Sha-La-La-La-Lee
Encyclopedia
"Sha-La-La-La-Lee" was the third song released by English
R&B
influenced group Small Faces on 28 January 1966 reaching number three in the UK Singles Chart
.
Due to the UK Chart failure of the group's previous song release, the Marriott/Lane composition "I've Got Mine
" Don Arden
decided to bring in well-known songwriters Kenny Lynch
and Mort Shuman
to make sure the group's next single was a success, determined that Small Faces not be one hit wonders.
The highly commercial sounding song proved a big hit and reached number three in the UK singles chart
. Despite the success of "Sha-La-La-La-Lee" the band never really liked the song and felt it did not represent their sound, which was more blues
and soul
oriented.
The song was seen by some as the beginning of the end for the Small Faces; it was following the release of this song that the group became often viewed in the music press as just another teenybopper
band, who should not be taken as seriously as some of their contemporaries, such as The Who
and Rolling Stones. Whereas previously their fans tended to be music-mad mods, their following now included young teenage girls who were more interested in the good looks of the young male musicians than in their music. At many of their concerts, the band could not even be heard above the girl fans' loud and constant screaming. This situation would ultimately end in Marriott becoming so disenchanted that he would finally leave The Small Faces in a bid to be seen as a serious musician and form his next group, the heavier rock and blues-sounding Humble Pie
.
Small Faces performed "Sha-La-La-La-Lee" live for the Dick Clark show in the United States
, telerecorded from the UK.
whom all the group were big fans. "Grow Your Own" heavily features Ian McLagan
on the Hammond organ
.
, "Sha-La-La-La-Lee", arranged to French pop
style, was used for the advertisement
of Suzuki Alto Lapin
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
influenced group Small Faces on 28 January 1966 reaching number three in the UK Singles Chart
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 ...
.
Due to the UK Chart failure of the group's previous song release, the Marriott/Lane composition "I've Got Mine
I've Got Mine
"I've Got Mine" was the second official song released by English R&B mod band Small Faces in 1965. The song failed to chart despite receiving favourable reviews in the British music press....
" Don Arden
Don Arden
Don Arden , born Harry Levy, was an English music manager, agent and businessman, best known for overseeing the careers of rock groups Small Faces, Electric Light Orchestra and Black Sabbath....
decided to bring in well-known songwriters Kenny Lynch
Kenny Lynch
Kenny Lynch, OBE is an English singer, songwriter, entertainer and actor from London. Lynch appeared in many variety shows in the 1960s...
and Mort Shuman
Mort Shuman
Mort Shuman was an American singer, pianist and songwriter, best known as co-writer of many 1960s rock and roll hits, including "Viva Las Vegas"...
to make sure the group's next single was a success, determined that Small Faces not be one hit wonders.
The highly commercial sounding song proved a big hit and reached number three in the UK singles chart
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 ...
. Despite the success of "Sha-La-La-La-Lee" the band never really liked the song and felt it did not represent their sound, which was more blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and 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...
oriented.
The song was seen by some as the beginning of the end for the Small Faces; it was following the release of this song that the group became often viewed in the music press as just another teenybopper
Teenybopper
The term teenybopper was invented by marketing professionals and psychologists, later becoming a subculture of its own. The term describes a young teenager, particularly a girl, who follows adolescent trends in music, fashion and culture. The term was introduced in the 1950s to refer to teenagers...
band, who should not be taken as seriously as some of their contemporaries, such as The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
and Rolling Stones. Whereas previously their fans tended to be music-mad mods, their following now included young teenage girls who were more interested in the good looks of the young male musicians than in their music. At many of their concerts, the band could not even be heard above the girl fans' loud and constant screaming. This situation would ultimately end in Marriott becoming so disenchanted that he would finally leave The Small Faces in a bid to be seen as a serious musician and form his next group, the heavier rock and blues-sounding Humble Pie
Humble Pie (band)
Humble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. They are remembered for songs such as "Black Coffee" "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Natural Born Bugie"...
.
Small Faces performed "Sha-La-La-La-Lee" live for the Dick Clark show in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, telerecorded from the UK.
B-Side
The B-Side "Grow Your Own" written by the band, is much more in keeping with the Small Faces sound. The song is an instrumental recording and strongly influenced in style by Booker T. & the M.G.'sBooker T. & the M.G.'s
Booker T. & the M.G.'s is an instrumental R&B band that was influential in shaping the sound of southern soul and Memphis soul. Original members of the group were Booker T. Jones , Steve Cropper , Lewie Steinberg , and Al Jackson, Jr....
whom all the group were big fans. "Grow Your Own" heavily features Ian McLagan
Ian McLagan
Ian McLagan is an English keyboard instrumentalist, best known as a member of the English rock bands Small Faces and Faces.-Small Faces and Faces:...
on the Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
.
Usage
In JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, "Sha-La-La-La-Lee", arranged to French pop
French pop music
French pop music is the pop music sung in the French language. It is usually performed by singers from France, Belgium, Quebec, or any of the other francophone areas of the world...
style, was used for the advertisement
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
of Suzuki Alto Lapin
Suzuki Alto Lapin
The Suzuki Alto Lapin is a retro-styled Kei car with a 5-door hatchback body, manufactured since 2002 by Suzuki for the Japanese market only, and also marketed in Japan only by Mazda as Mazda Spiano under an OEM agreement under their Autozam marque...
.
Other recordings
- Yugoslavian rock band SilueteSilueteSiluete was a former Yugoslav and Serbian rock band from Belgrade, notable for being one of the pioneers of the former Yugoslav rock scene.-1961 - 1971:...
covered this song with the title Tvoj rođendan in 1966. - Plastic BertrandPlastic BertrandPlastic Bertrand is a Belgian musician, songwriter, producer, editor and television presenter, best known for the 1977 international hit single "Ça plane pour moi".-Early life and bands:...
also did a cover version for this song in French.