Sha-La-La-La-Lee - Misplaced Pages

"Sha-La-La-La-Lee" was the third single by English R&B-influenced group Small Faces, recorded in December 1965 and released on 28 January 1966, reaching number three in the UK Singles Chart. It was also the first single by the group to feature Ian McLagan on keyboards.

Background

Because Small Faces' previous song release, the Marriott/Lane composition "I've Got Mine," failed to chart in the UK, their manager, Don Arden, determined that the Small Faces would not be one hit wonders, decided to bring in well-known songwriters Kenny Lynch and Mort Shuman to make sure the group's next single would be a success.

The 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 R&B- and soul-oriented.

Following the huge success of this song, the band developed a large female fan base, like many of their contemporaries. This situation would ultimately end in Marriott becoming so disenchanted that he would leave The Small Faces in 1969 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.

B-side

The B-side "Grow Your Own" written by the band, is an instrumental recording and strongly influenced in style by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, of whom all the group were big fans. "Grow Your Own" heavily features Ian McLagan on the Hammond organ.

Usage

In Japan, "Sha-La-La-La-Lee", arranged to French pop style, was used for the advertisement of Suzuki Alto Lapin.

It was used in the second episode of the first season of the 2019 British TV series, Sex Education.

Personnel

Steve Marriott – lead and backing vocals, electric guitar
Ronnie Lane – bass guitar, backing vocals
Ian McLagan – Hammond organ, piano, backing vocals
Kenney Jones – drums
Kenny Lynch - backing vocals

Other recordings

German band The Rattles released their cover version in February 1966 as The ´In´ Crowd, single Star Club Records 148 547, 02.1966.
Yugoslav rock band Siluete covered this song with Serbo-Croatian lyrics under title "Tvoj rođendan" ("Your Birthday") in 1966.
Czech singer Václav Neckář also did a cover version for this song in Czech in 1966.
Evelyne Courtois, a French female singer of the 1960s, covered the song in 1966 as "Ce N'est Pas Une Vie" under her stage name 'Pussy Cat'.
Plastic Bertrand also released a cover version of this song in French in 1978.

Notes and references

Notes:

^ "Small Faces Sha La La La Lee- Room for Ravers". Makingtime.co.uk. 28 January 1966. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
Hewitt, Paolo; Hellier, John (2004). Steve Marriott All Too Beautiful. p. 110. ISBN 1-900924-44-7.
Paulo Hewitt (1995). Small Faces The Young Mods' Forgotten Story. pp. 53–56. ISBN 0-9523935-0-6.
ad of Suzuki Alto Lapin on YouTube
Janjatović, Petar (2007). EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960–2006. Belgrade: self-released. p. 207.

References:

Paolo Hewitt John Hellier (2004). Steve Marriott - All Too Beautiful.... Helter Skelter Publishing ISBN 1-900924-44-7.
Paolo Hewitt/Kenney Jones (1995) small faces the young mods' forgotten story – Acid Jazz ISBN 0-9523935-0-6

From the Beginning

Songs

Side one	"Runaway" "My Mind's Eye" "Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow" "That Man" "My Way of Giving" "Hey Girl" "(Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me?"
Side two	"Come Back And Take This Hurt Off Me" "All or Nothing" "Baby Don't You Do It" "Plum Nellie" "Sha-La-La-La-Lee" "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" "Whatcha Gonna Do About It"

Non-album single

"Patterns"

Small Faces discography

v t e Small Faces
Kenney Jones Ronnie Lane Steve Marriott Ian McLagan Jimmy Winston Rick Wills Jimmy McCulloch
Studio albums	Small Faces (1966) Small Faces (1967) There Are But Four Small Faces Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake Playmates 78 in the Shade
Compilation albums	From the Beginning In Memoriam The Autumn Stone The BBC Sessions
Singles	"Whatcha Gonna Do About It" "I've Got Mine" "Sha-La-La-La-Lee" "Hey Girl" "All or Nothing" "My Mind's Eye" "I Can't Make It" "Patterns" "Here Come the Nice" "Itchycoo Park" "Tin Soldier" "Lazy Sunday" "The Universal" "Afterglow of Your Love"
Songs	"Shake" "You Need Loving" "Runaway" "My Way of Giving" "(Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me?" "Baby Don't You Do It" "Plum Nellie" "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" "Talk to You" "Green Circles" "Get Yourself Together" "Up the Wooden Hills to Bedfordshire" "Every Little Bit Hurts" "If I Were a Carpenter"
Related articles	Discography Members Faces Don Arden Would You Believe

Categories: