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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.

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Honey Cone Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

He's a V.I.P
A very important person to me
My baby
He's a V.I.P.
A very important person to me (He's my baby)

He's no celebrity to you, he's just a guy (My baby)
If you past him on the street, you just walk on by
But when I see his face, he makes my day complete
I rolled the red carpet at my baby's feet
I treat him the way a man should be treated
I'l let him know I love him and that he's always needed

He's a V.I.P
A very important person to me
My baby
He's a V.I.P.
A very important person to me, yes, he is

He had his ups and downs, but I'm proud of him (My baby)
He stands tall in every crowd 'cause I love him
The way that he loves me was his claim to fame
You may not even know my baby's name
He's in the limelight wherever we go
And he always lets me know that I'm a star of the show

He's a V.I.P
A very important person to me
That's my baby
He's a V.I.P.
A very important person to me, oh yeah

Mmm, mmm-mm-mm-mmm
Mmm, mmm-mm-mm-mmm

When I see his face, he makes my day complete
I rolled the red carpet at my baby's feet
I treat him the way a man should be treated
I'l let him know I love him and that he's always needed

He's a V.I.P
A very important person to me
Oh, my baby
He's a V.I.P.
A very important person to me, yes, he is

When times are bad and he's feeling sad
I'll put my hand in his hand to let him know I understand




He's a V.I.P.
A very important person to me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "V.I.P." by Honey Cone are all about love and devotion to a significant other. The song is essentially an ode to a person who may not be famous or well-known to the world but who means everything to the singer. She refers to him as her baby and as a V.I.P, a very important person to her.


The singer acknowledges that to others, he may just be an average guy, but to her, he is everything. She treats him with love, respect, and adoration, letting him know that he is always needed and appreciated. The song has a distinctly empowering message, as the singer shows that anyone can be a V.I.P in someone's eyes, regardless of their status or fame.


The lyrics suggest that their love story has had its ups and downs, but she is still proud of him and loves him for who he is. When times are tough, she is always there to offer her support and let him know he's not alone. The song's message is incredibly positive, showing that love and meaningful relationships can exist without fame or material success.


Line by Line Meaning

He's a V.I.P
He is a very important person


A very important person to me
He holds a high level of importance in my life


My baby
Referring to him as my significant other


(He's my baby)
Reiterating the fact that he is my significant other


He's no celebrity to you, he's just a guy (My baby)
To other people, he may be just an average person, but to me, he is significant


If you past him on the street, you just walk on by
To others, he is not noteworthy enough to garner attention


But when I see his face, he makes my day complete
Seeing him brightens up my day


I rolled the red carpet at my baby's feet
I treat him in a grand and respectful way


I treat him the way a man should be treated
I am respectful and loving towards him


I'll let him know I love him and that he's always needed
I make sure to vocalize my love and appreciation for him


He had his ups and downs, but I'm proud of him (My baby)
Despite any struggles, I am proud of him and stand by him


He stands tall in every crowd 'cause I love him
He exudes confidence and strength because he knows I love him


The way that he loves me was his claim to fame
He is known for loving me deeply and genuinely


You may not even know my baby's name
To others, he may be anonymous and unrecognized


He's in the limelight wherever we go
When we are together, he shines and stands out


And he always lets me know that I'm a star of the show
He values and uplifts me, making me feel special and important


When times are bad and he's feeling sad
During tough times and moments of sadness for him


I'll put my hand in his hand to let him know I understand
I offer comfort and support, making sure he knows he is not alone


He's a V.I.P.
He continues to remain a significant and important person in my life


A very important person to me, yes, he is
My feelings towards him and his importance in my life remain unchanged




Contributed by Camden V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@davidkarasurov

Thank you for sharing this gem. You made my life a little bit sweeter by doing so. We must keep such little gems alive.

@georgecrenshaw6309

Sounds like an updated rewrite of "My Baby Loves Me" from Martha & the Vandellas.

@johnerwin9024

Interesting/know they charted with 'Want Ads' tho didn't know there was an album as well-

@bunnyoneful

Flip side to Stick up.

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