"Lady Marmalade" is a song written by
Bob Crewe
Robert Stanley Crewe (November 12, 1930 – September 11, 2014) was an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, and record producer. He was known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for the Four Season ...
and
Kenny Nolan, originally for Nolan's disco group. The song is famous for the repeated refrain of "
''Voulez-vous coucher avec moi''?" in
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
as part of the chorus, a sexually suggestive line that translates into English as: "Do you want to sleep with me?" The song first became a popular hit when it was recorded in 1974 by the American R&B group
Labelle and held the number-one spot on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart for one week, and also topped the Canadian ''
RPM'' national singles chart. In 2021, the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The librar ...
selected Labelle's version for preservation in the
National Recording Registry
The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservati ...
for being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant."
The song has had many cover versions over the years. In 1998, girl group
All Saints released a cover of the song that peaked at number one on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. The 2001 version by singers
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice o ...
,
Mýa
Mya Marie Harrison (; born October 10, 1979), (stylized as Mýa), is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress. Born into a musical family, she studied ballet, jazz, and tap dance as a child. Initially, Mýa began her career as a VJ ...
,
Pink
Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
and rapper
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include:
*
*
*
*
* better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...
, recorded for the ''
Moulin Rouge!
''Moulin Rouge!'' (, ) is a 2001 jukebox musical romantic drama film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It follows a young English poet, Christian, who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and cou ...
''
soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
, was a number-one hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for five weeks, and also a number-one hit in the UK. "Lady Marmalade" was the ninth song to reach number one by two different musical acts in America.
Labelle version
Background and release

The song was written by
Bob Crewe
Robert Stanley Crewe (November 12, 1930 – September 11, 2014) was an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, and record producer. He was known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for the Four Season ...
and
Kenny Nolan, and was inspired by Crewe's experiences in New Orleans and the sex workers in the area. A demo of the song was first recorded by The Eleventh Hour, a disco group made up of studio musicians fronted by Nolan on vocals. It was added in 1974 as a track on the ''Eleventh Hour's Greatest Hits'' LP, which did not chart. Crewe showed the song to
Allen Toussaint
Allen Richard Toussaint (; January 14, 1938 – November 10, 2015) was an American musician, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He was an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues from the 1950s to the end of the century, describ ...
in New Orleans, and Toussaint then decided to record the song with Labelle.
Labelle's version of "Lady Marmalade" was produced by
Allen Toussaint
Allen Richard Toussaint (; January 14, 1938 – November 10, 2015) was an American musician, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He was an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues from the 1950s to the end of the century, describ ...
and Vicki Wickham. It was released in November 1974 from ''
Nightbirds'', their first album after signing with Epic Records.
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer, actress and businesswoman.
LaBelle is referred to as the " Godmother of Soul".
She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singe ...
sang lead vocals on "Lady Marmalade" with backing vocals being contributed by bandmates
Nona Hendryx and
Sarah Dash. The song is best known for the explicit French lyric "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?" (English: "Do you want to sleep with me tonight?") in the refrain. "Lady Marmalade" is a song about a
prostitute, although Patti LaBelle, the lead vocalist of the band, was completely oblivious to its overall message, saying: "I didn't know what it was about. I don't know French and nobody, I swear this is God's truth, nobody at all told me what I'd just sung a song about."
Reception
Steve Huey from
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
selected the song as one of the best tracks on Labelle's 1995 compilation ''Lady Marmalade: The Best of Patti and Labelle''. Critic
Robert Christgau
Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...
described it as "great synthetic French-quarter raunch."
"Lady Marmalade" is billed as the song that made Labelle one of the "hottest girl groups" of the 1970s. It was a number-one hit for one week on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart in the United States during the early spring of 1975, and charted at number one for one week on the ''Billboard''
Top Soul Singles chart. Along with the track, "What Can I Do for You?", "Lady Marmalade" peaked at number seven on the disco/dance charts. The single was also a major hit in the United Kingdom, where it charted at number seventeen . "Lady Marmalade" replaced another Crewe/Nolan composition,
Frankie Valli's "
My Eyes Adored You", as the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number-one single. This feat made Crewe and Nolan the third songwriting team in ''Billboard'' history (after
Lennon–McCartney
Lennon–McCartney was the songwriting partnership between English musicians John Lennon (1940–1980) and Paul McCartney (born 1942) of the Beatles. It is the best-known and most successful musical collaboration ever by records sold, with the ...
and
Holland–Dozier–Holland
Holland–Dozier–Holland was a songwriting and production team consisting of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland. The trio wrote, arranged and produced many songs that helped define the Motown sound in the 1960s. ...
) to replace themselves at number one.
''Billboard'' ranked it as the No. 22 song for 1975. Labelle performed "Lady Marmalade" on ''Soul Train'' on December 7, 1974.
"Lady Marmalade" debuted at number 92 on the Canadian ''
RPM'' singles chart on February 1, 1975. It subsequently peaked atop the chart on March 29, 1975, after five weeks on the chart.
Labelle's version of "Lady Marmalade" was inducted into the
Grammy Hall of Fame
The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...
in 2003. and was ranked number 479 on ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...
''s list of
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004 and number 485 in 2010. The Labelle version also appears in several films, including ''
The Long Kiss Goodnight'', ''
Dick
Dick, Dicks, or Dick's may refer to:
Media
* ''Dicks'' (album), a 2004 album by Fila Brazillia
* Dicks (band), a musical group
* ''Dick'' (film), a 1999 American comedy film
* "Dick" (song), a 2019 song by Starboi3 featuring Doja Cat
Names ...
'', and ''
Jacob's Ladder''. It was used in the video game ''
Karaoke Revolution Volume 2'' as a version performed with Patti LaBelle.
''Billboard'' named the song number 16 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time. In 2021, the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The librar ...
selected the song for preservation in the
National Recording Registry
The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservati ...
for being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant".
Track listings
* US 7-inch single
# "Lady Marmalade" – 3:14
# "Space Children" – 3:04
* Europe 7-inch single
# "Lady Marmalade" – 3:14
# "It Took a Long Time" – 4:04
Credits and personnel
* Lead vocals by
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer, actress and businesswoman.
LaBelle is referred to as the " Godmother of Soul".
She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singe ...
* Backing vocals by
Sarah Dash and
Nona Hendryx
* Instrumentation by
The Meters
**
Allen Toussaint
Allen Richard Toussaint (; January 14, 1938 – November 10, 2015) was an American musician, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He was an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues from the 1950s to the end of the century, describ ...
–
RMI Electra Piano, percussion, arrangements
**
Art Neville
Arthur Lanon Neville Jr. (December 17, 1937 – July 22, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter and keyboardist from New Orleans.
Neville was a staple of the New Orleans music scene for over five decades. He was the founder of the funk band ...
–
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs ...
**
George Porter Jr.
George Porter Jr. (born December 26, 1947) is an American musician, best known as the bassist and singer of The Meters. Along with Art Neville, Porter formed the group in the mid 1960s and came to be recognized as one of the progenitors of fun ...
– bass guitar
**
Leo Nocentelli, Rev. Edward Levone Batts – guitar
**
Herman "Roscoe" Ernest III
Herman Ernest III (August 12, 1951 – March 6, 2011), best known as Roscoe, was an American drummer in the New Orleans funk scene, and is best known for his drumming in Dr. John's band the Lower 911 for almost 30 years. "Renowned for his large ...
– drums
** James "Budd" Ellison – piano
** Earl Turbinton – alto saxophone
** Alvin Thomas – tenor saxophone
** Clyde Kerr, Jr. - trumpet
** Lester Caliste – trombone
** Carl Blouin – baritone saxophone
** Clarence Ford – alto saxophone
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Sabrina version
Background and release
"Lady Marmalade" was covered by
Italian pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' (G ...
star
Sabrina on her
eponymous album. It was released in 1987 as the album's second single by
Baby Records. In some countries, including France and the Netherlands, the song was known as "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi? (Lady Marmalade)" and was released in 1988. Author James Arena named the cover among Sabrina's "relentlessly catchy" singles. The song charted at number 36 on the Belgian Flanders Singles Chart, number 40 on the Dutch Single Top 100, and number 41 on the French Singles Chart.
Track listings
* 7-inch maxi
# "Lady Marmalade" – 3:55
# "Boys, Hot Girl, Sexy Girl" (7-inch megamix) – 4:10
* 12-inch maxi
# "Lady Marmalade" (12-inch remix) – 5:57
# "Boys, Hot Girl, Sexy Girl" (12-inch megamix) – 6:04
* CD maxi
# "Lady Marmalade" (12-inch remix) – 6:08
# "Boys, Hot Girl, Sexy Girl" (megamix) – 6:04
# "Lady Marmalade" – 3:55
* Remixed by Peter Vriends, produced by Claudio Cecchetto
Charts
Credits and personnel
Credits for Sabrina's version are adapted from CD liner notes:
* Written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan
* Design – Bart Falkmann
* Producer – C. Cecchetto
* Remix – Peter Vriends
All Saints version
Background and release
In 1998, English-Canadian girl group
All Saints recorded a cover version of "Lady Marmalade" as part of the
double A-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...
d single
"Under the Bridge" / "Lady Marmalade". In Europe, only the "Lady Marmalade" single was released. The All Saints version contains different lyrics for its verses; the only lyrics retained from the original composition are the chorus. A version remixed by
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...
appeared on the ''
Dr. Dolittle'' soundtrack.
Reception
''
Daily Record'' described All Saints' version as a "passable version of
LaBelle's
disco classic." "Lady Marmalade" was the third single taken from their self-titled debut studio album; it contained the "Marmalade" cover and a cover version of "Under the Bridge" by
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, f ...
. The single reached number one on the official UK Top 40 chart, becoming the group's second number-one hit. A total of 424,799 singles have been sold in the UK, with proceeds from the single going to breast cancer charities.
Music video
The
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...
for the song shows the band members and other people having a dance party on one of the floors of a skyscraper in New York City at night. British actress Kathryn Allerston appears in the music video.
Track listings
* All Saints CD maxi single
# "Lady Marmalade" ('98 mix) – 4:02
# "Lady Marmalade" (Mark's Miami Madness mix) – 7:55
# "Lady Marmalade" (Sharp South Park vocal remix) – 8:09
# "Lady Marmalade" (Henry & Hayne's La Jam mix) – 6:47
* All Saints CD 1
# "Under the Bridge" – 5:03
# "Lady Marmalade" – 4:04
# "No More Lies" – 4:08
# "Lady Marmalade" (Henry & Haynes La Jam mix) – 9:23
# "Under the Bridge" (promo video) – 5:00
* All Saints CD 2
# "Lady Marmalade" (Mark!'s
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at th ...
Madness mix) – 7:56
# "Lady Marmalade" (Sharp
South Park vocal remix) – 8:10
# "Under the Bridge" (Ignorance remix featuring Jean Paul e.s.q) – 4:55
# "Get Bizzy" – 3:45
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
''Moulin Rouge!'' version
Background and release
In 2001, the song "Lady Marmalade" appeared as part of a medley in the film ''
Moulin Rouge!
''Moulin Rouge!'' (, ) is a 2001 jukebox musical romantic drama film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It follows a young English poet, Christian, who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and cou ...
''. For the film's soundtrack album,
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice o ...
,
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include:
*
*
*
*
* better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...
,
Mýa
Mya Marie Harrison (; born October 10, 1979), (stylized as Mýa), is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress. Born into a musical family, she studied ballet, jazz, and tap dance as a child. Initially, Mýa began her career as a VJ ...
, and
Pink
Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
recorded a cover version; it was released as the soundtrack's first
single in April 2001. Produced by
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
and writing partner
Rockwilder
Dana Stinson (born February 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Rockwilder, is an American hip hop record producer and rapper.
A long term friend of Def Jam rapper Redman, Rockwilder got his start producing for East Coast hip hop artists ...
, it includes an intro and outro from Elliott. Lyrics were changed from the original version, transferring the song's setting from New Orleans to the
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...
nightclub
Moulin Rouge
Moulin Rouge (, ; ) is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche.
In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was co-founded by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Oly ...
.
Aguilera said she embraced the idea of collaborating with Elliott, Pink, Mýa and Lil' Kim on the track as soon as it was pitched to her. "I'm a fan of all of theirs, and just to be in the same song doing something with them—collaborating, which I love to do, is a really big thing for me," she said. "And it's cool to be out there before my next album comes out there, too."
Critical reception
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
's Brand Kohlenstein praised the song. saying that the ladies "teamed up for a surefire hit with their naughtier version of Patti Labelle's 'Lady Marmalade.'" ''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yo ...
'' praised the collaboration as well, describing it as "an accolade to the performers' various distinctive styles, with Lil' Kim trashing it up and Aguilera caterwauling her way through the second half of the song." However,
Rob Sheffield
Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author.
He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at ''Blen ...
of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...
'' called the cover "god-awful".
The ''
Sun Journal'' opined that the ''Moulin Rouge!'' version helped the song "find a new life." ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cult ...
''s Andrew Hampp named it the best all-female collaboration of the time span 1998–2018.
Chart performance
This version of the song reached number-one in its eighth week on the U.S.
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and spent five weeks at the top of the chart, 26 years after Labelle's version had reached number-one, making "Lady Marmalade" the ninth song in history to
top the U.S. chart as performed as different artists. It was the third airplay-only song in ''Billboard'' chart history (after
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and "Q ...
's 2000 single "
Try Again" and
Shaggy's 2001 single "
Angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles inc ...
") to hit number one without being released in a major commercially available single format.
The song also holds the record for the longest reigning number one on ''Billboard''s
Mainstream Top 40
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/ CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the Un ...
chart for an all female collaboration, topping the chart for nine consecutive weeks. "Lady Marmalade" is the best-selling single for
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include:
*
*
*
*
* better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...
and Mýa. Lil' Kim also held the record for having the longest number one single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for a female rapper, with "Lady Marmalade" being on the top of the charts for five consecutive weeks, until Australian rapper
Iggy Azalea's "
Fancy
Fancy may refer to:
Places
* Fancy, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a settlement
* Fancy River, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Music Albums
* ''Fancy'' (Bobbie Gentry album), 1970
* ''Fancy'' (Idiot Flesh album), 1997
* ''Fancy'' (video ...
" surpassed the record by holding on to the number one position for seven weeks in 2014. The song was included on non-US versions of Aguilera's first greatest hits album, ''
Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits''. Lady Marmalade was the top selling song of 2001 and has sold 5.2 million copies worldwide as of December 2001.
Music video
The music video, directed by
Paul Hunter, shows all four performers in
lingerie
Lingerie (, , ) is a category of primarily women's clothing including undergarments (mainly brassieres), sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The choice of the word is often motivated by an intention to imply that the garments are alluring, fash ...
in a
cabaret
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dinin ...
-style video (with rapper
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
giving an introduction) and was filmed on sets built to resemble the actual
Moulin Rouge
Moulin Rouge (, ; ) is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche.
In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was co-founded by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Oly ...
night club around the turn of the 20th century. Interviewed by ''
MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
'', the singers expressed their excitement about the video. Pink predicted the clip would be like a "circus on acid". Aguilera said, "The video's going to be dope," while elaborating on the video's concept: "We're going to be having cabaret costumes. It's something you've never seen from us before. So, it's going to be fun."
The video's art direction
anachronistically merged hip-hop sensibility with the film's French cabaret setting, thanks to some props and costumes actually used in the movie, according to Hunter's office. Choreographer
Tina Landon was hired to choreograph the video.
The video won the
MTV Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category ...
for "
Best Video of the Year" and "
Best Video from a Film". The song won the 2002
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
in the category of "
Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals". In March 2021, Glenn Garner of the ''
People
A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of proper ...
'' magazine noted that "Lady Marmalade" "remains one of the most iconic music videos of our time".
Legacy
According to Kelley Dunlap of
BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed, Inc. is an American Internet media, news and entertainment company with a focus on digital media. Based in New York City, BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti and John S. Johnson III to focus on tracking viral content. ...
, "Lady Marmalade" influenced
Jessie J
Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical '' Whistle Down the Wind''. She studied ...
,
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
and
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accents. ...
's song "
Bang Bang". It was featured in the music montage at the
92nd Academy Awards
The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 2019 and took place on February 9, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, beginning at 5:00 ...
, which covered iconic movie soundtrack songs. It was also featured in the episode of the
thirteenth season of ''
RuPaul's Drag Race
''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, VH1 (season 9–14) and, beginning with the f ...
'', where contestants
Tina Burner, Elliott with 2 Ts and Kahmora Hall had to lipsync to it.
Broadway version
''
Moulin Rouge!
''Moulin Rouge!'' (, ) is a 2001 jukebox musical romantic drama film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It follows a young English poet, Christian, who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and cou ...
'' — the musical — opened on Broadway at the
Al Hirschfeld Theatre on July 25, 2019, featuring "Lady Marmalade" sung by The Lady M's: Nini Legs-in-the-Air (
Robyn Hurder), Arabia (Holly James), Baby Doll (Jeigh Madjus) and La Chocolat (Jacqueline B. Arnold). The song has been used in many promotional videos and, both opens and closes the show. It has been announced that a full cast recording is set to come out in the Fall of 2019.
Track listing
* CD maxi
# "Lady Marmalade" (edit) – 4:24
# "Lady Marmalade" (Thunderpuss radio mix) – 4:09
# "Lady Marmalade" (Thunderpuss club mix) – 9:48
# "Lady Marmalade" (Thunderpuss Mixshow mix) – 6:21
Personnel
*
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
– producer, vocals
*
Mýa
Mya Marie Harrison (; born October 10, 1979), (stylized as Mýa), is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress. Born into a musical family, she studied ballet, jazz, and tap dance as a child. Initially, Mýa began her career as a VJ ...
– vocals
*
P!nk
Alecia Beth Moore Hart (born September 8, 1979), known professionally as Pink (stylized as P!nk), is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She was originally a member of the girl group Choice. In 1995, LaFace Records saw potential ...
– vocals
*
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include:
*
*
*
*
* better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...
– vocals
*
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice o ...
– vocals
*
Bob Crewe
Robert Stanley Crewe (November 12, 1930 – September 11, 2014) was an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, and record producer. He was known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for the Four Season ...
– writer
*
Kenny Nolan – writer
* Laura Ziffren – music supervisor, executive music producer
* Anton Monsted – music supervisor, executive music producer
*
Ron Fair
Ronald Fair is an American A&R executive, record producer, record executive, musical arranger, recording engineer and conductor. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several art ...
– vocal producer
* Michael Knobloch – music production supervisor
*
John "Beetle" Bailey – assistant
engineer
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...
* Chris Barrett – assistant engineer
*
Marius de Vries –
music direction
*
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
– performer
* Joe Leguabe – performer
* Robert Kraft – executive in charge of music
* Dylan Dresdow – engineer
* Chris Elliott –
conductor
Conductor or conduction may refer to:
Music
* Conductor (music), a person who leads a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra.
* ''Conductor'' (album), an album by indie rock band The Comas
* Conduction, a type of structured free improvisation ...
* Ricky Graham – assistant engineer
* Isobel Griffiths – orchestra contractor
* Jake Jackson – assistant engineer
* Jennie O'Grady –
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which s ...
master
* Dave Pensado – mixing
*
Carmen Rizzo
Carmen Rizzo (born April 8, 1964) is an American record producer, mixer, programmer, DJ, remixer and recording artist, based in Los Angeles. The two-time Grammy nominee has worked with Seal, Coldplay, Paul Oakenfold, Alanis Morissette, Dido, ...
– engineer
* Michael C. Ross – engineer
* Eddy Schreyer – mastering
* Brian Springer – engineer
*
Gavyn Wright
Gavyn Wright is a British violinist and orchestra leader with the London Session Orchestra and Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
He is best known for his orchestral arrangements on pop productions (including Elton John, Simply Red, Bush, Mecano, Oa ...
– orchestra leader
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1974 singles
1974 songs
1987 singles
1998 singles
2001 singles
All Saints (group) songs
Baby Records singles
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Cashbox number-one singles
Christina Aguilera songs
Dance-pop songs
Epic Records singles
European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
Franglais songs
George Michael songs
Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients
Hip hop soul songs
Interscope Records singles
Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Labelle songs
Lil' Kim songs
London Records singles
Macaronic songs
Moulin Rouge!
MTV Video of the Year Award
Music videos directed by Paul Hunter (director)
Mýa songs
Number-one singles in Australia
Number-one singles in Germany
Number-one singles in Greece
Number-one singles in Hungary
Number-one singles in New Zealand
Number-one singles in Norway
Number-one singles in Portugal
Number-one singles in Scotland
Number-one singles in Spain
Number-one singles in Sweden
Number-one singles in Switzerland
Pink (singer) songs
Sabrina Salerno songs
Song recordings produced by Frank Farian
Song recordings produced by Rockwilder
Songs about New Orleans
Songs about prostitutes
Songs written by Bob Crewe
Songs written by Kenny Nolan
UK Singles Chart number-one singles
United States National Recording Registry recordings
Universal Music Group singles
Works set in the Moulin Rouge