Honey Cone: "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" [1972]

[Themaddprof]

The lead singer is Edna Wright, who I had a mad crush on as a kid. When I was a little boy in the early 70s, these ladies along with the 5 Stairsteps and the Jackson 5 were my favorites.

[henryna]

Stick up, it's a felony, heartbreak in the first degree.

[arbonnegirl]

Nice song...horrible choreography. They just didn't come across as a polished group.

[raggityman]

I love that Holland Dozier and Holland reinvented the Supremes on their label with the Honey Cone, no longer victims of lousy lovers. It was hip to be a woman in control of her entire world, romantic and otherwise.

[MrPistolMason]

The lead sure looks like her sister, Darlene Love.

[MindMyLost]

I think this was their best song. Better than wants ads or stick up.

[MRMJISAGOD]

@MindMyLost THEIR SONG " ACE IN THE HOLE " IS THEIR BEST SONG.. IT HAD THE DRIVING GROOVE GO LISTEN TO IT CAREFULLY !!

[PalmSprings32]

Heard this song back in the 70's. Didnt remember the title or the name of the group. These songs are not very popular and dont hear them at all. Thanks to youtube here we are.

[TDSouledOut1]

Love this track so much it hurts. Just dripping with SOUL.

[sierria64]

THE CHICK ON THE RIGHT THE DARK SKINNED SISTA , UM I THINK SHE SHOULD HAVE GOT THE GRILL FIXED

[PalmSprings32]

@sierria64 Hopefully you dont have friends that have facial problems, so you wont demean them....have a good day.

[SpazChat]

These women totally out sang the post Diana Supremes. Loved them. I don't like this phony presentation though. Looks like their lip syncing to a boom box.

[layingpipe222]

i LUV THEM!

[brightlights456X]

I see where Destiny's Child got there ideas from. Looks like Beyonce in the middle.

[smokeythecat1000]

Great lady's Great song.

[HURMSANFORD]

@rzabala, you're way off, this was written by Greg Perry and General Johnson of Chairmen of the Board. This is Holland Dozier Hollands label most likely arranged by Mckinley Jackson.

[racer83racing]

so this is written by holland dozier holland (supremes, four tops)?

[LyricLove101]

Pantomiming is one thing but where is the mike, Sonny? I should have been the floor director, I would have caught that.

Beautiful song and Soul Sisters to sing it!! THICK and FINE.

Some folk let the monkey stop the show....don't do it. There are plenty of folk out there worthy.

HONEYCONE

[LOLO76049]

Love this song!!



[barriobajaj]

Isn't the lead singer in the blond wig Darlene Love's sister?

[AllBobsAllTheTime]

Who wrote this one?? It has that Bert Berns feel to it >>> cha cha cha

[souldeep69]

Member Carolyn Willis (also known for her vocal on Seals & Crofts' "Get Closer") blamed this song for the decline of Honey Cone. She said the writers (Greg Perry & General Johnson) were getting "too clever" on this song. It followed two Top 10 songs by the same writers, "Want Ads" & "Stick Up", and this one "only" made #15. She points to that as evidence that it sideswiped Honey Cone's career. Well, Carolyn, a #15 hit never ruined ANYONE'S career.Almost no one could score 3 Top 10 hits in a row.

[JohnPennello]

This is when music meant something. Look at the crap out there today.

[SpazChat]

@JohnPennello , The crap you're talking about that sells today because the record buying public has become very shallow. They only care about what someone looks like and if they can dance well and put on an elaborate show, and they don't care if the sound is synthetically enhanced. Which means, someone like Giselle or Carol Channing could have a hit record with all the tech they have today, like AutoTune

[waynebrasler]

I remember the original telecast. People were talking about them the next morning. I thought they had legs but unfortunately the record label couldn't keep coming with strong material. A shame. My favorite part: Oh suki suki! Always hated the fact that on the album Part 1 and 2 were separated cuts rather than being a continuous performance. Make no sense! And it wasn't restored for the C.D. darn it. Areeba! Areeba!

[mzsilverbullet]

i want that outfit

[2008HereICome]

"I LOVE YOU, BUT I CAN DO WITHOUT YOU" at 2:53! What happened to BEAUTIFUL and CONFIDENT WOMEN like this! They're absolutely stunning!

[PUENTEXGANG]

@2008HereICome IM STILL HERE,LOL



[hidoll22]

Cool steps

[jposh707]

Their clothes make them look like they're in a cult. LOL. But seriously, this is a great song!

[chi69201]

@rzabala001, all due respect, I don't know about Tony Orlando but I do believe you're wrong about Joe Tex AND the Sex-O-Lettes. The fabulous Monti Rock III was part of Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes.Their hit "Get Dancin" was a huge in 1974/75, I've got the 45. As far as I know, Joe Tex has nothing to do with the Sex-O-Lettes. FYI, Monti was the DJ @Odyssey2001 in Saturday Night Fever.

[hitomusic]

It isn't easy to synch yourself to your own hit recording (Duplicate the recording itself) - to attempt to sing EXACTLY how you sang it ONCE. The artists don't "cookie cutter" sing their songs the SAME way every single time they sing the song. In REAL LIFE each time they sing it in real time, live, it's always slightly and sometimes very much differently. It's not easy to so called "lipsynch" a RECORDING. They do this to satisfy the album-buying public, because they recognize it "like that".

[ivyfield]

Jeez, the choreography was off and Edna's lyp-synch... Rough. But thy were a GREAT group though my heart ALWAYS remained with The Supremes - especially in the 70's whan Ross had departed and the act gained the wonderful Jean Terrell...

[YZDT]

The person who wrote this song and thought it all out was brilliant. A great experimentation of a Latin beat. " I love you but I can do without you" was a great addition. What a great song. It should have been number 1. Much more to this than want ads.

[rzabala001]

@YZDT Written by Joe Tex back in '55. Of "I Gotcha" by Joe tex and the Sex O Lets fame. Pretty sure the arangement on this version was by Tony Orlando, but I could be wrong.

[uVueD2b]

@rzabala001 Joe Tex had nothing to do with the Sex-O-Lets...Joe been a solo act his whole career. You're thinking about Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lets who only had that one hit "Get Dancin'" during the disco craze (still puzzles me how that became a hit).

[salsaman06]

Whoa! Bringing back some memories here. I started listening to the radio in 1969 (I was 7) and started buying 45's in '71. This was one of my favorite songs back then. I have the original 45 of this, Stick Up, and Want Ads. Love these ladies! I could tell great harmony even back then when I was 9!

[doozydoozy]

They are some FINE lookin ladies!

[LEVIFRESH45]

some groups just got rob of they talent the lady were very good its a shame

[The096757]

"one monkey don't stop no show" is what i would vocally say in any crap situation in the late 1980s. i heard this a lot back then. this song was something different from the typical "we must overcome the oppression " slogan motown would put out.

[blackandtanful]

"OneMonkyDon'tStopNoshow"~ﾎｯﾄﾜ­ｯｸｽ､ﾊﾆｰ･ｺｰﾝのスマッシュﾅﾝﾊﾞｰ!～ｿｳﾙが活き­活きしてた頃 #jazzm

[macarthur261]

Gosh, there were SO many good girl bands, what happened to them all? Thanks for sharing!!

[waynebrasler]

I well remember this appearance. Knocked me out. A live performance of this magnitude was beyond the reach of the Sonny and Cher Show. Almost everything was pre-recorded and lip-synched to give maximum flexibiiity in both rehearsing

and retaping portions of performances.

[kives1985]

They should have let them actually sing. They suck at lip syncing.

[celio0mello]

dancei muito este soul, saudades

[mouse12345ify]

awesome group this song ahs so many memories thnx 4 sharing:) enjoy life :) happy 2011

[dueroden]

Shelly Clark is gorgeous!! That shot of her at :56 is amazing.

[slimdudeDJC]

@dueroden Agreeeeeedddddd!!!!!!

[IggyM]

damnit when is someone going to make me a time machine?

[hitomusic]

@IggyM No worries, mate - you can make your own, and dig the groove thing right here and now.

[baldrottweiler]

The lead singer is Edna Wright, Darlene Loves younger sister.

[baldrottweiler]

Edna Wright is Darlene Loves younger sister.

[Ilvcamusic]

Sounds like a Freda Payne song!!

[fourthgirl]

Earlier version of Destiny's Child! And Beyonce thought she was an original!

[winpointmedia]

Edna Wright has one of the great voices of R&B.

[darkebony]

@winpointmedia its sad I saw them live in 1971 the harmony between them was so amazing they sounded better than the supremes or any one else at that time who was popular,people slept on them,sad but Edna could of went far,but some how she came out short!

[jbbraham]

good tune

[saclrpfrl10]

Was Sonny really a womanizer? WTF?

Great early 70's song!

Ahh Sookie, Sookie

[hitomusic]

She's doing ultra fabulous things in meshing the lyrics to the backing music. She sings like, at the top of her lungs. Just unreal.

[hitomusic]

Holy mackerel. This is one of THE most happening, greatest songs of all time. All time. Just unreal fabuuuulous. LOUS!! The lead vocal line is totally righton beyond belief. The supporting backing vocals are just way out front. The horn section, and the latin flavor and lyrics are like....WOW.

[BudWiser999]

HOT WAX #7110

[7CLAYTON1]

Great song and group ! One of my all time favorites .

[BabyJaneHudson]

omg...this is dreadful. Their choreography is even worse than the song.

[MaeWest08]

@BabyJaneHudson

I have to agree with you. For a minute, I thought I was blinking too much...the words and their lip sync are NOT matching!

[ShamWasBetter]

@BabyJaneHudson its like watching you fuck your boyfriend analy with your Lexington Steele footlong vibrating strap on 13 inch dido.

[jpsmart59]

The Supremes kicked butt back in the days when the British groups took over.

Honey Cone never quite made it as big as they were.

[uszoninyc]

Featuring the WONDERFUL Edna Wright (sister of the awesome Darlene Wright (aka Darlene Love).

'The show must go on!'

[jsf51953]

WOW, good clip, bloody fantastic, thanks so much for posting!

[petuniababi]

Another one of those talent show songs my friends and i would sing and dance to.Still sounds great!!!!

[uszoninyc]

Frak! I totally forgot Honeycone did this track. Aweome! 'The show must go on!'

[haj1909]

But what about that Sonny? He sure was cool...

[roland3938]

MDRtheguitarist@yahoo.com ( I remember hearing there music when i was a kid in 72 saw them on centric today on soul train 10-23 -2010 luv them am a fan).

[soulsista1220]

Thats my shit

[hidoll22]

I love the outfits

[nealadams70]

Things that a Monkey WILL stop-

1 Your promotion

2 strong erections

3 her love of bananas

4 traffic

5 a nosey neighbor

[peasah2005]

The Honey Cone were a sexy and gifted soul group.

Sister Edna Wright and the rest of our sister in the group were full of soul, inspiration and divinity.

The Honey Cone are a great soul group of the early seventies.

[lolatmarshall]

@JUZDONTSAYSHYT you was 8 when i was born .dec 11 1979

[LegrandnjClassicSoul]

In the middle...does the look remind you of anyone? Nikki Minage....

[michellesvideosuk]

Shelley Clarke looks so much like Cindy Birdsong, it is incredible, no wonder Mary Wilson wanted Shelley to replace Cindy in the Supremes, wow she is so beautiful, just like Cindy. Edna is so much like her sister Darlene Love, I like this! xxx

[prettycountrygirl2]

Gosh, I still remember this great song so well.

[stephen1622]

OHHHHH I shook my booty to this song I was 23 and having ittttttttttttttttttt

[waynebrasler]

Remember this telecast so well and how great I felt they were. The record was hot but the material was not there to sustain a career.

[ekocentric]

How every said that "thin is in?" There is room of ample girls too. Arriba.

[jwmellott]

I never hear this song on oldies stations.

Not much of any honey cone, but never this one.

[hidoll22]

Cool outfits;-)

[smokeythecat1000]

great voices, great song

[Redcar43]

yeah this is real music thanks

[gayboylaca]

One of Honey Cone's best songs.

[jasonwheel]

they're not singing here, just mouthing it while the tape plays. bogus!

[mrob75]

@jasonwheel Uhhh...no, Jason...This is the "early" 70s...Lip-synching was common in this pre-video era! Variety shows like the Sonny & Cher show were one of the few venues one could actually "see" the singers of the day...Nothing "bogus' about this performance at all!

[jasonwheel]

@mrob75 i know lip synching was common back then. they used to do it on the Ed Sullivan show too. but nothing is better than a live performance. this was a great song, their best one by far. it would've been nice to see them do it live.

[mrob75]

@jasonwheel Yes, that would have been nice! I remember that Edna Wright (lead singer) attempted to veer off on her own in the mid 70s and never mustered up enough steam to get back in the swing. Carolyn Willis made a cameo appearance on Seals & Crofts "Get Closer" back in '76...I never heard again from Shellie Clark. And now Edna Wright and a couple of new girls pen themselves as the "Honey Cone" at oldies revivals. One of their most underrated and unplayed hits was "The Day I Found Myself"

[jasonwheel]

@mrob75 yeah i heard that one of them sang with Seals & Croft. the begining of this song is the classic early 70s soul sound. you also hear it at the start of "Across 100th st" by Bobby Womack. check out the movie of the same name if you really want to see some entertainment. 

[MIZZEZMYKESHIA]

@jasonwheel i noticed that too. i think everyone lip synced on the sonny and cher show.

[blkescalade]

where are the mico phones?

[HipHopHead15]

beuaty full women,is it me or do i hear a little bit twist n shout in this classic song

[sweetmekool]

i am in love agaIN

[nnwahler]

Remembered this one being on the cfharts in '72......never heard it, tho', tili I came across Rhino's "Didn't It Blow Your Mind" CD anthology in the mid-90s.

[savannahb02]

totally reminds me of my mother!! Love it!!!

[jasonwheel]

great early 70s sound. is that Sonny Bono introducing them?

[kwanda53]

love this!!!!

[TheMickz2009]

what a great memory ..thanks

[ekocentric]

The dance, the singing and the threads are all "on hit"!

[taramirz]

FANTASTIC "REAL VIDEO" GREAT QUALITY SOUND!

MEMORIES...............thank yu

[TheOriginalDivaSable]

LOVING the dance moves!!! They sound great. I don't understand why they weren't bigger stars.

[stereo1967]

Darlene Love's sister Edna Wright has some voice on her. Berry should have paid those HDH boys!!!! Love the comments about the clothes!

[edwinachikere]

They can drop those clothes off at my house. Love!

[MIMI88998899]

LOVE IT!!!1

[Bogi478]

What is this song about..?Is it about Berry Gordy..?He had monkey on his desk...Holland Dozier Holland did this song on WAX,,...but they were under contrac with Motown??????

[sexymama1966]

btw, that's a cute cat at the end of the clip.:)

[sexymama1966]

love those clothes:)

[55Medusa]

That's right ladies one monkey

don't stop no show!!!!

[Cassie86R]

their so pretty

[yurielabey44]

the show must go on! LOL

[rontiss1]

J'adore!

[BlogShag]

Wow, they're really good! They're one of the better 70's girl groups - much better than the Post Diana Supremes

[damour5]

I like that...

[kaschlegelsaved]

I used to play this 45 all the time! It rocks!!!!!!!!!

[frankc3285]

One of the hotest sounding groups ever and Edna wright's voice is not to me matched!!!

[infinera06]

Who are they calling MONKEY? That's racist.

[Kamaria7]

Stop it, will ya? It's an old-fashioned saying.

[MeccaGodZilla]

LMAO!!!!!!!!

[nealadams70]

hahah

[sekouche]

"Infiner" that not what the songs about, its about cheating and getting caught and this "sista" moves on DAAAAAAA?????/

[7gfy]

i remember hearing this song as a kid, it still rocks.

[rivercrest229]

What a wonderful group of ladies, love you too death honey cones. Thanks for the good sounding music.

[joninpgh]

Soul Channel 60 on XM plays this song quite a bit. Love the Sonny Bono intro. LOL.

[sactiger]

WOW, I love this vid! Thanx 4 posting! (Honey Cone never got the props that they deserved, IMHO...)

[TJSol]

@sactiger... I agree, I don't think they received their props.

[RUDYNATACHA]

Their best song in my opinion!

[MrNothingbutsoul]

Nice I remember this clip. Thanks for posting This. Such fonded memories