BigMama performs today (February 9) with Gaia, La Niña and Sissi to the tune of “Lady Marmalade” by Labelle.
Sanremo 2024, fourth evening lineup: the covers (and duets) arrive. From Lorella Cuccarini co-host to Arisa and Gigi D’Agostino, all the guests
The single, written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan, was released by the American group Labelle in 1974. An enormously popular song, it has been the subject of numerous covers, the most famous of which is undoubtedly that of Christina Aguilera in 2001.
INSIGHTS
Meaning
The song is an anthem that celebrates female power and desire, extremely lively and provocative. It’s about a man who meets a mysterious New Orleans Creole woman named Marmalade, who is independent and has no qualms about expressing her sexuality. Through vivid imagery and sensual rhythms, the song conveys a vivid portrait of Marmalade. The song ends with the French phrase “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?”, which translates to “Do you want to sleep with me tonight?”.
Text
Where’s all my soul sistas?
Lemme hear ya’ll flow, sistas
Hey last, go last, soul last, flow last
Hey last, go last, soul last, go last
He met Marmalade down in old Moulin Rouge
Struttin’ her stuff on the street
She said, “Hello, hey Joe, you wanna give it a go?”
Oh, uh-huh
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, da-da (hey, hey, hey)
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, here
Mocha Chocolata, ya-ya (ooh, yeah)
Creole Lady Marmalade
(What-what? What-what?)
Ooh, oh
Do you want to sleep with me tonight?
Do you want to sleep with me?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
He sat in her boudoir while she freshened up
Boy drank all that Magnolia wine
On her black satin sheets’ where he started to freak, yeah
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, da-da (da-da-da)
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, here (ooh, yeah, yeah)
Mocha Chocolata, ya-ya (yeah, yeah)
Creole Lady Marmalade
Do you want to sleep with me tonight?
(Ce soir, what, what, what?)
Do you want to sleep with me? Ooh
Yeah, yeah, uh
We come through with the money and the garter belts
Let him know we ’bout that cake straight out the gate (uh)
We independent women, some mistake us for whores
I’m sayin’, “Why spend mine when I can spend yours?”
Disagree? Well, that’s you, and I’m sorry
I’ma keep playing these cats out like Atari
Wear high heel shoes, get love from the dudes
Four badass chicks from the Moulin Rouge
Hey sistas, soul sistas, betta get that dough, sistas
We drink wine with diamonds in the glass
By the case, the meaning of expensive taste
If you wanna gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya (c’mon)
Mocha Chocolata (what?)
Creole Lady Marmalade
One more time, c’mon now
Marmalade (ooh)
Lady Marmalade (ooh, yeah, yeah)
Marmalade (no, yeah)
Hey, hey, hey
Touch of her skin, feeling silky smooth, hey
Color of café au lait, alright
Made the savage beast inside roar until he cried
More (more), more (more), more
Now he’s back home doin’ 9 to 5 (9 to 5)
He’s livin’ the grey flannel life
But when he turns off to sleep, memories creep
More (more), more (more), more
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, da-da (da-da, yeah)
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, here (ooh)
Mocha Chocolata (ohh), ya-ya (oh)
Creole Lady Marmalade
Do you want to sleep with me tonight? (This evening)
Do you want to sleep with me? (All my sisters, yeah)
Do you want to sleep with me tonight? (This evening)
Do you want to sleep with me, ohh (c’mon, uh)
Christina (hey, oh)
P!nk (Lady Marmalade)
Lil’ Kim (hey, hey, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh)
Mya (oh-oh, oh, ohh)
Rockwilder, baby (baby)
Moulin Rouge (ooh-oh, da-duh, da-duh)
Misdemeanor here
Creole Lady Marmalade
Ooh, ooh-ooh, yes