The group signed to Motown Records, but weren't given top priority, as other female vocal groups were attracting audiences and recording hits. While the group awaited their chance at stardom, they recorded backing vocals for more established Motown girl groups, including The Marvelettes, Martha & The Vandellas, and The Supremes.
The Velvelettes got their break in 1964 with "Needle In A Haystack" which peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 in mid-1964. The group recorded its follow-up, "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'", and spent time on various Motown-sponsored tours as an opening act.
With a song on the charts and a place on several concert tours, The Velvelettes began recording an album. Despite burgeoning success, the members of the group began to disagree about the music they were recording. Half wanted to record more mature songs and thought the material was trite, while the other half didn't want to rock the boat so early in their career.
Motown became apprehensive about the group's potential, and wary of the expense of the recordings. Not wanting to let good time and money go to waste, the label released two additional singles, "Lonely Lonely Girl Am I" and "A Bird In The Hand," as the group endured several line-up changes. Both singles flopped, and Motown cancelled the scheduled release of the group's eponymous debut album.
The last Velvelettes recordings included "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You," which became their last American single. They officially broke up in early to mid 1970.
The group reunited in 1984, when the Gill sisters and Barbee cousins re-recorded their original hits with some new songs for the album One Door Closes. The group continues to tour today.
Honey Love
The Velvelettes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Added each ingredient tenderly
A little bit of you, a little bit of me
And we've got honey love
Gone are the clouds
That darkened your sky
Gone are the tears I used to cry
Honey, honey love
Oh, darling, every life needs
Sugar and spice sometimes
Each kiss adds a little sugar
Just a pinch of spice
Ooh, we've got a love divine
One day we'll put the icing on top
The very day we tie that knot
Ice cream soda, ginger ale pop
Hey, it's sweet as honey, honey
Honey, honey, honey
(Honey, honey love)
(Honey, honey love)
We'll take a little sunshine, one loving cup
Just a little sunshine and you brighten up
We'll have sweet tomorrows
Cause with love and tender care
We'll build a sweet cottage for two
With all the tenderness love can do
A little bit of me, a little bit of you
And we've got honey, honey
Honey, honey, honey
We've got it, baby
Nothing can ever come between us
Cause we've got honey, honey
Honey, honey, honey
The Velvelettes' song "Honey Love" is a sweet ode to love that highlights its key ingredients - tenderness, care, sugar, and spice. The title of the song refers to the sweetness and richness that love brings to life, just like honey. The opening lines suggest the couple has tried love's recipe and have mixed in all the necessary elements in a gentle and thoughtful manner, creating a delicious outcome of "honey love."
The song goes on to describe the transformative power of love, how it can dissolve dark clouds and tears, and add brightness and sweetness to life. The lyrics attribute the positive change in the couple's life to the "honey love" they share, emphasizing the importance of sweetness, care, and tenderness in a relationship. The song also speaks of the future, where the couple envisions putting an "icing on top" and building a "sweet cottage for two" with all the love and care.
Overall, "Honey Love" is a simple yet catchy melody about the power of love and how it can enrich our lives with its sweetness and care. The lyrics are straightforward but effective in expressing the idea of how love can make everything better.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, baby, we've tried love's recipe
We have carefully followed the steps of love to get the perfect recipe.
Added each ingredient tenderly
We have added each ingredient of love with care and delicacy.
A little bit of you, a little bit of me
We have added bits of ourselves to make our love perfect.
And we've got honey love
Our love is sweet and perfect, like honey.
Gone are the clouds
The problems that we faced before are now gone.
That darkened your sky
The things that used to make you sad are gone.
Gone are the tears I used to cry
The things that used to make me sad are gone.
Cause we've got H-o-n-e-y
Our love is sweet and perfect like honey.
Honey, honey love
Our love is sweet, affectionate and perfect, like honey.
Oh, darling, every life needs
Every person needs
Sugar and spice sometimes
Sometimes people need different things to make their lives sweeter.
Each kiss adds a little sugar
Every time we kiss, our love becomes a little sweeter.
Just a pinch of spice
We need to add just the right amount of excitement and intensity.
Ooh, we've got a love divine
Our love is perfect and sacred, like it was created by a god.
One day we'll put the icing on top
One day we will reach the ultimate level of love and happiness.
The very day we tie that knot
The day we get married.
Ice cream soda, ginger ale pop
Symbols of enjoyment and celebration.
Hey, it's sweet as honey, honey
Our happiness is just as sweet.
Honey, honey, honey
Our love is sweet and perfect, like honey.
(Honey, honey love)
Our love is sweet and affectionate, like honey.
(Honey, honey love)
Our love is sweet and perfect, like honey.
We'll take a little sunshine, one loving cup
We will enjoy each other's company and be happy together.
Just a little sunshine and you brighten up
You make my world brighter, even with just a small gesture.
We'll have sweet tomorrows
We will have a bright and happy future together.
Cause with love and tender care
With love and carefulness.
We'll build a sweet cottage for two
We will make a home together that is full of love and happiness.
With all the tenderness love can do
With all the love and care that we can give each other.
A little bit of me, a little bit of you
We will both contribute to building our home and our life together.
And we've got honey, honey
Our love is sweet and perfect, like honey.
Honey, honey, honey
Our love is sweet and perfect, like honey.
We've got it, baby
We have a perfect and sweet love.
Nothing can ever come between us
No obstacle can weaken our love.
Cause we've got honey, honey
Our love is sweet and perfect, like honey.
Honey, honey, honey
Our love is sweet and perfect, like honey.
Contributed by John L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.