Sing It, Sister

I recently made fun of Studly Doright’s misunderstanding of a song’s lyrics in this post: https://nananoyz5forme.com/2017/04/18/shes-a-what/

I have to confess, though, to also being a mangler of lyrics. Most recently, Studly and I were driving to Orlando on a Sunday morning for a rendezvous with his middle sister and her family at DisneyWorld. 

We were flipping back and forth between the 60’s and 70’s stations on Sirius/XM satellite radio (perhaps the greatest invention of my lifetime) when one of my all-time favorite songs popped up: Lady Marmalade by Patti LaBelle. 

https://youtu.be/t4LWIP7SAjY

Even though the song’s been covered a couple of times, Patti’s version is the best in my humble opinion.
I was singing along, “Coochie coochie ya ya,” and dancing in my seat when Studly asked if I had any idea what I was singing.

“Well, kind of. A lot of it’s in French. Or Cajun. Or something,” I said.

So I decided to Google the lyrics. Guess what, the words “coochie coochie” don’t appear even once. I’m shocked. 

Interesting fact: The line, “voulez vouz coucher avec moi ce soir” which translates to “do you want to sleep with me tonight,” was deemed too scandalous for American ears and had to be changed to “do you want to dance with me tonight,” when performed on television in the U.S. 

Lady Marmalade 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?
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 nine to five
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?
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?

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

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

Itchi gitchi ya ya da da
Itchi gitchi ya ya here

Mocha-choco-lata ya ya
Itchi gitchi ya ya here

(Writer/s: KENNY NOLAN, ROBERT CREWE 
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind)