The Delfonics, “La La Means I Love You” | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 30^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2022), we recollect and reflect on “La La Means I Love You” by The Delfonics. 

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome – we don’t discriminate ‘round here! In the 30^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2022), we recollect and reflect on 🎵 “La La Means I Love You”, performed by 🎙 The Delfonics.

Theme & Lyrics ✍

“La la la la la la la la la means / I love you / Oh, baby please now…” The biggest hit of soul collective 🎙 The Delfonics’ career is unquestionably 🎵 “La La Means I Love You”.  The 1968 classic appears on – wait for it – 💿 La La Means I Love You.  Fitting, right? Notably, “La La” was a hit on the pop charts, peaking at 📈 no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The collective’s next biggest hit, 1970’s 🎵 “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)”, peaked at no. 10.

“La La Means I Love You” is the quintessential soul classic.  The production is lush – incredibly celestial to the ears.  It’s those strings that propel “La La” to the next level. The vocals are soulful to the nth degree, lacking no shortage of expression.  The Delfonics never force things, singing with incredible ease, particularly on the repeated “la(s)” of the chorus.  Thematically, it’s simple – love, love, LOVE! “If I ever saw a girl / That I needed in this world,” lead singer 🎙 William Hart sings, “You are the one for me (one for me) / Let me hold you in my arms.” Notably, Hart penned “La La” with 🎼✍ 🎛 Thom Bell, who also produced the record with 🎛 Stan Watson.  Hart’s falsetto is one of the biggest selling points, in addition to the lush backdrop and of course, the chorus.

Final Thoughts 💭 

🎵 “La La Means I Love You” ranks among the greatest soul songs of all time.  It’s been covered multiple times, including a 1996 cover by 🎙 Prince on his 💿 Emancipation album.  Also, the rappers love this one.  🎙 Ghostface Killah sampled it on 🎵 “Holla” from his 2004 LP, 💿 The Pretty Toney Album.  R&B artists like it too! 🎙 Jaheim sampled it on 🎵 “She Ain’t You” from his 2007 album, 💿 The Makings of a Man.  The point is, this is Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 gold, period. The Delfonics, well, they “did the da-yummm thing” with this one. 

🎙 The Delfonics • 💿 La La Means I Love You • 🏷 Arista • 🗓 1968

The Delfonics, “La La Means I Love You”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 30 (2022) [📷: Arista, Brent Faulkner, Gerhard G., JL G via Pixabay,  Karl Hörnfeldt via Unsplash,  The Musical Hype]