Little L

Album: A Funk Odyssey (2001)
Charted: 5
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Lead singer Jay Kay wrote this song about his ex-girlfriend Denise Van Outen, a British actress and dancer, after their breakup. Rumors of cheating swirled on both sides, but Jay Kay insisted the parting was amicable ... "whenever Denise wants it to be," that is.
  • "['Little L'] encompasses one day of my relationship with Denise. Not the whole thing. 'You make me love you with a little L, I can't understand what you want from me.' Which is what it was like with Den," Jay Kay explained to Esquire.

    "With Den it seemed like I couldn't do any right. She's a great girl, but you've got to hunt for what you really want, and we had slightly conflicting ideas about what that was. I'm a real long term guy. I really wanna be with someone to love them and have kids with them. Marriage, just because everyone else is doing it, does not come first. You don't need to marry me, 'cos you can have me, all of me. I've got so much love to give, to the right woman. And I don't think I'm a bad lad really ... It's not about buying rings; it's about offering love and being treated like the guy I really am, and that didn't really materialize."
  • This song was featured in the 2002 romantic comedy The Sweetest Thing, starring Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate and Selma Blair. It was also used in the 2010 romantic comedy The Switch, starring Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston.

Comments: 1

  • Paulina from Santiago, Chilemish.. I thought it could have been something like that.. a cheating, or maybe a girl he didnt love much because the girl was crazy haha
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

History Of Rock

History Of RockSong Writing

An interview with Dr. John Covach, music professor at the University of Rochester whose free online courses have become wildly popular.

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Bass Player Scott Edwards

Bass Player Scott EdwardsSong Writing

Scott was Stevie Wonder's bass player before becoming a top session player. Hits he played on include "I Will Survive," "Being With You" and "Sara Smile."

Joe Elliott of Def Leppard

Joe Elliott of Def LeppardSongwriter Interviews

The Def Leppard frontman talks about their "lamentable" hit he never thought of as a single, and why he's juiced by his Mott The Hoople cover band.

Amy Lee of Evanescence

Amy Lee of EvanescenceSongwriter Interviews

The Evanescence frontwoman on the songs that have shifted meaning and her foray into kids' music.