"Ooh La La"
Single by Coolio
from the album My Soul
ReleasedSeptember 9, 1997 (1997-09-09)[1]
StudioEcho Sound (Los Angeles)[2]
Length4:05
LabelTommy Boy
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Oji Pierce
Coolio singles chronology
"C U When U Get There"
(1997)		 "Ooh La La"
(1997)		 "The Hustler"
(2001)
Music video
"Ooh La La" on YouTube

"Ooh La La" is a song by American rapper Coolio, released as the second single from his third solo album, My Soul (1997), on September 9, 1997. The song contains a sample of "Pull Up to the Bumper" by Grace Jones, so Jones, Sly and Robbie, and Dana Manno were given writing credits. The song did not chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 but became a top-40 hit in other countries, including New Zealand, where it reached number two and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ).

Critical reception

British magazine Music Week rated the song three out of five, adding, "Gap Band-style funk meets the hookline of Pull Up To The Bumper on this feel-good single, providing an ideal basis for Coolio's slick rapping."[3] Alan Jones stated that the rapper's "run of success is likely to continue" with "Ooh La La". He concluded, "A bit of a throwaway compared to the mighty Gangsta's Paradise, (...) with Coolio's rhymes surprisingiy trite and childish but no less commercial for it."[4]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Ooh La La" was directed by American director G. Thomas.[5] It begins with Coolio eating breakfast while "Hit Em'" from My Soul plays. The mailman throws a newspaper through Coolio's window, hitting him in the side of the head. Coolio opens the newspaper and reads "Today you will find the Love of your Life, BUT BEWARE, she will NOT REVEAL herself to you. You MUST FIND HER". Coolio then goes about his day doing laundry, grocery shopping, and using an elevator, all while attempting to find the love of his life. After no success, he resorts to spiking a girl's drink with a love potion, serving it to her at a restaurant while posing as a waiter. After a mix up, an elderly woman drinks the love potion, much to Coolio's dismay. Coolio promptly runs away. Later that day Coolio is sitting in his car when a limo pulls up. The window opens and it appears to be the girl from the elevator. She hands something to Coolio before driving away. After the limo pulls out of the frame, the elderly woman is behind it, waving to Coolio. Coolio notices and quickly starts his car to drive away.[6]

Track listings

Charts

Chart (1997) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[11] 33
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 44
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[13] 58
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[14] 11
Germany (Official German Charts)[15] 80
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[16] 28
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 68
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 2
Scotland (OCC)[19] 23
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 39
UK Singles (OCC)[21] 14
UK Indie (OCC)[22] 3
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[23] 5

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[24] Gold 5,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Smith, Shawnee (August 30, 1997). "Coolio Stays True to Sound of His 'Soul'". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 35. p. 10. In the U.S., 'Ooh La La' [...] is being serviced to radio Sept. 9.
  2. 1 2 Ooh La La (Australian CD single liner notes). Coolio. Tommy Boy Records, Liberation Records. 1997. MUSH01683.2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ↑ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. September 13, 1997. p. 14. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  4. ↑ Jones, Alan (September 13, 1997). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 14. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Production Notes". Billboard. August 23, 1997. p. 102. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  6. ↑ "- YouTube". YouTube.
  7. ↑ Ooh La La (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Coolio. Tommy Boy Records. 1997. TBV 799.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ↑ Ooh La La (UK CD1 liner notes). Coolio. Tommy Boy Records. 1997. TBCD 7799.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ↑ Ooh La La (UK CD2 liner notes). Coolio. Tommy Boy Records. 1997. TBCD 799.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ↑ Ooh La La (UK cassette single sleeve). Coolio. Tommy Boy Records. 1997. TBC 7799.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ↑ "Coolio – Ooh La La". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Coolio – Ooh La La" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 43. October 25, 1997. p. 12. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Coolio: Ohh La La" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Coolio – Ooh La La" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (20.11. – 27.11.1997)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). November 21, 1997. p. 22. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Coolio – Ooh La La" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Coolio – Ooh La La". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Coolio – Ooh La La". Singles Top 100. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  24. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Coolio – Ooh La La". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
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