"Yes I Do" is a song by New Zealand band L.A.B., released on their album '' L.A.B. IV'' in December 2020. The song was released as a single in July 2021, and since its release has been certified double platinum in New Zealand.

Background and release

L.A.B. began working on writing and recording sessions for '' L.A.B. IV'' in 2020, and were able to spend more time focused on writing the record due to the effects of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

on the band's ability to tour. "Yes I Do" was released in July 2021, after the band's summer performances at

Mount Smart Stadium Mount Smart Stadium, currently known as Go Media Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a multi-purpose stadium in the suburb of Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand. It is the main home ground of the New Zealand Warriors of the National Rugby League a ...

in Auckland and the Bowl of Brooklands in

New Plymouth New Plymouth () is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, in Devon, from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. The New Pl ...

, while the band began work on their following album '' L.A.B. V''. The song was compiled onto the band's 2023 album '' Introducing L.A.B.'', originally produced as a sampler for their debut European performances.

Critical reception

Tim Gruar of ''Ambient Light Blog'' likened the song to works by

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...

and

Percy Sledge Percy Tyrone Sledge (November 25, 1940 – April 14, 2015) was an American R&B, soul and gospel singer. He is best known for the song " When a Man Loves a Woman", a No. 1 hit on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and R&B singles charts in 19 ...

, especially Wonder's "

Isn't She Lovely "Isn't She Lovely" is a song by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album, '' Songs in the Key of Life''. The lyrics celebrate the birth of his daughter, Aisha Morris. Wonder collaborated on the song with Harlem songwriter and studio owner Burnetta "Bunny ...

". He praised the song's use of strings and "funky guitar", as well as Joel Shadbolt's "sugar, sweet, charming and soothing" vocals, and despite overall praise, felt the song was slightly too familiar to other works. ''Reggae Vibes'' reviewers likened the song's use of strings and "fat bass and horns" to the mid-1970s works of

Al Green Albert Leornes Greene (born April 13, 1946), known professionally as Al Green, is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer. He is best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including " Tired of ...

Credits and personnel

*A. Adams-Tamatea – bass *The Black Quartet – violin, viola *Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper – string composition and arrangement *James Guilford – trumpet *L.A.B. – arrangement, songwriting *B. Kora – backing vocals, drums, lyrics *S. Kora – backing vocals, keys *M. Gregory – backing vocals, B3 organ, keys *J Shadbolt – lead guitar, lead & backing vocals *Kaito Walley – trombone *Louisa Williamson – tenor saxophone

Charts

Certifications

References

{{L.A.B. 2021 singles 2020 songs L.A.B. songs