Goldfrapp’s 2005 hit Ooh La La was an ode to glam rock, according to the band’s Will Gregory. He said his older sister’s passion for Marc Bolan rubbed off on him, and he loved the vocal effects and drum sounds on those old records. The chorus lyric came from a trip to France, with the phrase “Ooh la la” feeling sufficient despite initial doubts. The band layered vocals and added vocoder voices to create a synthetic robo feel alongside the natural voice.
The lyrics were personal, about a relationship and how Gregory was feeling, using visual metaphors. The breakdown section, about breaking a heel on a shoe, came from an old 1950s film he had seen on TV, featuring a woman limping in a tight pencil skirt. He also incorporated lines from a book of Baudelaire poems he had lying around. Portishead’s Adrian Utley played guitar on the track, a departure for the band who had previously avoided guitars.
The video featured an imaginary glam rock band, directed by Dawn Shadforth with styling by the late Cathy Edwards. Gregory noted they had good budgets and plenty of time to be detailed. The song has been used in many contexts, including requests for sex scenes, which the band often declines. Gregory recalled performing on US TV and seeing Simon Cowell, who commented on their success in America, making Gregory freeze with fright.
Listening to the track again recently, Gregory was surprised at how little is in it—just claps, bass line, vocal, and a few synth and guitar stabs. The song was an outlier because they kept the chords simple, resulting in a one-note piece. A mistake during recording, where a microphone was left on, captured the clatter of keys alongside the bassline, which remains in the final track.
Gregory admitted he initially hated 1970s music after the 1960s, but Alison Goldfrapp educated him, playing Joan Jett. He did not appear in the video, a mutual choice, as Alison has a strong visual side. The band worked with mixer Mark “Spike” Stent, camping in his studio while he mixed and they continued writing. Gregory felt amateurish but found the process exciting.
The track remains relevant due to its synths and simplicity, not bedding itself into any particular era. It mixes elements without committing to a single identifiable genre.
