La Di Da Di
| "La Di Da Di" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| A-side | "The Show" |
| B-side | "La Di Da Di" |
"La Di Da Di" is a rap song performed by Doug E. Fresh the beatboxer, and MC Ricky D (later known as Slick Rick) as the rapper. It was originally released in 1985 as the B-side to "The Show". The song has since gained a reputation as an early hip hop classic, having been referenced in other hip hop songs.
There are two releases of the song. The original vinyl and cassette versions contain sung lyrics from "Sukiyaki" by A Taste of Honey, but due to a lack of clearance, CD versions are missing the following refrains in the middle of the song, most likely because of copyright issues:
- It's all because of you, I'm feeling sad and blue.
- You went away, and now my life is filled with rainy days.
- I love you so, how much you'll never know,
- Cause you took your love away from me
Other songs that reference this song
The words "rock the mic" were sampled in the hook of the Bow Wow and Jermaine Dupri song "Rock Tha Mic" off of the album New Jack City II. Robbie Williams's song "Rock DJ" similarly borrows the line "and when we rock the mic, we rock the mic" with the high-pitched "right!"
DJ Premier sampled the song for Big Daddy Kane's song "Show & Prove".
The hook of The Notorious B.I.G.'s song "Hypnotize" revolves around Slick Rick's lyrics: "Ricky Ricky Ricky, can't you see? Somehow your words just hypnotize me And I just love your jazzy ways".
The hook to the DJ Honda track "On The Mic" is centered on a sample of the phrase "We're just some men that's on the mic/And when we rock upon the mic we rock the mic right".
The hook of Shyne's song "SHYNE" revolves around Slick Rick's lyrics: "For all of y'all, keep y'all in health, Just to see you smile and enjoy yourself".
The song is sampled by 6 Tre G in his song "Fresh". It is sampled by Conspirituality in the song "4 All Y'all".
The words "hit it" were sampled by Ini Kamoze for the song “Here Comes The Hotstepper”. In the Mos Def song "Perfect Timing" (from True Magic), he repeats the line "'cause this type of shit happens every day".
The Jim's Big Ego song "Feelin' Groovy" contains a rap section, much of which is slightly altered "La Di Da Di" lyrics, including the title.
The phrase "Stepped out my house stopped short" is sampled by Ice Cube in the hook of "Look Who's Burnin", of his album Death Certificate.
The end of the hook of The Black Eyed Peas song "Don't Lie" samples the words "stop lyin'".
The intro to the Ludacris and Mary J. Blige song "Runaway Love" samples the beginning of "La Di Da Di" by scratching the two words "like this". Will Smith's song "Pump Me Up" from his 1999 album Willenium samples this at the end of the song.
De La Soul samples the word "emcee" in the song "Supa Emcees" on their album Stakes Is High
De La Soul samples the phrase "can't be a lover" in the song "Talkin' Bout Hey Love" on their album De La Soul Is Dead
De La Soul samples the phrase "slammed the child on the hard concrete" in the song "My Brother Is A Basehead" on their album De La Soul Is Dead
The intro to the Mary J. Blige song "No One Else" samples the beginning of "La Di Da Di" by sampling the phrase "there is no competition".
Das Efx samples the words "just some men that's on the mic" in the song "Jussummen" on their album Dead Serious
2Pac sings the final hook on the song "Lost Souls", which revolves around Slick Rick's phrase "All of y'all, keepin y'all in health..."
Black Sheep samples the phrase "on and on she kept on" in their song "La Menage", featuring Q-Tip on their album A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Black Sheep also samples the beatboxed, "you know what?" intro (right before the first verse starts) in their song "To Whom It May Concern" on their album A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Color Me Badd samples the phrase "to the tic toc you don't stop" in the song "I Wanna Sex You Up" on their album "C.M.B."
Snoop Dogg uses it as a hook in his song "Lodi Dodi" from his debut album Doggystyle.
Ice Cube paraphrases the song in his track Stop Snitchin', singing "Nigga nigga nigga/Can't you see/Somehow your words incarcerate me".
Ice-T's track "Radio Suckers" from the Power album contains a reference to the song in the lyrics: "They bleeped words from Doug's La-Di-Da-Di, I can't get a bleep - What's the deal? Maybe my words are just too real".
The Roots use the line "La Di Da Di/Who likes to party?/Like Slick Rick" in their song Mellow My Man.
N.W.A sample the intro part that says 'let it go a little something like this/Hit it!' in their song Gangsta Gangsta.
Sublime's song April 29, 1992 (Miami) contains a sample of the line originally from the "Sukiyaki" song which Slick Rick sings: 'I'm feeling sad and blue..'
Apathy samples the phrase "cause you took your love away from me" on the track "True Love" featuring Phonte from the album Wanna Snuggle?
Eminem samples the song in the beginning of his underground dis towards Everlast, Quitter, using the phrase "to all my fans keeping ya'll in health".
Eminem uses the line, "to rock the mic RIGHT", in a freestyle entitled "The Conspiracy"
Ras Kass based the song "Conceited Bastard" from the album Rasassination around various lyrics from this song.
Del the Funky Homosapien samples the line "Went to the bathroom to wash up, Put some soap on my face " in his song If You Must from his album Both Sides of the Brain.
Junior M.A.F.I.A. samples the line "This type of shit it happens everyday" in the chorus to Player's Anthem.
Jazmine Sullivan's Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles) contains a sample of the line "on and on and on she kept on".
Mariah Carey samples the word "emcee" in the song It's Like That.
Beyoncé samples the song on her "Party" collaboration with André 3000 of her album "4". [1]
Biz Markie's Young Girl Bluez on 1993's All Samples Cleared! samples the lines "Now what was I to do / She was crying over me and she was feeling blue."
Insane Clown Posse uses the words "La Di Da Di" in a slower, darker tone, in the intro and chorus of their song "12" off their Riddle Box album.
Cover versions
Snoop Dogg covered "La Di Da Di" as "Lodi Dodi". Mindless Self Indulgence covered the song, with some changes in lyrics. The song has been covered live by Korn.