Gaynor was a singer with the Soul Satisfiers, a jazz/pop band, in the 1960s. Her first solo single was "She'll Be Sorry/Let Me Go Baby" in 1965.
Her first real success came in 1975 with the release of her album Never Can Say Goodbye, which established her as a disco artist. The first side of this album consisted of three disco songs ("Honey Bee", "Never Can Say Goodbye" and "Reach Out, I'll Be There"), with no breaks in between the songs. This 19-minute dance marathon proved to be enormously popular, especially at dance clubs. All three songs were released as singles via radio edits, and all of them became hits. This album was so instrumental in introducing disco music to the public, that many later believed that Gloria Gaynor had been the first artist to record disco music. "Never Can Say Goodbye" became the first song to top Billboard magazine's dance chart - in that sense, she was the first. Capitalizing on the success of her first album, Gaynor quickly released her second album, Experience Gloria Gaynor, later that same year. While this album was also successful, it was not quite as popular as her previous album in the mainstream.
Some of her lesser-known singles, due to lack of recurrent airplay, include "Honey Bee", "Casanova Brown", and "Let's Make A Deal" which all became hits in the clubs and reached the Top 5 on Billboard's disco charts. After her 1976 album, I've Got You, Gaynor shifted from her hit production team to work with other productions. While it seemed like a good move, her subsequent producers did not seem to match Gaynor's vocal approach and style as well. This caused her the albums that followed, such as 1977's Glorious and 1978's Park Avenue Sound, to be regarded as merely good albums instead of excellent albums.
For the next few years, Gaynor would only enjoy a few moderate hits. However, in late 1978, with the release of her album Love Tracks, she climbed the pop charts again because of her now-signature song "I Will Survive". The lyrics of this song are written from the point of view of a woman, recently dumped, telling her former lover that she can cope without him and does not want anything more to do with him. The song has become something of an anthem of female emancipation, and is still a staple of office parties and karaoke nights. The song was awarded the first and only Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording in 1980 (the category was discontinued upon disco's fall from favor shortly afterward). In 1999, Pixar animator Victor Navone used this song to create an alien music video, which for a time, was a minor internet phenomenon.
Interestingly, "I Will Survive" was originally the B-side when Polydor Records released it in late 1978. The A-side, a song called "Substitute", then a recent worldwide hit for South African girl-group Clout, was considered to be more "radio friendly." Radio DJs flipped the record over, and audience response forced the record company to flip the songs, so that subsequent copies of the single listed the more popular song on the A-side. In late 1979, she released the album I Have A Right, which contained her next disco hit, "Let Me Know (I Have The Right)", featuring Doc Severinsen of The Tonight Show fame on trumpet solo.
Even though she exprienced difficulty having hit records in the U.S. after "I Am What I Am", the majority of her subsequent single chart on the UK Singles Chart. During the late 1990s and the 2000s, Gaynor returned to the American charts. She issued two albums, 2002's I Wish You Love and 2006's The Answer, that were well received with her fanbase.
Honey Bee
Gloria Gaynor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Honey bee
Honey bee
Honey bee
Honey
Honey
You're my honey bee [You're my honey bee, baby]
Come on and sting me [Your love is sweet as can be]
Come on and sting me [Your love is sweet as can be]
You're always so busy
Workin' on love's honeycomb
Chalk full of sugar down your sweet mouth
Every time you kiss me, boy, really turns me on
You're always buzzin', buzzin', buzzin'
Love is in the air
There's nothin' like your lovin'
Boy, it's beyond compare, yeah
You're my honey bee [You're my honey bee, baby]
Come on and sting me [Your love is sweet as can be]
You're my honey bee, yeah [You're my honey bee, baby]
Come on and sting me [Your love is sweet as can be]
There's so much love power
In everything you bring to me
Whenever I'm snuggled in your arms
The love you bring makes my heart sing
You know love is where you are
There's where I want to be
When its cold outside
You're honey love's so good to me
You're my honey bee, oh, yeah [You're my honey bee, baby]
Come on and sting me, oh [Your love is sweet as can be]
You're my honey bee [You're my honey bee, baby]
Come on and sting me, ah [Your love is sweet as can be], ow
Ah'
You're my honey bee [You're my honey bee, baby]
Come on and sting me, yeah [Your love is sweet as can be]
You're my honey bee [You're my honey bee, baby]
Sweet love, oh [Your love is sweet as can be]
Honey, honey, honey [You're my honey bee, baby]
Honey bee [Your love is sweet as can be]
Sweet love [You're my honey bee, baby]
Sweet love, give it to me [Your love is sweet as can be]
Got to have it, need your love, ah, yeah [You're my honey bee, baby]
Sweet honey bee, yeah [Your love is sweet as can be]
Sweet [You're my honey bee, baby] love, ah'
[Your love is sweet as can be]
You're my honey bee
In this song, Gloria Gaynor compares her lover to a honey bee, describing the sweetness and richness of their love. The repeated use of the word "Honey" emphasizes this comparison and emphasizes the sweetness and stickiness of their love. Describing her lover as always busy working on love's honeycomb reinforces the comparison to the hard-working honey bee, while also highlighting the effort and dedication that her lover brings to their relationship.
Gaynor's lyrics go on to describe the passion and excitement of their love, with the buzzing of the bee being likened to the excitement and thrill of being in love. She expresses how his love turns her on and makes her heart sing, expressing her desire for their love to continue to grow and build. The final repetition of "You're my honey bee" reinforces the depth of her love for her partner.
Overall, this song is a sensual and romantic tribute to the sweetness and richness of a deep, passionate love. It celebrates the beauty and intensity of romantic love, emphasizing the importance of dedication, work, and passion in building a strong and lasting relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Honey
Oh sweet love
Honey bee
Loving partner
Honey bee
Sweet lover
Honey bee
My amazing partner
Honey
Oh sweet love
Honey
My dear love
You're my honey bee [You're my honey bee, baby]
You are my loving partner
Come on and sting me [Your love is sweet as can be]
Keep showering your sweet love on me
You're my honey bee [You're my honey bee, baby]
You are my sweet lover
Come on and sting me [Your love is sweet as can be]
Keep showering your sweet love on me
You're always so busy
You are always lively
Workin' on love's honeycomb
Working hard to build our love
Chalk full of sugar down your sweet mouth
You are as sweet as sugar
Every time you kiss me, boy, really turns me on
Your kisses make my heart race
You're always buzzin', buzzin', buzzin'
You are always active and moving
Love is in the air
Love surrounds us
There's nothin' like your lovin'
There is nothing comparable to your love
Boy, it's beyond compare, yeah
Your love is unparalleled
You're my honey bee [You're my honey bee, baby]
You are my loving partner
Come on and sting me [Your love is sweet as can be]
Keep showering your sweet love on me
You're my honey bee, yeah [You're my honey bee, baby]
You are my sweet lover
Come on and sting me [Your love is sweet as can be]
Keep showering your sweet love on me
There's so much love power
Our love is incredibly strong
In everything you bring to me
You bring love in everything you do
Whenever I'm snuggled in your arms
I feel safe and loved in your embrace
The love you bring makes my heart sing
Your love fills me with happiness
You know love is where you are
Love is always present with you
There's where I want to be
I want to be where love is
When its cold outside
In tough times
You're honey love's so good to me
Your love is comforting and warm
You're my honey bee, oh, yeah [You're my honey bee, baby]
You are my loving partner
Come on and sting me, oh [Your love is sweet as can be]
Keep showering your sweet love on me
You're my honey bee [You're my honey bee, baby]
You are my sweet lover
Come on and sting me, ah [Your love is sweet as can be], ow
Keep showering your sweet love on me, it's exhilarating
Ah'
Happiness
You're my honey bee [You're my honey bee, baby]
You are my loving partner
Come on and sting me, yeah [Your love is sweet as can be]
Keep showering your sweet love on me
You're my honey bee [You're my honey bee, baby]
You are my sweet lover
Sweet love, oh [Your love is sweet as can be]
Your love is incredibly sweet
Honey, honey, honey [You're my honey bee, baby]
Sweet love, oh sweet love
Honey bee [Your love is sweet as can be]
Loving partner whose love is incredibly sweet
Sweet love [You're my honey bee, baby]
Incredibly sweet love
Sweet love, give it to me [Your love is sweet as can be]
Keep showering your sweet love on me
Got to have it, need your love, ah, yeah [You're my honey bee, baby]
I crave and need your love
Sweet honey bee, yeah [Your love is sweet as can be]
Loving partner whose love is incredibly sweet
Sweet [You're my honey bee, baby] love, ah'
Incredibly sweet love that fills me with happiness
[Your love is sweet as can be]
Your love is incredibly sweet
You're my honey bee
You are my wonderful loving partner
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MATT LEDBETTER, MELVIN STEALS, MERVIN STEALS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Wrongway Pete
What a tremendous arrangement. Of course Gloria nails this song but sometimes songwriters, producers and arrangers never get the credit they deserve. So...
Honey Bee
Arranged By – Norman Harris
Producer – Paul Leka
Written-By – M. Ledbetter, M. Steals, M. Steals
The buzz at the beginning, the soft repetition of "Honey...Honey..." the horns...the vibes...it's just pure genius. The dance floor always filled up when that buzz started. It was THE signal to hit the dance floor.
I KD
This is a great song! One of the best of the 70's!
mcbrion1951
The original album version! This came out around late 1972 or early '73 and was a dance floor hit immediately. A few more songs, and Gloria was crowned "Queen of Disco." That lasted until Donna Summer appeared. This was a fun dance song, with that galloping beat that was so popular back then. Happy, happy memories of those times.
Juan Negron
@Roger Spencer I speak with Tom every day on the phone....we spoke today about it, I do not know of any "on line confirmation". Tom remixed the Columbia single for the MGM album "Never Can Say Goodbye". That is Bobby Eli from MFSB with the wah-wah guitar in the intro...
Roger Spencer
@Juan Negron well I guess you don't have that confirmation. There seems to be some confusion here. While I certainly know that the MGM and Columbia versions are completely different I cannot believe that the MGM LP version was a mix of the Columbia version. I have chatted with Tom Moulton on line and he agreed that they just couldn't get that Philly sound with the MGM version.
Juan Negron
@Roger Spencer I speak with Tom Moulton daily. This was known facts in 1974....the MGM single did not sound ANYTHING like the CBS single....different band.
Lemme see if we spoke about that in my interview with him. I'll look on my archives for CRIB RADIO.
Roger Spencer
@Juan Negron what is your source for this information and can you give me a link? No one in the circle of Gloria's fans has heard of this.
Juan Negron
@Roger Spencer No, he only used the Philadelphia tracks to remix Honey Bee....he did not mix the MGM version which only came out on the MGM 45.
Philip Condenzio
Still the “Queen” of disco as far as I’m concerned.
AllRequired
But Donna Summer definitely wasn't a slouch.