipino bossa nova singer. After releasing her first album, Café Bossa, in 2006, other bossa nova acts in the Philippines followed. Navarro is also featured in the segment "A.S.A.P. Sessionistas" of the variety show ASAP...
, ContagiousContagious (Sitti album)Contagious is the third full-length studio album of Philippine bossa nova singer Sitti, after 2006's Café Bossa and 2007's My Bossa Nova...
(2009)