The Delfonics

"Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love)" served as the basis of two hit hip hop singles: Lauryn Hill integrates the chorus into the chorus for The Fugees' 1996 hit "Ready or Not", and Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott and Timbaland sampled the ominous string/horn intro for Elliott's hit 1997 "Sock It to Me". Frischmann herself was no stranger to television jingles; her uncle wrote the theme song to Benny Hill. Their music enjoyed a mild renaissance in the mid-1990s when Quentin Tarantino used "La La Means I Love You" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" in a pivotal role in the film Jackie Brown. Their song "Connection" was used in May 2004 in Garnier television commercials. However, in the absence of Thom Bell, the Delfonics' career declined sharply, and the band was effectively over by 1975. The band then released a final single and announced their break-up in September 2001. The Delfonics swiftly produced another album, Alive and Kicking, produced by Stan Watson. After personnel problems delayed it, the follow-up LP, The Menace, was released in 2000 to moderate sales.

Randy Cain left the group in 1971, to be replaced by Major Harris; by then, however, Thom Bell had moved on to produce the first album for The Stylistics. Elastica was able to garner better American sales than other Britpop bands, replacing Sinéad O'Connor on Lollapalooza in 1995. Philadelphia soul was smoother than traditional soul, strongly influenced by Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" production, but solidly based in the doo-wop sounds of the 1950s. In spite of a lawsuit from Wire claiming that many of the band's melodies were taken from Wire compositions, Elastica's first LP, Elastica, entered the charts at #1. Four more Bell-produced albums appeared in the next few years: The Sexy Sound of Soul, The Delfonics Super Hits, The Delfonics and Tell Me This is a Dream. Among the Delfonics' popular hits were "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)", "Lying to Myself", and "Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love)". In spite of a period of relative quiet, Elastica's fame grew throughout 1994 as Frischmann's relationship with Blur's Damon Albarn made tabloid headlines. Bell dreamed of creating a Phildelphia version of Motown and struck gold with the Delfonics, whose first album, released on Watson's own Philly Groove label, featured the hit "La La Means I Love You", in 1968. Their first single was 1993's "Stutter", which was a word-of-mouth hit.

At Cameo, Stan Watson introduced them to the man who made them famous, producer Thom Bell, then working with Chubby Checker. Elastica were a Britpop band in the 1990s, formed by Justine Frischmann after leaving Suede in 1991. Frischmann recruited Justin Welch (formally of garage rock band Spitfire - drums), Annie Holland (bass) and Donna Matthews (guitar). Soon, they became known throughout the Philadelphia area, signing with Cameo Records. Brothers William and Wilbert Hart formed the group with Randy Cain in high school in the early 1960s. The Delfonics were a quintessential Philadelphia soul singing group, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Download sample "Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love)".