# Patti LaBelle Was Afraid of What Her Mother Would Think After Recording This “Taboo” Song

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/patti-labelle-was-afraid-of-what-her-mother-would-think-after-recording-this-taboo-song/
- Published: 2026-10-26T11:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-07T09:33:56+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/patti-labelle-was-afraid-of-what-her-mother-would-think-after-recording-this-taboo-song/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- “Lady Marmalade” was Labelle’s only Hot 100 No. 1.
- Patti LaBelle said the group initially did not know what the lyrics meant.
- She worried about her mother’s reaction but defended the song.

## Summary

Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” became the group’s first and only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. Patti LaBelle later said the group did not know the song was about a sex worker when they recorded it, and worried about what her mother would think once she learned its meaning.

LaBelle defended the song despite its taboo subject, saying she had a friend who was a sex worker and opposed judging people for their work. Written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan, the track appeared on the album *Nightbirds*. A 2001 version by Christina Aguilera, Mýa, Pink and Lil’ Kim topped the charts for five weeks.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.