"Lady Marmalade" - LaBelle

"Lady Marmalade" was written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan and originally recorded by their group, The Eleventh Hour, in 1974. LaBelle covered the song and hit big in early 1975.

LP version (runs about 3:55)

The oldest CD with the LP version is probably Silver Eagle/Capitol's 2-CD Rockin' Down The Block (1987), where it sounds pretty good.

It next appeared on Columbia's Seems Like Yesterday Vol. 2 (1989), where it fades a second or two earlier than Rockin'.

There's a new analog transfer on Sandstone's Cosmopolitan Vol. 5 (1992), which sounds quite nice and is likely based on the Epic masterings for Nightbirds or Best Of Patti LaBelle (can't confirm, though). The same analog transfer is used on:

• Razor & Tie's 2-CD Super '70s (1995)
• Razor & Tie's 6-CD 70 Number One Hits Of The 70s Vol. 2 (1998)

The version on Simitar's Number Ones Super '70s (1998) has additional compression/limiting.

Finally, there's one more analog transfer on Essential), with a digital clone on Realm's 3-CD Summertime Party Pack (2002; digitally exactly 0.5 dB quieter).

Overall, I prefer the sound on Sandstone's Cosmopolitan Vol. 5 (1992).

45 edit (runs 3:16)

Here are editing instructions for creating the 45 edit from the LP version, using Cosmopolitan Vol. 5 as the source:

Segment 1
Extends from 0:00.0 to 2:41.6 of the LP version and the 45 edit.
Ends on the snare hit at the beginning of the word "Creole".

Remove the 36 beats from 2:41.6 to 2:59.6 of the LP version. ("Creole" to "Creole")

Segment 2
Begins on the snare hit at the beginning of the word "Creole".
36 beats long
Ends on a downbeat at the beginning of the word "Voulez".
Extends from 2:59.6 to 3:17.5 of the LP version.
Extends from 2:41.6 to 2:59.5 of the 45 edit.

Remove the 32 beats from 3:17.5 to 3:33.5 of the LP version. ("Voulez" to "Voulez")

Segment 3
Begins on the downbeat at the beginning of the word "Voulez".
About 38 beats long
Extends from 3:33.5 to (approximately) 3:52.5 of the LP version.
Extends from 2:59.5 to (approximately) 3:18.5 of the 45 edit.

Fade
Extends from about 3:40 to 3:52 of the LP version.
Extends from about 3:05 to 3:18 of the 45 edit.

The 45 has edits at 2:41.6 and 2:59.5, and runs about 3:18. I uses the Rhino disc below as a guide. The true 45 runs 3:16, which is two seconds shorter than the Rhino disc, so you might want to hasten the fade a bit.

On the other hand, the 45 edit is more common than the LP version on CD, so you really won't need need to do a homemade edit.

The oldest CD with the 45 version is probably Connoisseur Collection UK's 5-CD 100 Dance Hits Of The '70s (1988).

The oldest US CD with the 45 version is probably Priority's Mega-Hits Dance Classics Vol. 6 (1989), where it runs too loud and clips a lot, fades a little early, and has no hiss at all on the fade. The song just sounds off on this disc. The same analog transfer is used on Razor & Tie's Those Funky '70s (1990).

There's a new analog transfer on Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 8 1975 (1990). The same analog transfer is used on:

• JCI's Only Dance 1975-1979 (1995)
• Razor & Tie's 2-CD Make You Sweat (1998)
• Time-Life's 2-CD Seventies Music Explosion Vol. 3 Miracles (2005; digitally exactly 1.7 dB louder)

There's still one more new analog transfer on Rhino's Didn't It Blow Your Mind Vol. 14 (1991), which runs a few seconds longer than the earlier discs. The same analog transfer is used on:

• Time-Life's AM Gold Vol. 22 1975 (1996; digitally identical)
• Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul Vol. 10 1975 (1996; differently-EQ'd digital clone)
• PolyGram's Pure Funk Vol. 1 (1998; digital clone but with added compression/limiting)
• Rhino's Millennium New Funk Party (2001; digitally exactly 0.477 dB quieter)
• Time-Life's 2-CD Solid Gold Funk (2001; differently-EQ'd digital clone)

And one more outlier: Sony's Forever Pop Vol. 1 (1995), where it sounds pretty good as well.

My recommendations:

For the LP version, I like Sandstone's Cosmopolitan Vol. 5 (1992).
For the 45 edit, I like Rhino's Didn't It Blow Your Mind Vol. 14 (1991).