Wikipedia

Hey There Delilah

(Redirected from Wah Gwan Delilah)

"Hey There Delilah" is a song by American pop rock band Plain White T's, for whom it remains their signature song. It was released on May 9, 2006, as an EP from their third studio album, All That We Needed (2005). The song was later released in 2007 as a single from their fourth studio album, Every Second Counts (2006), with added string instrumentation.

"Hey There Delilah"
Single cover
Single by Plain White T's
from the album All That We Needed and Every Second Counts
B-side"Easy Way Out"
Written2002
ReleasedMay 9, 2006
RecordedApril 2004, North Hollywood, Los Angeles[1]
Genre
Length3:52
Label
Songwriter(s)Tom Higgenson
Producer(s)
Plain White T's singles chronology
"Take Me Away"
(2005) 		"Hey There Delilah"
(2006) 		"Hate (I Really Don't Like You)"
(2006)
Music video
"Hey There Delilah" on YouTube

The song reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 2007. It was nominated at the 50th Grammy Awards in 2008 for Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

Background and writing

edit

The song was written by frontman Tom Higgenson after meeting Delilah DiCrescenzo, a nationally ranked American steeplechase and cross country runner,[6] through a mutual friend around 2002.

Higgenson stated: "I thought she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, I told her, 'I have a song about you already.' Obviously, there was no song. But I thought it was smooth." DiCrescenzo turned him down, as she was dating somebody else at the time, but kept in touch with Higgenson. A year later, he had finished the song. About the actual writing, Higgenson said: "Because I wasn't with Delilah, I had to imagine, 'If I was with this girl, what would I want to tell her?'" In late 2004, Higgenson brought DiCrescenzo a disc with the finished song.

DiCrescenzo stated she found it difficult to deal with the popularity of a song written about her. "When I'm at the gym, it's playing; when I'm at the pool, it's playing. Part of me wants to scream at the top of my lungs that it's about me. Another part of me wants to cower and say it's not. [...] It was so beautifully written. There was pressure to live up to this ideal. I didn't know how to be polite but, you know, ditch him."[7]

"Hey There Delilah" is written in the key of D major,[8] with a tempo of 104 beats per minute in common time.[9]

The song was recorded and produced by Ariel Rechtshaid in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. The band's fourth album, Every Second Counts, has "Hey There Delilah" as a bonus track with a string section written and performed by Eric Remschneider augmenting the original recording, also present in the song's official music video.[10]

Release

edit

Plain White T's released the song in May 2006 as the third single from their third studio album All That We Needed. In 2007, over one year after the song's release, it became the band's first hit in the United States, eventually reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in July, marking the first Hot 100 No. 1 entry for Hollywood Records and Disney Music Group in the chart.[11] From July 3 through July 28, 2007, it was the most played song on radio and the most downloaded song on the US iTunes Music Store.

It was Plain White T's first major hit.[12] It also reached number two in the UK.[13] The song ended 2007 as the year's 14th biggest-selling single in the UK.[14]

Since its release, it has sold over 4,000,000 digital copies in the US alone.[15]

Music video

edit

The video, directed by Jay Martin, features the band's lead singer, Tom Higgenson, singing the song while the band members are in another room behind him. The other band members are not playing in the song. The only other instruments are the strings provided by Eric Remschneider, who does not appear in the video. In a split-screen, it shows Delilah, played by model Melissa McNelis, who attends college in New York City.

Critical reception

edit

Time magazine named "Hey There Delilah" one of The 10 Best Songs of 2007, ranking it number seven.[16] Music critic Josh Tyrangiel called it "an intimate love song that's damn near universal". Tyrangiel praised the Plain White T's for managing to make another "aching guy reaching out to distant girl song feel fresh", singling out singer Tom Higgenson's otherwise imperfect voice and "nasal delivery [for making] the nearly-comic sincerity of the lyrics seem completely genuine".[17] AllMusic positively compared the song to "Thirteen" by Big Star.[18]

The song was a double 2008 Grammy Award nominee, for Song of the Year (won by Amy Winehouse) and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (won by Maroon 5). DiCrescenzo attended the gala that year as the guest of Higgenson.[19]

On VH1's Top 40 Videos of 2007, "Hey There Delilah" was number eight, ahead of "If Everyone Cared" by Nickelback and behind "Say It Right" by Nelly Furtado. VH1 had the song at number 78 on its list of the 100 Greatest Songs of the '00s.[20]

The band was featured on Sesame Street in 2008 with the song "I'm the Letter T" (to the tune of "Hey There Delilah"). Higgenson provided the vocals for the animated letter T who sings the spoof. When asked if he was excited, Higgenson responded, "Yeah, hello! It's a dream. But it's just my voice. There's going to be some Muppet singing it on the screen."[21]

Charts

edit

Certifications

edit
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[72] Platinum 70,000^
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[73] Gold 30,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[74] 3× Platinum 120,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[75] Platinum 90,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[76] Platinum 300,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[77] Platinum 50,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[78] Gold 7,500*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[79] Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[80] 3× Platinum 1,800,000‡
United States (RIAA)[82] 4× Platinum 4,476,000[81]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

edit
Country Release date
United States 9 May 2006 (2006-05-09)
Worldwide 30 August 2007 (2007-08-30)

Other versions

edit

In March 2008, the Sugababes released a cover of the song as a B-side to Denial. [83]

In 2020, Kallista Rowan first published a version called "Hey it's Delilah" from Delilah's perspective in her enduring long-distance relationship with the singer of "Hey There Delilah".[84] In the same year Jessica Ricca made a version also called "Hey it's Delilah" from Delilah's perspective after the long-distance relationship fell apart, the singer of "Hey There Delilah" had a new girlfriend and Delilah felt heartbroken. As of June 2023, this version has more than 10 million views on YouTube.[85] Two years later Jessica made a second version of her "Hey it's Delilah" to finish Delilah's story with a goodbye song a week before Delilah's wedding to another man.[86]

Also in 2020, American Youtuber Melody Martin made a parody named "Hey Jason Botterill', in which she takes shots at former Buffalo Sabres General Manager Jason Botterill.[87] American rapper Rod Wave interpolated the song on his 2021 single "By Your Side".[4]

In 2023, an AI cover of the song using a vocal model based on Kanye West was brought to mainstream attention.[88][89][90]

In 2024, comedian Snowd4y and fellow Canadian rapper Drake published a rewritten version of this song, infused with Toronto slang and titled "Wah Gwan Delilah."[91] It was one of Drake's first releases after the Drake–Kendrick Lamar feud and was widely derided on social media.[92][93] The excessive audio manipulation and poor overall quality of the song led many to falsely believe it was AI-generated, including the Plain White T's who captioned the rendition as leaving them "too stunned to speak."[94] It sparked wide internet confusion and mockery,[95] and has divided people regarding its authenticity.[96][97][98][99][100] The Plain White T's frontman Tom Higgenson reacted to the cover with confusion, nonetheless remarking that it was "cool, whatever".[101] Drake performed the song live for the first time at labelmate PartyNextDoor's Toronto concert on August 2 later in the year.[102]

Television series

edit

In August 2018, it was announced by the band's frontman and songwriter, Tom Higgenson, that Lively McCabe Entertainment and Primary Wave, along with writer Jeremy Desmon, would be teaming up to develop a potential series based on the band's hit song. Expanding on the story within the song, the series is described as being a romantic dramedy telling the contemporary fairy tale of a long-distance flirtation between a struggling singer-songwriter and a New York City university student. The songwriter pledges to write a song for the young woman on the night they meet, and that promise changes their lives in unexpected ways. The series will be pitched to potential networks and streaming services.[103]

Non Profit

edit

Hey There Delilah (a 501c3) was launched in March 2024 by 3 California natives who hope to ease the financial burden that battling Cancer causes fighters and their families. The President, Samantha Loya, is the mother of a stage 4 neuroblastoma warrior and Stephani Pierce, the Vice President, is herself a cancer survivor.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Plain White T's website – Recording journal". June 7, 2004. Archived from the original on June 7, 2004. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  2. ^ Mervis, Scott (December 12, 2013). "Review: O Starry Night show big on hits, low on production". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
  3. ^ Neustaeter, Brooklyn (August 8, 2018). "Plain White T's 'Hey There Delilah' Is Being Turned Into A TV Show". Much. Archived from the original on February 25, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Partridge, Ken (November 23, 2021). "Rod Wave Interpolates Plain White T's On New Song "By Your Side"". Genius. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  5. ^ "10 EMO SONGS FROM 2005 THAT NEVER LEFT YOUR PLAYLIST". Alternative Press. February 14, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  6. ^ Celizic, Mike (January 23, 2008). "Muse shares story behind 'Hey There Delilah'". Archived from the original on January 29, 2008. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
  7. ^ Mansfield, Brian (June 25, 2007). "Plain White T's didn't get the girl, but the world got 'Delilah'". USA Today. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  8. ^ Tom, Higgenson; T's, Plain White (July 10, 2007). "Hey There Delilah". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  9. ^ Tom, Higgenson; T's, Plain White (July 10, 2007). "Hey There Delilah". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  10. ^ "Plain White T's 'Hey There Delilah' Is Number One". Ultimate Guitar. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
  11. ^ Trust, Gary (January 31, 2022). "'Encanto' Song "We Don't Talk About Bruno" Hits No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  12. ^ Pingitore, Silvia (November 11, 2021). "The only interview with Tom Higgenson of Plain White T's that is not just about Hey There Delilah". Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  13. ^ "Sean Kingston Keeps Top Spot In UK Charts". World Entertainment News Network. Archived from the original on February 16, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  14. ^ "BBC - Radio 1 - Chart Show - The UK Top 40 Singles". BBC Music. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
  15. ^ "Week Ending March 6, 2011: Songs: Rated PG". Yahoo! Chart Watch. March 9, 2011. Archived from the original on March 14, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
  16. ^ "Top 10 Everything Of 2007". Time. December 9, 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2007. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  17. ^ Tyrangiel, Josh (December 24, 2007). "The Best Top 10 Lists of the Year: The 10 Best Songs". Time. Archived from the original on December 12, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
  18. ^ All That We Needed - Plain White T's | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic
  19. ^ "Delilah DiCrescenzo Finally Gives Tom Higgenson a Date". Celebpeeps.net. Archived from the original on March 22, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  20. ^ Anderson, Kyle (September 29, 2011). "U2, Rihanna, Amy Winehouse, Foo Fighters fill out VH1's '100 Greatest Songs of the '00s'". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  21. ^ Fuoco-Karasinski, Christina (September 8, 2008). "Plain White T's head from Malibu to Sesame Street". LiveDaily. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  22. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  23. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  24. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  25. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  26. ^ "Plain White Ts Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  27. ^ "Top Lista Hrvatskog Radija". Croatian Radiotelevision. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  28. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 1. týden 2008 in the date selector.
  29. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah". Tracklisten.
  30. ^ "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 119, no. 44. November 3, 2007. p. 69. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  31. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  32. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  33. ^ "Nielsen Music Control Airplay - Germany Top 5". Nielsen Music Control on behalf of BVMI. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  34. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah". Top Digital Download.
  35. ^ "Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah - Music Charts". Acharts.us. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  36. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Plain White T's" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  37. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  38. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah". Top 40 Singles.
  39. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah". VG-lista.
  40. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  41. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200743 into search.
  42. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah". Singles Top 100.
  43. ^ "Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah". Swiss Singles Chart.
  44. ^ "Plain White T's: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  45. ^ "Plain White Ts Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  46. ^ "Plain White Ts Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  47. ^ "Plain White Ts Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  48. ^ "Plain White Ts Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  49. ^ "Plain White Ts Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  50. ^ Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Plain White T's
  51. ^ "ARIA End Of Year Singles 2007". ARIA. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  52. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2007". Austrian Charts (in German). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on May 17, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  53. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2007". Ultratop (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  54. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 13, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  55. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". Offizielle Deutsche Charts (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  56. ^ "Best of singles 2007". IRMA. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  57. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2007". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  58. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2007" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  59. ^ "Top Selling Singles of 2007". NZTop40. Recorded Music New Zealand Limited. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  60. ^ "Årslista Singlar - År 2007". Sverigetopplistan (in Swedish). Gramophone Suppliers Association. Archived from the original on May 31, 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  61. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2007". Hitparade (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  62. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 - 2007". Official Charts. The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  63. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  64. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs: Year End 2007". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  65. ^ "Adult Pop Songs: Year End 2007". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  66. ^ "Canadian Hot 100: 2008 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  67. ^ "Top Canada AC Songs". R&R. December 12, 2008. p. 67.
  68. ^ "Year End Charts: European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  69. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". Offizielle Deutsche Charts (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  70. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs - Year End 2008". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  71. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 Singles & Tracks - Decade Year End Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  72. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2007 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
  73. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  74. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah". Music Canada. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  75. ^ "Danish single certifications – Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  76. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Plain White T's; 'Hey There Delilah')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  77. ^ "Italian single certifications – Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  78. ^ "Latest Gold / Platinum Singles". Radioscope. August 21, 2011. Archived from the original on August 31, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  79. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  80. ^ "British single certifications – Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  81. ^ Grein, Paul (March 27, 2013). "Week Ending March 24, 2013. Songs: 5 Million "Thrift Shoppers"". Chart Watch. Yahoo Music. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  82. ^ "American single certifications – Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  83. ^ "Sound Bites". Evening Telegraph. Trinity Mirror. January 25, 2008. Retrieved March 4, 2013.[permanent dead link‍](subscription required)
  84. ^ "Hey it's Delilah-Kallista Rowan (Lyric video)". YouTube. April 20, 2020.
  85. ^ "Hey it's Delilah". Jessica Ricca YouTube. April 24, 2020. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  86. ^ ""Hey It's Delilah" 2 Years Later (Jessica Ricca)". YouTube. January 12, 2022.
  87. ^ "Hey Jason Botterill" - A Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah" Parody, January 30, 2020, retrieved December 28, 2022
  88. ^ Hey There Delilah but it's Kanye's Voice (So Vits SVC), March 27, 2023, retrieved May 3, 2023
  89. ^ Siniscalco, Elena (April 18, 2023). "Artificial intelligence is transforming our music, starting with Kanye West". CityAM. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  90. ^ "AI-generated Drake and The Weeknd song goes viral". BBC News. April 17, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  91. ^ Martinez, Jose. "Drake Hops On Snowd4y's "Wah Gwan Delilah"". Complex. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  92. ^ "Drake Drops Remix of Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah": Stream". Yahoo Entertainment. June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  93. ^ Castro, Danilo (June 4, 2024). "Drake Just Covered "Hey There Delilah" And The Internet Is Baffled". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  94. ^ Watercutter, Angela. "The Plain White T's Gave Drake a Plain Old L". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  95. ^ Parkel, Inga (June 4, 2024). "Drake baffles fans with Plain White Ts cover 'Wah Gwan Delilah'". The Independent. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  96. ^ Murray, Conor (June 4, 2024). "Drake Confounds Internet With Bizarre 'Wah Gwan Delilah' Song—Which Some Think Might Be AI". Forbes. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  97. ^ Jordan Rose (June 4, 2024). "Trying to Make Sense of Drake's "Wah Gwan Delilah" Remix". Complex.
  98. ^ Diaz, Angel (June 4, 2024). "Everyone Is Confused About This New Drake Song". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  99. ^ Richie Assaly (June 4, 2024). "Love it or hate it, Drake's new song is an ode to Toronto youth culture". Toronto Star.
  100. ^ Ethan Shanfeld (June 4, 2024). "Drake Cover of 'Hey There Delilah' Goes Viral — but Is It Real or AI?". Variety.
  101. ^ Diaz, Angel (June 6, 2024). "Watch the Plain White T's React to Hearing Snowd4y & Drake's 'Wah Gwan Delilah' for First Time". Billboard. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  102. ^ Fu, Eddie (August 3, 2024). "Drake Debuts "Wah Gwan Delilah" Live in Toronto: Watch". Consequence. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  103. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (August 7, 2018). "Plain White T's Song "Hey There Delilah" Is Being Turned Into a TV Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wiki.x.io/w/index.php?title=Hey_There_Delilah&oldid=1258517270#Other_versions"