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The Delfonics were one of the first groups to sing in the sleek, soulful style that became popularized (thanks to producer Thom Bell) as the "Philadelphia Sound." A vocal trio made up of brothers William and Wilbert Hart and high school friend Randy Cain, the Delfonics roots go back to doo wop singing at school dances in the early '60s. They were well-known in the Philly area for their supple, airtight harmonies talent that brought them to the attention of record producers, eventually landing them a contract with Cameo-Parkway. While their early records brought them little if any notice, it did bring them to the attention of producer/arranger Thom Bell who signed the band to his soon-to-be influential soul label Philly Groove. Right from the start this was a perfect match as the band released the classic "La La Means I Love You" in 1968, a song that began a string of hits lasting into the mid-'70s.
The sound that Bell created for the Delfonics was the antithesis of the soul sound that came from Stax in Memphis and Muscle Shoals in Alabama. He sandpapered away the grit, lightened up on the backbeat, brought in string sections, and created a smooth, airy sound. Critics enamored of the soul singing of Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding accused Bell and his groups of creating aural wallpaper, but the reality was that Bell and the Delfonics were setting the stage for a different kind of groove where subtlety and nuance reigned.
The hits slowed for the Delfonics in the mid-'70s, and in 1971 Randy Cain quit the band and was replaced by Major Harris. A few more minor hits followed but Harris left the band for a solo career in 1975, effectively finishing the Delfonics. In the late '90s, the group played a significant musical role in Quentin Tarantino's film Jackie Brown. Tarantino, a borderline obsessive fan of '70s pop culture, used "La La Means I Love You," and their best single, "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)," as a way of underscoring the relationship between actors Pam Grier and Robert Forster. In the film, Forster's character is so struck by the music (and Grier), he goes out and buys the Delfonics Greatest Hits cassette the following day. Something I'd recommend you do too.
-- John Dougan, All Music Guide
01. I'm Sorry 02. Break Your Promise 03. The Shadow Of Your Smile 04. Hurt So Bad 05. Losing You 06. Alfie |
07. La La (means I love you) 08. You're Gone 09. The Look Of Love 10. Can You Remember 11. A Lover's Concerto |
01. Ready Or Not Here I Come 02. Let It Be Me 03. Hot Dog (I love you so) 04. You Can't Be Loving Him 05. Ain't That Peculiar 06. With These Hands |
07. Face It Girl, It's Over 08. Going Out Of My head 09. My New Love 10. Somebody Loves You 11. Scarborough Fair 12. Everytime I See My Baby |
01. Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time 02. Funny Feeling 03. When You Get Right Down To It 04. Baby I Love You 05. Delfonics Theme (How could you) |
06. Trying To Make A Fool Of Me 07. Down Is Up, Up Is Down 08. Over And Over 09. Think About Me 10. I Gave To You |
01. La La Means I Love You 02. I'm Sorry 03. With These Hands 04. You're Gone 05. Somebody Loves You 06. You Got Yours And I'll Get Mine |
07. Ready Or Not Here I Come 08. Let It Be Me 09. Loving Him 10. My New Love 11. Break Your Promise |
01. La La Means I Love You 02. Break Your Promise 03. Ready Or Not Here I Come 04. You Gor Yours 05. Trying To Make A Fool Of Me 06. Tell Me This Is A Dream |
07. Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time 08. I'm Sorry 09. You Are Gone 10. Hey Love 11. When You Get Right Down To It 12. Delfonics Theme |
01. The Way Things Are 02. This Time, This Time 03. I've Got Everything 04. Men Of Action 05. The Phoney 06. Your Name 07. Sing A Clean Song 08. Tell Him 09. The Same Things That Make You Laugh |
10. Oh My Love 11. First Thing On My Mind 12. Hey Baby 13. Pardon Me Girl 14. Seventeen (and in love) 15. Love Is 16. Can't Go On Living 17. Start All Over Again 18. Don't Leave Me |
01. La La Means I Love You 02. Have You Seen Her(Chi-Lites) 03. Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time 04. Oh Girl (Chi-Lites) 05. Ready Or Not Here I Come |
06. A Letter To Myself (Chi-Lites) 07. I'm Sorry 08. Stoned Out Of My Mind (Chi-Lites) 09. Trying To Make A Fool Of Me 10. Give More Power To The People (Chi-Lites) |
01. Forever New 02. She's The Kinda Girl 03. My World Revolves Around You 04. Just Come To Me 05. When You're Gone 06. No One Knows |
07. One And One Is Five 08. Break Your Promise 09. Somewhere In My Life 10. I Will Remember You 11. Rules Of The Game |
01 La-La Means I Love You 02 Trying to Make a Fool of Me 03 Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide from Love) 04 Somebody Loves You 05 Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time 06 Over and Over 07 For the Love I Give to You |
08 Love Won't Let Me Wait 09 Break Your Promise 10 Tell Me This Is a Dream 11 You Got Yours and I'll Get Mine 12 He Don't Really Love You 13 I Don't Want to Make You Wait 14 Close Encounter of the Love Kind |