Lady Marmalade Lyrics
Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mýa & P!nkLady Marmalade
[Intro: Lil' Kim, Mýa, Christina Aguilera & P!nk]Where's all my soul sistas?
Lemme hear y'all flow sistas
Hey, sista, go, sista, soul sista, flow sista (Uh)
Hey, sista, go, sista, soul sista, go, sista (Uh)
[Verse 1: Mýa]
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
[Chorus: Christina Aguilera, P!nk & Mýa, Mýa, Lil' Kim]
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, da-da (Hey, hey, hey)
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, here (Here, oh)
Mocha Chocolata, ya-ya (Ooh, yeah, uh)
Creole Lady Marmalade (What-what, what-what, what-what?)
Oh-oh
[Refrain: Christina Aguilera, P!nk & Mýa, P!nk, Lil' Kim]
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir? (Oh-oh)
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
[Verse 2: P!nk (Christina Aguilera, P!nk & Mýa)]
He sat in her boudoir while she freshened up (Hey, sista, go, sista, soul sista, flow sista)
Boy drank all that Magnolia wine (Hey, sista, go, sista, soul sista, flow sista)
On her black satin sheets where he started to freak, yeah
[Chorus: Christina Aguilera, P!nk & Mýa, P!nk, Lil' Kim]
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, da-da (Da-da-da, uh-huh, uh-huh)
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, here, ooh, yeah, yeah
Mocha Chocolata, ya-ya (Yeah, yeah)
Creole Lady Marmalade, uh
[Refrain: Christina Aguilera, P!nk & Mýa, Lil' Kim, P!nk]
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir? (Ce soir)
(What, what, what)
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?
Ooh
[Verse 3: Lil' Kim, Lil' Kim & Mýa, Lil' Kim & Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim & P!nk]
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, uh
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 (Come on)
Mocha Chocolata (What?)
Creole Lady Marmalade
One more time, c'mon now
[Interlude: Christina Aguilera, P!nk & Mýa, Christina Aguilera, Mýa, Lil' Kim]
Marmalade (Ooh, oh)
Lady Marmalade (Ooh, yeah, yeah)
Marmalade (No, oh, yeah)
Hey, hey, hey!
(Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh!)
[Verse 4: Christina Aguilera, Christina Aguilera, P!nk & Mýa, Lil' Kim]
Touch of her skin, feeling silky smooth, oh
Color of café au lait, alright
Made the savage beast inside roar until he cried
More (More), more (More), more
(Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh!)
[Verse 5: P!nk, Mýa, Christina Aguilera, Christina Aguilera, P!nk & Mýa, *Lil' Kim*]
Now he's back home doin' nine to five (Nine to five)
He's livin' the grey flannel life
But when he turns off to sleep, memories creep
More (*More*), more (*More*), more (More!) (*More*)
[Chorus: Christina Aguilera, P!nk & Mýa, Christina Aguilera, Mýa]
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, da-da (Da-da, yeah)
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, here (Ooh)
Mocha Chocolata, ya-ya (Oh, yeah)
Creole Lady Marmalade, hey
[Refrain: Christina Aguilera, P!nk & Mýa, P!nk, Lil' Kim, Mýa,
*with Christina Aguilera*, **Christina Aguilera**]
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir? (Ce soir)
(Ce soir)
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?
(All my sistas, yeah)
*Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir*?
(Ce soir)
*Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?* **Oh**
(C'mon! Uh)
[Outro: Missy Elliott, Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Lil' Kim, *Mýa* & **Christina Aguilera, P!nk & Mýa**]
Christina (Hey, oh)
P!nk (Lady Marmalade)
Lil' Kim (Hey, hey, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh)
Mýa (*Oh, oh, ooh, yeah*)
Rockwilder, baby (Baby)
Moulin Rouge (Oh-ooh, *da-da*)
Misdemeanor here
Creole Lady Marmalade
Ooh, ooh, yes-ah
Song Overview
Song Credits
- Featured: Missy Elliott
- Producers: Rockwilder & Missy Elliott
- Composers: Kenny Nolan & Bob Crewe
- Writers: Missy Elliott, Lil’ Kim, Kenny Nolan & Bob Crewe
- Release Date: 2001-03-27
- Genre: Pop, R&B, Hip-Hop, Soul, Soundtrack
- Label: Interscope Records
- Album: Keeps Gettin’ Better: A Decade of Hits (Spanish Edition)
- Language: English with French phrases
- Vocal Producer: Ron Fair
- Mixing Engineer: Dave Pensado
- Recording Engineers: Michael Cross, Dylan ”3D” Dresdow & Brian Springer
Song Meaning and Annotations
“Lady Marmalade” is an unapologetically bold cover that whisks listeners away to the sultry streets of Paris’ cabaret underworld — not the real Paris, but the glitter-dripping, corset-wrapped fantasy of Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge!. Originally sung by LaBelle in 1974, this 2001 resurrection by Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mýa, and P!nk isn’t just a revival — it’s a glitter bomb.
Verse 1 & Chorus
From the moment Mýa introduces “Marmalade down in old Moulin Rouge,” the stage is set. This isn’t your average pop ensemble — it’s a clash of glam, sass, and vocal firepower. Christina leads the chorus with the hypnotic, almost nonsensical phrase:
Gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, da-daAn echo of the song’s original playful French-tinged flirtation, it suggests luxury, sensuality, and mystery — like whispering sweet nothings through red velvet curtains.
Verse 3: Lil’ Kim’s Monologue
Enter Lil' Kim, dragging her mink behind her and flipping societal expectations on their head. She purrs:
We independent women, some mistake us for whoresThere’s a biting cleverness to her verse — it's feminist, it's self-aware, and it demands autonomy with the flair of a runway stomp. Her Atari reference? Retro-cool. Her diamonds-in-the-glass wine? Excess in high-definition.
Verse 4 & 5: Christina and P!nk’s Climactic Build
Christina’s voice erupts in the penultimate verse, taking sensuality to a mythic level:
Made the savage beast inside roar until he criedSuddenly, this isn’t just about seduction — it's primal. P!nk then contrasts that intensity with a sad twist:
Now he's back home doin' nine to five…The fantasy lingers in the memory, haunting him like Chanel No. 5 on a silk scarf.
The track’s production is a maximalist dream — orchestral hits, scratching turntables, and blaring horns swirl around these four women like a burlesque tornado. Missy Elliott’s outro wraps it all up with swagger and cheek: she’s the ringmaster of this glitter-drenched cabaret.
Similar Songs
- “Dirrty” – Christina Aguilera feat. Redman: This gritty club banger shares the same producer (Rockwilder) and Christina's unleashed vocal acrobatics. It’s dirtier, sweatier, and drowns in rebellion — a natural sibling to “Lady Marmalade’s” risqué glam.
- “Buttons” – The Pussycat Dolls feat. Snoop Dogg: Like “Lady Marmalade,” it thrives on sultry command and visual spectacle. While the Dolls lean more into pop, the tease, sass, and femme-dominance themes are parallel.
- “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” – Beyoncé: A sonic shift, yes, but thematically aligned. It's all about women declaring independence and flipping societal scripts, just like Lil’ Kim’s verse. The confidence meter is maxed out in both tracks.
Questions and Answers
- What does “Lady Marmalade” mean?
- Originally a nickname symbolizing a Creole prostitute in New Orleans, “Lady Marmalade” evokes sensual mystique and exotic allure, now transformed into a pop power fantasy by these artists.
- Why did they include French in the chorus?
- “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?” isn’t just flirtation — it nods to the French setting of Moulin Rouge! and adds a provocative edge that tickles pop radio sensibilities.
- What made this version of “Lady Marmalade” iconic?
- It was a perfect storm: four powerhouse vocalists, Missy Elliott’s futuristic production, a blockbuster movie tie-in, and a music video that was pure visual adrenaline.
- Was the collaboration smooth behind the scenes?
- Not entirely. Lil’ Kim mentioned in interviews that while she connected with Mýa, the other artists largely kept to themselves. The chemistry was real on camera, though — a true theater illusion.
- Did the song chart well?
- Absolutely. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five straight weeks and earned a Grammy. A chart beast with a feather boa.
Fan and Media Reactions
“I love this song so much.” – Oliviap12
“@yooungnick it’s actually Patti LaBelle’s song remastered by Missy Elliott. Christina was just a guest like the other four…” – KuntyBee
“Some mistake us for whores” – Nou
“Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi Ce Soir?” – RADNAKSI
“I thought it was ‘better get that dough sistas’ not ‘flow sistas’” – el_innit101
The internet reaction to “Lady Marmalade” has always walked the line between admiration and awe. Fans are still quoting lines and defending their favorite vocalist. Meanwhile, media outlets hailed it as a rare event: four divas with big voices and bigger egos managing to craft a unified, blistering performance.