La La Means I Love You (album)
Encyclopedia
La La Means I Love You is the debut album by American
soul
group The Delfonics
, released in 1968 on the Philly Groove
label. The album was produced by Thom Bell
and consists of a mixture of original songs written by Bell and lead singer William Hart, and cover versions of already well-known songs. The celebrated title track
was a #4 pop hit, and "I'm Sorry" and "Break Your Promise" also charted.
With its lush, smooth orchestral sound and production, La La Means I Love You is now considered a classic soul album and one of the most important and influential records in the development of the nascent Philadelphia soul
sound which would come to dominate the commercial soul music market in the early and mid 1970s.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
group The Delfonics
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 "...
, released in 1968 on the Philly Groove
Philly Groove Records
Philly Groove Records was a soul music label started by Stan Watson and Sam Bell in 1967, with noted producer Thom Bell doing A&R. The label's best-known artists were male vocal group, the Delfonics and female group, First Choice. Both acts enjoyed a run of hits during the late 60s and early 70s,...
label. The album was produced 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 consists of a mixture of original songs written by Bell and lead singer William Hart, and cover versions of already well-known songs. The celebrated title track
La-La (Means I Love You)
"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....
was a #4 pop hit, and "I'm Sorry" and "Break Your Promise" also charted.
With its lush, smooth orchestral sound and production, La La Means I Love You is now considered a classic soul album and one of the most important and influential records in the development of the nascent Philadelphia soul
Philadelphia soul
Philadelphia soul, sometimes called the Philadelphia Sound or Sweet Philly, is a style of soul music characterized by funk influences and lush instrumental arrangements, often featuring sweeping strings and piercing horns. The subtle sound of a glockenspiel can often be heard in the background of...
sound which would come to dominate the commercial soul music market in the early and mid 1970s.
Track listing
All tracks written by Thom Bell and William Hart unless stated- "I'm Sorry" 2:49
- "Break Your Promise" 3:04
- "The Shadow of Your SmileThe Shadow of Your Smile"The Shadow of Your Smile", also known as "Love Theme from The Sandpiper", is a popular song. The music was written by Johnny Mandel with the lyrics written by Paul Francis Webster...
" (Johnny MandelJohnny MandelJohnny Mandel is an American composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz. Among the musicians he has worked with are Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Barbra Streisand, and Shirley Horn.-Life:...
, Paul Francis WebsterPaul Francis WebsterPaul Francis Webster was an American lyricist who won three Academy Awards for Best Song and was nominated sixteen times for the award.-Biography:...
) 3:24 - "Hurt So BadHurt So Bad"Hurt So Bad" is a 1965 pop/R&B hit single by Little Anthony & The Imperials, taken from their album, Goin' out of My Head. It was the follow-up to that album's smash-hit title song, and like that song, also became a Billboard Top 10 hit, reaching #10, and was an R&B Top 10 hit as well, reaching...
" (Teddy RandazzoTeddy RandazzoTeddy Randazzo was a NYC born pop songwriter who composed 1960s hit songs such as "Goin' Out of My Head", "It's Gonna Take a Miracle", and "Hurt So Bad"...
, Bobby Hart, Bobby Weinstein) 2:04 - "Losing You" 2:32
- "AlfieAlfie (song)"Alfie" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David in 1965 most successfully recorded by Cher, Cilla Black and Dionne Warwick.-Background:...
" (Burt BacharachBurt BacharachBurt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
, Hal DavidHal DavidHarold Lane "Hal" David is an American lyricist. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. David is best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach.-Career:...
) 2:49 - "La-La (Means I Love You)La-La (Means I Love You)"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....
" 3:20 - "You're Gone" 2:37
- "The Look of LoveThe Look of Love (1967 song)"The Look of Love" is a popular song composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and sung by Dusty Springfield, which appeared in the 1967 spoof James Bond film Casino Royale.-Songwriters:...
" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) 3:18 - "Can You Remember" 3:02
- "A Lover's ConcertoA Lover's Concerto"A Lover's Concerto" is a pop song written by American songwriters Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell and recorded in 1965 by The Toys. Their version of the song was a major hit in both the United States and the UK during 1965. It peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at #2.Critic Dave Thompson wrote,...
" (Sandy Linzer, Denny RandellSandy Linzer and Denny RandellSandy Linzer and Denny Randell are American songwriters who wrote numerous pop and rock songs in the 1960s and 1970s, generally working together and with Bob Crewe...
) 2:14
Singles
- "La-La Means I Love You" (US PopBillboard Hot 100The 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...
#4, US R&BHot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsHot 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,...
#2, UKUK Singles ChartThe 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 ...
#19) - "I'm Sorry" (US Pop #42, US R&B #15)
- "Break Your Promise" (US Pop #35, US R&B #12)