Honey Cone
Honey Cone was an American R&B and soul girl group formed in 1968, renowned for their 1971 Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Want Ads." The trio consisted of lead singer Edna Wright (sister of Darlene Love), Carolyn Willis, and Shelly Clark, who brought prior experience from backing groups and tours. They signed with Hot Wax Records, founded by Holland-Dozier-Holland after leaving Motown, and recorded Detroit-style soul despite being Los Angeles-based.
The group came together after appearing on an Andy Williams TV special, where Edna Wright filled in for her sister Darlene Love and recruited Willis and Clark. Eddie Holland spotted them, named the act "Honey Cone" after his favorite ice cream flavor, and signed them despite initial resistance to the name. Most songs were penned by General Johnson and Greg Perry, Edna's then-boyfriend, with recordings done in Detroit.
Edna Wright, born February 2, 1945, had gospel roots and backed artists before leading Honey Cone until her death in 2020. Shelly Clark, from Brooklyn with a Russian Jewish mother and Barbadian father, started young on Broadway, toured with Little Richard and Dusty Springfield, and was an Ikette; as of 2024, she leads a reunited Honey Cone. Carolyn Willis contributed vocals with prior studio experience.
Honey Cone scored hits like "Want Ads" (No. 1 pop and R&B, over a million copies sold), "Stick-Up," "One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show," and "The Day I Found Myself." Their empowering lyrics marked them as trailblazers in the girl-group era on Hot Wax/Invictus labels.
Active until 1973, the group disbanded after four to five years but left a lasting Northern soul impact. Reunions occurred later, with Shelly Clark continuing the name into 2024 alongside new members.
Take Me With You
Written-By – E. Wayne, R. Dunbar 2:41
A2 Son Of A Preacher Man
Written-By – J.D. Hurley, R.S. Wilkins 2:27
A3 Take Me With You
Written-By – E. Wayne, R. Dunbar 2:58
A4 Girls It Ain't Easy
Written-By – E. Wayne, R. Dunbar 3:11
A5 You've Made Me So Very Happy
Written-By – B. Gordy, Jr., B. Holloway, F. Wilson, P. Holloway 3:16
A6 Are You Man Enough, Are You Strong Enough?
Written-By – E. Wayne, R. Dunbar 3:15
B1 Aquarius
Written-By – G. MacDermot, G. Ragni, J. Rado 2:55
B2 Take My Love
Written-By – G. Perry, R. Dunbar 2:52
B3 While You're Out Looking For Sugar
Written-By – E. Wayne, R. Dunbar 3:13
B4 My Mind's On Leaving But My Heart Won't Let Me Go
Written-By – E. Wayne, R. Dunbar 2:55
B5 The Feeling's Gone
Written-By – E. Wayne, R. Dunbar 2:49
Label: Hot Wax – HA 701
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1970
Genre:
R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul
Take Me With You is the 1970 debut album by the American female vocal trio Honey Cone, a classic of the Soul genre known for its blend of sweetness and a spunky, female-empowerment perspective. The album was the first release on the Hot Wax label, founded by the prolific songwriting and production team Holland-Dozier-Holland after their departure from Motown.
The album introduces Honey Cone's distinctive "soulful spunk," featuring songs that often adopt a "scolding tone" toward cheating or hypocritical men, using relatable old sayings and cliches. Lyrically, the album explores themes of heartbreak and female resilience. Musically, it reflects the influences of earlier Motown girl groups like Martha & the Vandellas, delivering a sound that combines polished soul vocals with a grittier edge.
The album features several notable original tracks and popular covers:
"While You're Out Looking for Sugar": The debut single, which peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard R&B chart, sets the album's tone with its narrative about a woman threatening to find a better man.
"Girls, It Ain't Easy": Another significant single, this track reached No. 8 on the R&B chart and is a prime example of the group's female-empowerment anthems.
"Sunday Morning People": This song addresses religious hypocrisy with direct lyrics about people who are devout on Sunday but unkind the rest of the week.
The album includes covers of popular hits from the era, such as Dusty Springfield's classic "Son of a Preacher Man" and The 5th Dimension's "Aquarius" from the musical Hair.
While not on the original album release, their later massive hit, the chart-topping "Want Ads," is often included as a bonus track on remastered reissues.
The majority of the album's original songs were written by the pseudonymous "Edyth Wayne" and Ronald Dunbar, with Holland-Dozier-Holland being the true force behind the "Edyth Wayne" alias due to legal constraints from their Motown departure. The album was produced by Stagecoach Productions Inc. with supervision by Edward J. Holland, Jr., and arrangements by Tony Camillo.
Take Me With You is a seminal work that effectively launched Honey Cone's career and established the signature sound of the Hot Wax label.