Our final classic song of the day from 1971 this week is “Want Ads” by the group Honey Cone. This track, released in March of 1971, hit #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Soul Singles charts. Billboard ranked it as the #13 song for the entire year.
“Want Ads” was written by Greg Perry, Barney Perkins, and General Johnson (of the group Chairmen of the Board) and produced by Mr. Perry for Hot Wax Records. Hot Wax was one of two record labels (the other being Invictus) that Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Brian Holland (otherwise known as H-D-H) founded when they left Motown records over a financial dispute. Other Hot Wax artists included The Flaming Ember (“Westbound #9,” “I’m Not My Brother’s Keeper”) and 100 Proof Aged in Soul (“Somebody’s Been Sleeping in My Bed”); Invictus artists included Chairmen of the Board, Glass House, and Freda Payne.
The song “Want Ads” started life as “Stick-Up,” but Perry and Johnson didn’t think it was strong enough. They messed around with the chords a little, changed the words, and added the “Wanted, young man single and free” intro, and they had it. They first gave it to Invictus act Glass House, which was led by Freda Payne’s sister Scherrie Payne, but that version tanked. Scherrie and Freda Payne then recorded the song as a duo, and that didn’t work, either. The Payne sisters then suggested to Honey Cone lead singer Edna Wright that her group give it a try, and the third time was a charm.
(By the way, Honey Cone eventually recorded the original version of the song, “Stick-Up,” which became another big hit for the group.)
Honey Cone was a trio of singers that included Edna Wright (Darlene Love’s sister), Carolyn Willis, and Shelly Clark. They first got together back in 1968 and signed to Hot Wax Records shortly after. Their first single, “While You’re Out Looking for Sugar” only hit #62 on the Hot 100 and its follow-up “Girls It Ain’t Easy” did even worse (#68), although they both charted high on the soul chart and are both well-remembered today. “Want Ads” was the track that broke them into the mainstream, and they followed that with “Stick-Up,” “One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show,” and “The Day I Found Myself.”
The group’s success was short lived, however. Honey Cone split up in 1973 and the Hot Wax label itself folded soon after. Edna White passed away in 2020; Shelly Clark and Carolyn Willis are both still with us.
