A FLASHBACK: SPACEBIRDS CLASSIC TOP CHARTING HIT ABOUT A FRENCH STREETWALKER

LABELLE
LADY MARMALADE
WRITTEN BY BOB CREW & KENNY NOLAN
PRODUCED BY ALLEN TOUISSANT
EPIC RECORDS
RELEASED JANUARY 1975

Whenever I watch the clip of Christina Aguleria, Mya, Pink and Lil'Kim performing the 2002 Grammy Awards, I always see you tubbers asking who was that women in the red dress singing their song? Me and a couple of other you tubbers had to inform them that the lady in the red dress is Soul Legend Patti LaBelle, who along with Sarah Dash & Nona Hendryx first recorded the song back in 1974, which became a hit during the Disco age.
By the mid 1970's Patti, Sarah and Nona (who had took a strong hand in writing the group's material) had revamped their image, style and sound; singin songs about empowerment, liberation and eroticism, changing the image of girl groups. Well in 1975, they recorded their classic hit "Lady Marmalade" which hit # 1 on the Pop, Soul and Dance charts, making the Apollo sweethearts cultural and Gay Icons as well as the first Black group to perform at the Metropoltian Opera House.
What makes this song a classic is the organ, the pre-chorus hey sister go sister and the Frecnch lyrics
voulez-vous coucher avec moir ce soir
voulez-vous coucher aver moir
(Translation-would you sleep with me tonight)

This song still has people dancing at their parties and it shows that good music will always be around.

FACTS ABOUT THE CLASSIC

1. The song had helped Labelle become icons but there were many people who thought the song was too explicit. In her autobiography "Don't Block The Blessings," Patti wrote about a time when the group was on the Mike Douglass show and they couldn't perform it because President's Nixon's daughter was a guest. When they apperared on the Cher show they had to change the lyrics to would you like to dance with me tonight.

2. The song had hepled Labelle make history; they became the first Black group to perform at the Metropolitian Opera House.

3. The song has been covered by many artists including Shelia E, who covered it on her 1991 album "Sex Symbol." A year later, female trio Soul Sister (who's lead vocalist was the lead singer of the 1980's group 9.9) did their own version of the song. In 1998 trio SWV performed the song as part of a tribute to Patti at the 1998 Esscence Awards.

4. The song made history in 2001 when Christina Aguleria, Mya, Pink and Lil'Kim took the song to # 1 earning the quartert numerous awards.

5. In 2001 and 2005 Patti, Sarah and Nona had performed this song at two tributes held for Patti.