It’s time to get funky and pose the eternal question: “Voulez vous coucher avec moi?”
Don’t take the question literally: I’m an old married man.
Lady Marmalade is a sweet and sexy song written in 1974 by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan after a trip to New Orleans. I am not making this up.
Co-writer Kenny Nolan was the first to record the song with his group The Eleventh Hour; not to be confused with the jazz fusion super group led by Larry Coryell.
We begin with Nolan’s version, which was not a hit:
We continue with LaBelle’s version, which was a big hit. It was co-produced by NOLA’s own Allen Toussaint:
Speaking of my town, here’s the Soul Queen of New Orleans, Irma Thomas:
Ready to schmeer some Zydeco marmalade on something or other? Hit it, Rosie:
Sheila E is best known to me as a member of Prince’s band. I dig her funky version of the Crewe-Nolan classic:
Here’s a jazzy small group version by Sugarpie & The Candymen:
Finally, Lady Marmalade as a snazzy production number from Baz Lurhman’s Moulin Rouge:
What would the Friday Cocktail Hour be without an instrumental versions of the week’s tune? This time we go brassy and smooth with Brass Fever followed by the Smooth Jazz All-Stars.
That’s it for this week. Raise your glass and drink to Carnival. It’s what Patti, Nona, and Sarah would want. Never argue with them.
