Lady Marmalade Frenchness

Cafe Society
1

We all know that the Lady is asking the gentleman to accompany her to bed. What I’d like to know is what is she saying (in the actual words in actual French, 'cause I know it’s not written “voola vookoo she ave moi, cest sua”, but that’s how I’d write it)

Also, it seems like a lot of words sung in French-- ichygichy eye, yeyi, yeyi. Mocho choco la da ya ya-- for just “would you like to go to bed with me?”

Soooooo… What are the words in French? What do they all mean, both a literal and idiomic translation.
Please.

2

Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir ?

The gitchy gitchy stuff isn’t French.

Mocha chocolata da da. Chocolata isn’t French for chocolate. That would be “chocolat.”

  • s.e.
3

Monsieur Adams, Disco Diva, explains it all for you.

4

Ah brondicon, after I read it I remembered reading it. Thanks to you both.

5

Full lyrics to the song (written by Kenny Nolan, best known for the wimpy 1970s ballad "I Like Dreamin’)

Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, go sister
Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, go sister

He met Marmalade down in old New Orleans
Strutting her stuff on the street,
She said, “Hello, hey Joe, you want to give it a go?”

Get ya, get ya, ya ya da da
Get ya, get ya, ya ya here
Mocha chocolata ya, ya
Creole Lady Marmalade,

CHORUS
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?

Sat in her boudoir while she freshened up,
That boy drank all that magnolia wine.
On the black satin sheets was where he started to freak

PRE CHORUS + CHORUS

Touching her skin feeling silky smooth
Color of cafe au lait
Made the savage beast inside roar 'til he cried
“More, More, More…”

Now he’s back home doing 9 to 5
Living his grey flannel life
But when he turns off the street old memories meet
“More, More, More …”

PRE CHORUS + CHORUS

As you can gather, the song is about a white suburban guy who has a wild night of passion with a black, Creole prostitute in New Orleans named Lady Marmalade.

The only genuine French line in the song is “voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?” That just means “do you want to go to bed with me, tonight?”

The other “foreign” words are really just trashyl New Orleans slang. “Ya ya” just means, well, sexual pleasure. Remember when the Rolling Stones’ catch phrase was “get yer ya yas out”? Same idea. The hooker is saying, “Get your jollies right here.”

The references to “Mocha chocolata” and “cafe au lait” are simple reminders that the prostitute in question is of Creole (partly African) descent, and her skin is the dark, rich color of coffee.

6

It is interesting to note that the use of “vous” in the phrase “voulez-vous coucher avec moi” is in and of itself enough to suggest that the speaker is a prostitute. If she were addressing someone she had a personal relationship with, she would almost certainly say “tu” instead.

7

::desperately drawing on my highschool french::

Then, wouldn’t the phrasing be “Veux-te couche avec moi, ce soir?”. And would the reply be “Vache toi!”? :wink:

Anyone?

8

Good point, Lamia, only it’s not uncommon for a prostitute to address her John in familiar terms, so it’s equally as likely she would “tutoyer.” But, of course, that wouldn’t fit into the rhythm.

9

Or maybe she’s making an invitation to more than one person :wink:

10

We are talking about the original Patti Labelle version, and not that hideous remake by the Whores on Parade?

11

Lady Marmalade Freshness was probably the most terrifying misread I’ve experienced during my 10 months on this board.

12

That’s no way to talk about All Saints…

13

Huh?

:confused:

14

All Saints did a remake a couple years before Moulin Rouge.

Did I instantly know that? :o

15

I think I heard that the whole “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?” means “Will you sleep with me tonight?” On the topic of the song’s “frenchness,” did anyone see that horrible music video that all of the men seem to love with Pink, Mya, Li’l Kim, and Christina singing this song? Its disgusting! And somehow I have the feeling that back in the time period, even whores wouldn’t have dressed like that except in private with their “Johns.” What do you all think?

16

Monica:

“Vouloir” is the French word for "want. “Voulez-vous” is a question, meaning “Do you want?”

And, to get technical, in French, the word for “sleep” is “dormir.” The word for “go to bed” is "coucher.

Here in America, when we say “John sleeps with Mary,” that’s a euphemism. We all know they aren’t really getting much shuteye!
In French, however, the euphemism is “coucher avec (going to bed with).” And when Jean wants to 'coucher avec" Marie, it’s safe to say they’re going to do more than lie down and take a nap. If all he wanted to do with her is catch some Zzzzs, he’d say “dormir avec.”