Their song "Runnin' from the Devil" inspired the Van Halen song "Runnin' With the Devil".
The group disbanded again in 1970. After again reforming with a line-up including Bonner, Satchell, Middlebrooks, Jones, Webster, trumpeter Bruce Napier, trombonist Marvin Pierce, and keyboardist Walter "Junie" Morrison, the Players had a minor hit on the Detroit-based Westbound label in 1971 with "Pain" which reached the Billboard R&B Top 40. Detroit vocalist Dale Allen shared co-lead vocals on some of the early Westbound material, although not credited on the albums "Pain" and "Pleasure".
The band’s first big hit was "Funky Worm", which hit #1 on the Billboard R&B Charts and made the pop Top 15 in May 1973. The band signed with Mercury Records in 1974. By this time, their lineup had changed again, with keyboardist Billy Beck instead of Morrison and Jimmy "Diamond" Williams on drums instead of Webster. On later album releases, they added second guitarist/vocalist Clarence 'Chet' Willis and conga player Robert "Rumba" Jones to the lineup. Bonner sang lead vocals on most of the band's hits.
The band had seven Top 40 hits between 1973 and 1976, including "Fire" (#1 on both the R&B and pop charts for two weeks and one week respectively in February 1975) and "Love Rollercoaster" (#1 on both the R&B and pop charts for 1 week in January 1976). The group's last big hit was "Who'd She Coo" a #1 R&B hit in August 1976.
The band became widely known not only for their sound, which has been sampled and copied by countless R&B and hip-hop artists since, but for their sexually provocative album covers, including the cover of 1974's Ecstasy, which featured a man and a woman in a pose of arousal wearing chains and leather, and 1975's Honey, which featured a nude woman holding an overflowing jar of honey and dropping some into her mouth with a ladle.
There is an urban legend that has it that a scream on "Love Rollercoaster" that came during the break after the second verse was the sound of someone being murdered in the studio while the track was being recorded. It is widely believed to be the scream of a female model (the nude woman Ester Cordet featured on the image for the Honey album) after being stabbed with a knife by the band's manager. She was complaining that the honey and fibre glass she was sitting on reacted when mixed causing permanent damage to her legs during the image photography, ending her modelling career. She then approached the manager seeking compensation during the recording of "Love Rollercoaster" only to be stabbed and attacked.
The Ohio Players then left the scream in as a sick tribute.[1] The band did not discredit this rumor at the time, because, as one band member put it later, "that makes you sell more records." This is just an urban legend however, as are any other disturbing explanations, including a person murdered outside the recording studio (although recording studios are soundproof and the scream would not have been heard), a band member murdering his girlfriend or a cleaning woman in the recording studio, or a real scream taken from a 911 call or a Psychiatric ward.
Clarence Satchell died in January 1996 after he had a brain aneurysm. Ralph Middlebrooks died in November 1997.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were one of the bands heavily influenced by the Ohio Players, covering "Love Rollercoaster" for the film Beavis and Butt-head Do America. In the UK, there was a chain of music and DVD stores named after one of their hit songs, "Fopp". "Fopp" was also covered by Soundgarden for an EP called Fopp.
5. Sweet Sticky Thing
Ohio Players Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just don’t seem to understand
Why you’re so very hard to take
You sweet sticky thing
If I could slow you down sometime
I’d like to try and change your mind
You’re really not the one to blame
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Every time that you walk by
You really leave me paralyzed
If you just were doing your thing
You sweet sticky thing
Your beehive is full of bees
I wish you had a place for me
I’m really trying hard to change
You sweet sticky thing
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Little bugs and bumble bee
I’d like to take you home with me
Will you share my beehive with me
You sweet sticky thing?
You leave honey everywhere
Sometimes I wonder if you care
Who sees you when you do your thing
You’ve got such a sting
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
That’s why I sing
Da da da daa
Da da da daa
Da da da daa aah
Da da da daa
Da da da daa
Da da da daa aah
The Ohio Players’ song ‘Sweet Sticky Thing’ was released in 1975 as part of their album entitled, ‘Honey’. The song is described as a slow-burning funk jam that explores the complexities of a man’s relationship with a woman who he describes as a “sweet, sticky thing”.
The lyrics depict a man who is deeply enamored with a woman that he finds hard to resist. He acknowledges her promiscuous behavior as she goes from man to man, but still finds her hard to leave. He wishes he could change her ways but also acknowledges that she is not solely to blame for her actions. He likens her to a sticky substance, perhaps alluding to her desirability and addictive nature.
The lyrics take on a more sexual tone as the song progresses with the man expressing his desire to take the woman home and share his ‘beehive’ with her, which seems to signify his bed. His use of metaphors throughout the song is commendable, and his luscious lyrics leave an impression on the listener. ‘Sweet Sticky Thing’ has stood the test of time as a classic funk track with an interesting and somewhat alluring theme.
Line by Line Meaning
You just go from man to man
You have a reputation for being promiscuous and moving from one relationship to another without much commitment or consistency.
I just don’t seem to understand
I don't understand why you behave this way or what motivates you to act so flippantly with your relationships.
Why you’re so very hard to take
Your behavior and actions make it difficult for others to tolerate or accept you as a partner or friend.
You sweet sticky thing
Despite your flaws and challenges, there is something alluring and attractive about you that causes people to want to be close to you.
If I could slow you down sometime
If I had the opportunity or the ability to influence you to take things a little slower or to be more intentional with your actions and relationships.
I’d like to try and change your mind
I would want to change your perspective or your behavior with the hope of helping you to see the value in deeper, more meaningful relationships.
You’re really not the one to blame
I recognize that there are many factors and influences that contribute to your behavior, so I don't want to pin all the responsibility on you for your actions.
Sweet, sweet sticky thing
Although you can be frustrating and difficult to deal with, there is something undeniable about your appeal and attractiveness, something that makes you so sweet and desirable.
Every time that you walk by
Your presence alone has a powerful impact on me, stirring up strong emotions and desires.
You really leave me paralyzed
Your beauty and charm can make me feel so overwhelmed and captivated that I am unable to move or respond naturally.
If you just were doing your thing
If you were living your life without the need to constantly seek out new relationships or experiences, you might be more stable and reliable as a partner or friend.
Your beehive is full of bees
You have many suitors and admirers vying for your attention and affection, so it can be challenging to determine who is sincere and who is not.
I wish you had a place for me
Although you are highly sought after, I still long to be included among those who are closest to you, who have earned your trust and affection.
I’m really trying hard to change
I recognize my own shortcomings and I am working on becoming a better partner or friend to you, someone who can be trusted and relied upon.
Little bugs and bumble bee
The little things about you that might normally be seen as insignificant or annoying are the very things that make you so unique and lovable to me.
I’d like to take you home with me
I want to be close to you and have you as a constant presence in my life, someone who brings me joy and happiness.
Will you share my beehive with me
I want to make a commitment to you and build a life together, sharing in each other's joys and challenges.
You leave honey everywhere
You have a positive, attractive energy that influences others and brings something sweet and valuable into their lives; it's like you are leaving behind a trail of something delicious and wonderful for others to experience.
Sometimes I wonder if you care
Your behavior can be so fleeting and inconsistent that it's difficult to tell whether you truly care about others or if you are just interested in what they can offer you.
Who sees you when you do your thing
It's not always clear who is watching or observing your behavior, and how that might be affecting your partners or friends who are invested in your success and happiness.
You’ve got such a sting
Your behavior and actions can have a profound, painful impact on others, causing them to feel hurt, betrayed, or abandoned; it's like you have a sharp, cutting edge that can be both attractive and dangerous at the same time.
That’s why I sing
Despite the challenges and complexities of our relationship, there is something so captivating and alluring about you that inspires me to express myself creatively, whether through music or other art forms.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CLARENCE SATCHELL, JAMES L. WILLIAMS, LEROY BONNER, MARSHALL JONES, MARVIN PIERCE, MARVIN R. PIERCE, RALPH MIDDLEBROOKS, WILLIE BECK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind