All Saints score their second number one in a row, with a much-maligned double bill…
Under the Bridge / Lady Marmalade, by All Saints (their 2nd of five #1s)
1 week, from 3rd – 10th May / 1 week, from 17th – 24th May 1998 (2 weeks total)
I’m interested to see what I make of the first part of this double-‘A’. The official view from the playground in 1998 was that All Saints covering Red Hot Chili Peppers was a travesty. Silly girl groups trying to sing songs by proper, sweaty, socks ‘n’ cocks guitar bands was wrong, and no teenage boys had the guts to say otherwise.
But here I am, two and a half decades later and unencumbered by peer pressure. Free to admit that I’m not much a fan of the Chili Peppers (though ‘Under the Bridge’ is one of their better, less obnoxious moments). Free to discover that All Saint’s version isn’t actually that bad. I do like the stripped-back intro, and the off-kilter delivery of the verses. It’s something new – an interesting re-imagining of the original – which is the basic duty of a half-decent cover version.
Because it’s 1998 there are lots of scratchy turntable flourishes, and a crackly, old-time effect on the main guitar riff, both of which feel quite dated. And perhaps unsurprisingly for a song about someone’s relationship with heroin, several of the lines were changed and/or omitted. Anthony Kiedis was not a fan of All Saints’ version (“it looked like they didn’t know what they were singing about”), which is fair enough for a song so personal to him. You do wonder what the thought process was in choosing this as a cover, for surely they knew there would be a reaction from the rock snobs. (Though it should be noted that the guitar on this record is played by Mojo Magazine favourite Richard Hawley.)
So, this isn’t terrible. Not even close. I’m not sure why they needed to do it, and I have no idea why it’s five minutes long, but here we are. And not content with reinterpreting one much loved classic, on the other side of this double-‘A’ the girls have their way with Labelle’s raunchy disco standard ‘Lady Marmalade’. From heroin, to prostitutes…
This feels a bit more what you’d expect from a ‘90s girl group. A bit more basic, if you will, with a mid-tempo disco-funk beat that reminds me of the Spice Girls’ ‘Who Do You Think You Are’. But again they at least do something a bit different with it, removing most of the original verses and replacing them with saucy raps – My place or yours, Gotta be raw… Gotta get wet, Are you ready yet? – which cement their place as the edgier girl group of the day. Of course they keep the famous Voulez-vous coucher avec moi? line, but it’s rendered fairly PG by some of the smut around it. (I remember having an embarrassing conversation with my mum when this came on the radio, her asking if I knew what the French meant…)
The Labelle original had made #17 in 1975, which is surprisingly low. The original of ‘Under the Bridge’ had fared slightly better, reaching #13 in 1992. It’s fair to say that neither of these covers have usurped the originals in the public’s affections, while an even more popular cover of ‘Lady Marmalade’ will be along in a few years to overshadow All Saints’ effort. And personally, I much prefer the originals of these two hits. This is by far the weakest of the girls’ five number ones; but they aren’t the crimes against music that some may try to suggest.
The UK Number Ones Blog 
I was actually listening to Mother’s Milk by the Chilli Peppers when I clicked on this post, lol. Did not know All Saints was coming up. What are the odds.
The original “Under the Bridge” is one of my all-time favourite songs. I love the band (for their music, as people I have mixed feelings), that song, and the album it comes from Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Never heard the All Saints version before today – I only knew that it was supposedly bad and that Kiedis disliked it. Having listened to it, it’s an…interesting cover. The incomplete guitar riff feels like I’m getting blue balls, and the record scratches seems out of place. The chorus is nice – more of a 90s R&B feel to it. I like the breakbeat drumming. Their version feels a bit sloppy. It’s not horrible honestly, but it’s not that great.
I’ll give credit that the girls in All Saints are much nicer to look at than the guys in the Chili Peppers.
As for their cover of “Lady Marmalade”, I like it a lot better than their cover of “Under the Bridge”. It’s not better than the original, but it’s a a nice slice of 90s-influenced disco-pop-funk. It’s sexy. They sound like they’re having fun on this.
I too think that Lady Marmalade is probably the better of the two, but that one’s much more in All Saints home territory: dancey R&B pop. At least both versions offer a variation on the originals, and aren’t note for note copies.
RHCP are marmite for me… ‘Under the Bridge’ is great, as are many of the songs off ‘By the Way’, which was the soundtrack to my final year at High School. Other times they make me want to punch a wall (Californication)…
I hadnt been a huge Peppers fan until this bizarre double A made me take a bit more notice, and Under The Bridge I rate way more than I did in the 90’s thanks to the inoffensive cover. It’s OK but nothing special. Lady Marmalade has none of the funk balls of the Labelle’s, but again it’s OK and not nearly as annoying as the diva competition more famous cover. Plus side, both originals arguably should have been number ones, so justice for the songs is served.
Ooh see, I quite like the Moulin Rouge cover of Lady Marmalade… As a cover I can see why it’s pretty bad, but as an OTT bit of camp then I’m all in. Still nowhere near as good as the original, though.
You know I’m more an original fan…of both of these but…they do Under The Bridge quite well I have to admit…voice wise…just stick real drums in there and I would like it.