She made her recording debut with jazz bassist Alphonso Johnson on his 1976 album Yesterday's Dreams. She is best known for her long association with Prince but has also collaborated with many other musicians. She had played with George Duke, Lionel Richie, Marvin Gaye, Herbie Hancock, and Diana Ross by the time she was in her early twenties. In recent years, she has collaborated with George Clinton, Ringo Starr, and Gloria Estefan.
Sheila E. is of Mexican, African American, and Creole descent. She is the daughter of percussionist Pete Escovedo, with whom she frequently performs. Her uncle is Alejandro Escovedo, also a musician. She is also niece to Javier Escovedo, founder of seminal San Diego punk act, The Zeros. Another uncle, Mario Escovedo, fronted long-running indie rockers, The Dragons. Notably, Nicole Richie is Sheila E.'s biological niece.
Prince met Sheila E. while she was performing at a concert with her father in the early 1980s. After the show, Prince met her and told her that he and his bassist "were just fighting about which one of us would be the first to be your husband" and prophetically vowed that one day she would join his band.
The two would eventually join forces during the recording sessions for Purple Rain. She provided vocals for Prince's "Let's Go Crazy" B-side single "Erotic City" between 1983 and 1984. Though taken under Prince's wing, she proved to be a successful artist in her own right. In 1984, she scored several hits including "The Glamorous Life" (#7 on the Hot 100 #7,), and "The Belle Of St. Mark" (#34). She opened for the Purple Rain tour and there was a segment where she would have a man called up on stage and seated in a chair while she sang and teased him, similarly mirrored by Janet Jackson for her Velvet Rope Tour.
Around the same time, the collaborating duo began a brief romantic relationship while Prince was still seeing Susannah Melvoin, twin sister of the Revolution band member Wendy Melvoin.
In 1985, she released Romance 1600 which scored her another hit with "A Love Bizarre" (#11). Sheila E. was nominated for American Music Awards and Grammys, including Best New Artist, for The Glamorous Life. Sheila E. recorded three total albums during the '80s, The Glamorous Life, Romance 1600, and Sheila E.
She appeared in four films, Krush Groove with Run-DMC, LL Cool J and Blair Underwood in 1985, Prince's concert film Sign 'O' the Times in 1987, and The Adventures of Ford Fairlane and Chasing Papi in 2003.
Later on, she served as Prince's drummer and musical director in his highly regarded backup band, dubbed the New Power Generation. During this same period, Sheila E. released "Koo Koo" from her third album, Sheila, with the accompanying video featuring Cat, a Sign 'O' the Times member, as a back up dancer. Sheila E. also served as a writer and musician on many of Prince's records, as well as on the albums of his protégés such as Madhouse.
After leaving Prince's musical organization in 1989 due to a collapsed lung, Sheila recorded a few more albums, Sex Cymbal, Writes of Passage, and Heaven. However, the albums garnered little attention. Later in 2002, Sheila E. appeared on Beyoncé's song "Work it Out".
Sheila E. was the leader of the house band on the short-lived 1998 late night talk show, The Magic Hour, starring Magic Johnson. She has performed three stints with Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band, in 2001, 2003, and 2006. Her drum "duets" with Starr are a moment of comic relief in the show, where they play the same parts but he quickly falls behind, shrugs and smiles as she takes off on an extended percussion solo. Says Sheila E.: "Ringo truly is one of the greatest rock 'n' roll drummers in the history of music. He enjoys the joke!"
In March 2007, she went on a small tour through Europe with her new band project called C.O.E.D. (Chronicles of Every Diva). C.O.E.D consists of Sheila E., Kat Dyson, Rhonda Smith and Cassandra O'Neal. For several concerts, C.O.E.D. was joined by Candy Dulfer as a special guest.
On April 9th, 2008, Sheila appeared on the historic Emmy winning program, Idol Gives Back. It was the most important and significant part of the highly rated American Idol television series. Sheila E. took part in the show opener, "Get on Your Feet", with Gloria Estefan. Dance troupe So You Think You Can Dance finalists joined the stage for the memorable moment. Idol Gives Back raised awareness and funds to benefit six total charities. International celebrities and sport figures graced the stage along with Sheila E. and Estefan for the historic television program event.
Sheila E. is also the business partner of singer and former The Brides of Funkenstein, Lynn Mabry. They jointly formed a foundation for abused children called the Elevate Hope Foundation.
Lady Marmalade
Sheila E. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 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
The song "Lady Marmalade" by Sheila E. is a cover of a 1974 hit song by Labelle. The song tells the story of a man who meets a woman named Marmalade in New Orleans, and they engage in a romantic encounter. The chorus features the phrase "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?" which translates to, "Do you want to sleep with me tonight?" The famous hook, "Itchi gitchi ya ya da da," is a made-up phrase that adds to the song's sensual and mysterious vibe.
The first verse of the song sets the stage for the encounter between the man and Marmalade, who is described as "struttin' her stuff on the street." She initiates the encounter by inviting the man, named Joe, to have a go with her. The chorus follows, with Marmalade singing a seductive refrain that mixes French and English: "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir? / Itchi gitchi ya ya da da / Mocha-choca-lata ya ya / Creole lady marmalade."
In the second verse, the man is in Marmalade's boudoir (a woman's private bedroom or sitting room) while she freshens up. He drinks her magnolia wine and is influenced by her sensuality, represented by the "black satin sheets." In the bridge, the man is portrayed as returning to his mundane life, but the memories of his encounter with Marmalade continue to haunt him. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, with Marmalade's sultry voice leaving a lasting impression.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, go sister
Encourage your fellow women, be supportive, and let them know they have your support
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
A man meets a confident, sexy woman in New Orleans who catches his eye and asks him to join her
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?
Sultry sounds and foreign phrases to create a mysterious and seductive atmosphere, with the phrase 'Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?' meaning 'Do you want to sleep with me tonight?'
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
She invites him into her private room, he drinks all of her wine, and they have sex on her black satin sheets
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
The sensual experience of touching her soft, brown skin makes him want more and 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
After his encounter with Lady Marmalade, he returns to his boring everyday life, but he continues to think about her and long for 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?
Repeating the same hypnotic words and phrases as before, emphasizing the seductive and alluring qualities of Lady Marmalade
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kenny Nolan, Robert Crewe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind