William “Poogie” Hart, whose soaring falsetto as lead singer of the Delfonics helped define Philly soul, died Thursday in Philadelphia at age 77.
Hart and his brother Wilbert had formed vocal groups with various classmates at Overbrook High, but Hart was singing on his job at a barbershop when an impressario named Stan Watson heard him. Watson, who became Hart’s manager, introduced him to Thom Bell who, as an arranger with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, was one of the architects of the Philly sound.
They cut a few singles together before Hart brought Bell “La-La (Means I Love You)” — the hook came about because Hart’s toddler couldn’t pronounce “love” — in late 1967. It was released on a small Philadelphia label before wider distribution made it a national hit, rising to No. 4 on the Hot 100, one of the first records to break the string-laden Philly sound to a wider audience.
I wish the quality of this video was better — whose idea was it to turn off most of the studio lights? — because this low-budget tape, shot in 1968, is otherwise a priceless artifact.
“Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time),” released two years later, wasn’t quite as big a hit (No. 10 on the Hot 100) but it won the Delfonics a Grammy for the best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. As you can see, success snazzed up their wardrobe.
