Patti Labelle: "Lady Marmalade" (Live - Ellen Show)

"Lady Marmalade" is a number #1 hit song, reaching the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts two times first in 1975 and then 26 years later in 2001. First released in 1974, the song was first made famous by the girl group Labelle. Produced by Allen Toussaint, "Lady Marmalade" became a number-one hit the next year. The song is most famous for its sexually suggestive chorus of "voulez-vous coucher avec moi (ce soir)?"

The song held the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the United States for one week and topped the Canadian RPM national singles chart on the same date. Labelle's version of "Lady Marmalade" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003. "Lady Marmalade" was written by Bob Crewe (who co-wrote many of the hits recorded by The Four Seasons) and Kenny Nolan. The songwriting pair had previously collaborated on the hit Frankie Valli song "My Eyes Adored You".

The song came about after Crewe made first-hand observations in New Orleans. First recorded by Nolan's group Eleventh Hour in 1974 on Eleventh Hour's Greatest Hits LP, Labelle's producer Allen Toussaint decided to record it as the main track for the album Nightbirds. The record was produced by Toussaint, with instrumental backing from The Meters.

The song has received many cover versions over the years. In 1998 the girl group All Saints took the track to the top of the UK Singles Chart for the first time. The 2001 version by singers Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa, and Pink was a single for the Moulin Rouge! film's soundtrack. Missy Elliott produced the version, with instrumental help from producer Rockwilder. The song was mixed by audio engineer Dave "Hard Drive" Pensado. Their version was a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. for 5 weeks, from May 27 to June 30, 2001. The Moulin Rouge! version of "Lady Marmalade" was also a number-one hit in Australia, introducing the song to a new generation of American music listeners, and brought the song's infamous catchphrase back into mainstream American culture. The 2001 version won Christina Aguilera, Lil Kim, Mya, and Pink each a Grammy. In 2004, LaBelle's original version of "Lady Marmalade" was ranked #479 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In the United Kingdom, the song has been sung on several talent shows, including The X Factor by Leona Lewis, and on Eurovision: Your Country Needs You by Jade Ewen, where in both instances, the lyric "voulez-vous coucher avec moi (ce soir)?" was changed to "voulez-vous chanter avec moi (ce soir)?" (do you want to sing with me (tonight)?).


- Lyrics:

Hey Sister, Go Sister, Soul Sister, Go Sister
Hey Sister, Go Sister, Soul Sister, Go Sister

He met Marmalade down in Old New Orleans
Struttin' her stuff on the street
She said "Hello,
Hey Joe, you wanna give it a go?" Mmm, Mmm.

Itchi Gitchi Ya Ya Da Da
Itchi Gitchi Ya Ya Here
Mocha-choca-lata Ya Ya
Creole Lady Marmalade

Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?

He sat in her boudoir while she freshened up
The boy drank all her magnolia-wine
On the black satin sheets oh I swear he started to freak

Itchi Gitchi Ya Ya Da Da
Itchi Gitchi Ya Ya Here
Mocha-choca-lata Ya Ya
Creole Lady Marmalade

Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?

(Instrumental bridge)

Hey, Hey, Hey
Touching her skin feelin' silky smooth
The colour of cafe au lait
Made the savage beast inside
Roar until it cried, More, More, More

Now he's back home doing 9 to 5
Living his grey flannel life
But when he turns off to sleep
Old memories creep, More, More, More

Itchi Gitchi Ya Ya Da Da Da
Itchi Gitchi Ya Ya here
Mocha-choco-lata Ya Ya
Creole Lady Marmalade

Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?
Voulez-vous couchez avec moi ce soir?
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?
Mmm, Hmmm

Itchi Gitchi Ya Ya Da Da
Itchi Gitchi Ya Ya Here
Mocha-choco-lata Ya Ya
[repeat to end]