Girls It Ain't Easy
Edna Wright, Carolyn Willis, and Shellie Clark comprised the vocal trio Hon… Read Full Bio ↴Edna Wright, Carolyn Willis, and Shellie Clark comprised the vocal trio Honey Cone, which only stayed together for four years but was still one of the best female soul groups of the early '70s. Although Honey Cone (which lead singer Wright formed in 1969) was based in Los Angeles, their recordings were Northern-style soul — specifically, Detroit soul. Martha & the Vandellas and the Marvelettes — two of the female vocal groups that epitomized Motown Records' sound in the '60s — were among Honey Cone's main influences, and the group (which favored a blend of sweetness and grit) worked closely with three producer/songwriters who used to work at Motown: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland. However, Honey Cone's members had been in the music industry before they joined forces with the famous Holland/DozierHolland team. Willis (born 1946, Los Angeles, CA) had been with Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans, who were known for '60s hits like "Why Do Lovers Break Each Other's Heart?" and "Not Too Young to Get Married." Clark (born in 1943, Brooklyn, NY) was an ex-member of the Ikettes, (Ike & Tina Turner's female backup singers), while Wright (born 1944, Los Angeles, CA) had been with the Blossoms. In fact, Wright's older sister is singer/actress Darlene Love, who was a member of Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans as well as the Blossoms (in addition to doing a lot of recording by herself). Wright also recorded as a solo artist in the '60s; her Champion single "A Touch of Venus" (recorded under the pseudonym Sandy Wynns) was a small regional hit in Southern California. And like so many of the soul singers who were active in the '60s and '70s, Wright wasn't without gospel credentials. She had a Christian upbringing and sang gospel with the Church of God in Christ Singers, but ended up making secular R&B her primary focus. Wright, Clark, and Willis had only been together a few months when, in 1969, the group caught the attention of Eddie Holland (who came up with the name Honey Cone). The prolific Holland/DozierHolland team (which wrote countless mega-hits for Motown artists) had recently left Motown and started their own Detroit-based soul label Hot Wax/Invictus, and Honey Cone became the company's first signing. Honey Cone's first release, a 1969 single titled "While You're Out Looking for Sugar," was also Hot Wax's first release. The very Motown-sounding tune was not a major hit; it reached number 26 on Billboard's R&B singles chart and number 62 on the magazine's pop singles chart. But for a small upstart label, that single was a decent start. Honey Cone's next single, "Girls, It Ain't Easy," was equally Motown-sounding and did become a major hit, reaching number eight on Billboard's R&B singles chart. After that, Honey Cone enjoyed their biggest hits of all. Released in late 1970, the infectious "Want Ads" (which Taylor Dayne covered in 1988) got off to a slow start and the song had been out four months before it even charted in either Billboard or Cash Box (Billboard's main competitor at the time). But when "Wants Ads" finally took off, it really took off and soared to number one on Billboard's R&B and pop singles charts. In 1971, Honey Cone had another number one R&B hit with "Stick Up," which was also a number 11 pop hit. And a few more major hits followed in 1972, including the ballad "The Day I Found Myself" and the Latin-influenced "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" (a number five R&B single and a number 15 pop hit). But as big as Honey Cone was from 1969-1972, it didn't fare nearly as well in 1973; none of the three Honey Cone singles that Hot Wax put out in 1973 ("If I Can't Fly," "The Truth Will Come Out," and "Ace in the Hole") were big hits. Sadly, Hot Wax/Invictus found itself experiencing a serious cash flow problem in 1973, despite having put out big sellers by Honey Cone as well as Freda Payne, 100 Percent Aged in Soul, Laura Lee, and the Chairmen of the Board. The problem wasn't that Hot Wax/Invictus' releases lacked commercial appeal; the problem, allegedly, was that the company was not getting paid by its independent distributors. In 1973, Honey Cone broke up, and Hot Wax/Invictus went out of business the following year. Wright went on to record by herself, providing the solo LP Oops! Here I Go Again for RCA in 1976. All five of the LPs that Honey Cone recorded for Hot Wax — Honey Cone in 1969, Take Me With You in 1970, Sweet Replies and Soul Tapestry in 1971, and Love, Peace & Soul in 1972 — went out of print when the label folded. However, all of Honey Cone's major hits are included on a 14-song Greatest Hits CD that Fantasy assembled in 1990. And the comprehensive Soulful Sugar, which Castle put out in 2001, boasts no less than 45 tracks.

Girls It Ain't Easy
Honey Cone Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah, it ain't easy
Girls it ain't easy
To keep the man you love satisfied
It ain't easy
Girls it ain't easy
To keep the one you love by your side

A woman's work is never done
Never stops, it goes on and on
You work your fingers to the bone
You gotta be home every time he phones

Sometimes the going gets a little tough
Seems like my best ain't good enough
Keeps you losing sleep
Seven days a week, yeah

It ain't easy
Girls it ain't easy
To keep the man you love satisfied
It ain't easy
Girls it ain't easy
To keep the one you love by your side

To keep him happy
You must sacrifice
Be ready and willing
To spend lonely nights
Do what you can
Though he seems ungrateful
Love him so true
Even though he seems unfaithful

But when his hope is gone
And life gets him down
That's when he'll say
He needs you around

Hard to live with him
Hard to live without him
It ain't easy, no

Oh, yeah, it ain't easy
Girls it ain't easy
It ain't easy
Girls it ain't easy

You got to favor him with understanding
When understanding is what he needs
We try hard to give them respect
All that we get is their regret

But when they're in trouble
They need our love and care
No matter when we gotta be right there
In between the crying
Gotta keep trying

It ain't easy
Girls it ain't easy, ooh, ooh, ooh
It ain't easy
Girls it ain't easy

It ain't easy
Girls it ain't easy, yeah, ooh




It ain't easy
Girls it ain't easy, no

Overall Meaning

The song "Girls It Ain't Easy" by Honey Cone talks about the challenges and difficulties that women face when trying to maintain a successful and fulfilling relationship with the man they love. The opening line sets the tone for the song, as it acknowledges that it is not an easy task to keep a man satisfied and by their side. The lyrics suggest that women work tirelessly to maintain their relationships, even to the point of sacrificing their own needs and desires.


The song goes on to describe the various struggles that women face in their attempts to keep their partners happy. Women are expected to be available and attentive at all times, to the point of sacrificing their own sleep and well-being. The lyrics also suggest that women are often unappreciated and taken for granted, despite their best efforts to keep the relationship going.


Despite these challenges, the song encourages women to keep trying and to be there for their partners, even when things get tough. The lyrics suggest that men need the love and care of their partners, especially during difficult times. In this way, the song acknowledges the importance of women in supporting their partners and being a source of strength and comfort.


Line by Line Meaning

Yeah, it ain't easy
Keeping the man you love satisfied is difficult


Girls it ain't easy
Addressing the female target audience to empathize with their struggles


To keep the man you love satisfied
Expressing the difficulties that come with maintaining a man's contentedness in a romantic relationship


To keep the one you love by your side
The challenges involved in staying committed to your loved one


A woman's work is never done
The seemingly unending responsibilities and duties that women have in relationships, which require significant time and effort


Never stops, it goes on and on
The arduous tasks continue repeatably, without sign of stopping or slowing down


You work your fingers to the bone
Putting in an endless amount of strenuous work, leaving the individual with sore and strained fingers


You gotta be home every time he phones
Being expected to be available for your partner at all times, even when inconvenient or difficult


Sometimes the going gets a little tough
Difficult situations can arise unexpectedly in a relationship, making it harder to maintain harmony


Seems like my best ain't good enough
Despite putting forth one's best effort, it may not be sufficient for their partner


Keeps you losing sleep
Frustration and concern weigh heavily on the individual's mind, causing them to struggle to sleep at night


Seven days a week, yeah
These difficulties happen every day, even on weekends, often causing emotional fatigue


To keep him happy
Focusing on maintaining the satisfaction of one's partner


You must sacrifice
Being prepared to give up certain things to prioritize your partner's happiness


Be ready and willing
Being open and prepared to offer love and support at any moment


To spend lonely nights
Being committed to missing out on solo activities to be available for one's partner


Do what you can
Making an effort to fulfill one's partner's expectations, despite any difficulties that may arise


Though he seems ungrateful
Even if the partner doesn't seem to be appreciative, it's important to continue putting in the effort to maintain the relationship


Love him so true
Focusing on having a deep and meaningful love for one's partner


Even though he seems unfaithful
Despite doubts or suspicions, it's important to maintain faith in the relationship and partner


But when his hope is gone
When the partner feels discouraged or defeated, they'll turn to their significant other for support


And life gets him down
In times of struggle, he may feel the weight of the world on his shoulders, and seek his partner's aid


That's when he'll say
The partner may keep quiet about his stress and pressure until he feels like he can't handle it anymore


He needs you around
Expressing the idea that in times of need, the partner needs the support and comfort of their loved one to cope


Hard to live with him
Addressing the challenges involved in coexisting with one's partner


Hard to live without him
Expressing that despite the difficulties, a life without the partner would be even harder


You got to favor him with understanding
It's important to prioritize understanding one's partner, and showing them empathy and compassion


When understanding is what he needs
In order to be supportive, the partner must have a sense of empathy and be attentive to their partner's emotional needs


We try hard to give them respect
Making a consistent effort to respect and recognize one's partner as an equal and deserving of admiration


All that we get is their regret
Despite these efforts, sometimes the partner remains indifferent or even avoidant of the partner


But when they're in trouble
Expressing the idea that in times of difficulty, the partner needs the support and aid of their loved one


They need our love and care
The partner needs the emotional support, love, and attention of their significant other in times of struggle


No matter when we gotta be right there
Regardless of the time or situation, the partner must be there and available to care for their loved one


In between the crying
There may be tears and emotional outbursts in a relationship, which must be navigated and supported through by the partner


Gotta keep trying
Despite setbacks or difficulties, it's essential to maintain effort and commitment to preserve the relationship




It ain't easy
Expressing the overall theme of the song, that maintaining a romantic relationship is hard work


Girls it ain't easy, ooh, ooh, ooh
Addressing the target audience of the song, women experiencing the specific struggles mentioned




It ain't easy
Reiterating the song's overall message


Girls it ain't easy, no
Affirming again that the challenges faced in relationships are specifically felt by women




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RONALD DUNBAR, EDYTHE WAYNE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

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@TheLongBow

No, The Hunt brought me here

@julianbarrientos2078

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@donnameansyoucancallmelala1800

I have always loved this group! Edna's voice was amazing!!! This was the era when music was music and the artists sung from their own ❤️ ❤️ ❤️.
RIP, Lady Edna Wright.

@TeamTuc

The Hunt brought me here....
Recognized their voices but couldn't put my finger on it! It's been since the 70's since i heard this joint :D

@roxannerico1107

Me too 😊

@mattherrera3112

"The Hunt" movie is gonna give this video the million views it deserves.

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