Honey & The Bees started their career as The Yum Yums (a trio consisting of Gwendolyn (Oliver) Wesley (who married Fred Wesley), Cassandra Ann Wooten and Jean Davis Sanders) releasing (the now) Northern Soul classic Gonna Be Big Thing / Looky Looky (What I Got) on ABC Paramount in 1965. A faster version of Gonna Be A Big Thing was released a year later by another Philly group, The Sapphires (Carol Jackson, George Gainer, and Joe Livingston), on the same label.
Jimmy Bishop (the founder of Arctic record) managed them and added Nadine Felder White as lead singer and renamed the group Sugar & Spice and then shortly after Honey & The Bees. As far as I can tell I don't think they released any material as Sugar And Spice.
This group should not be confused with another Philly group of the same name who recorded 2 45s on Academy in 1965 which included Fannie Lee Cobb previously of Fannie & The Varcells on Lash label. Discogs also lists another 45 by them which can't possibly be as it was released in 1959 on Pentagon distributed by Wizz an NY label - so 'perhaps' the other group on Academy? ... but I doubt it.
They released 5 45s on Arctic between 1966-69, 6 on Josie 1970-71 and 2 on Bell in 1972. They also released a Christmas 45 which was released on Chess in 1970 and reissued on North Bay in 1971. The 'staggering' thing is that not one of their releases made even the US R&B Top 100! This amazes me as the quality of most of their material is excellent
They released 5 45s on Arctic between 1966-69, 6 on Josie 1970-71 and 2 on Bell in 1972. They also released a Christmas 45 which was released on Chess in 1970 and reissued on North Bay in 1971. The 'staggering' thing is that not one of their releases made even the US R&B Top 100! This amazes me as the quality of most of their material is excellent
Gwendolyn (Oliver) Wesley, Cassandra Ann Wooten later met Cheryl Mason Jacks and then producer Richie Rome who introduced them to Jacques Morali (creator of The Village People) and formed The Ritchie Family. However, their first album 'Brazil' in 1975 did not included them, the singers were an established Philly backing group called The Sweethearts who included Barbara Ingram, Carla & Evete Benson. The best known recordings by them are Brazil #11 BB 100 #41 UK and The Best Disco In Town #17 BB 100 #10 UK.
Discography
NOTE I am not able to find sound clips for Auld Lang Syne or Leave Me Alone. If anyone is able to provide mp3s it would be gratefully appreciated to complete the full discography. Please leave a comment.
45s
The Yum Yums
1965 - Looky Looky (What I Got) / Gonna Be Big Thing [ABC Paramount 45-10697]
Honey & The Bees
1966 - I'm Confessin' / One Time Is Forever [Arctic 118]
1968 - (You Better) Go Now / Why Do You Hurt The One Who Loves You [Arctic 141]
1969 - Love Addict / I'll Be There [Arctic 149]
1969 - Sunday Kind Of Love / Baby, Do That Thing [Arctic 158]
1970 - (I Want You To) Make Love To Me / Please Have Mercy Baby [Josie 45-1017]
1970 - Help Me (Get Over My Used To Be Lover) / Please Have Mercy Baby [Josie 45-1020]
1970 - People Need Each Other / (I Want You To) Make Love To Me [Josie 45-1023]
1970 - Love Can Turn To Hate / Come Get It [Josie 45-1025]
1970 - Jing Jing A Ling / Auld Lang Syne [Chess 2088]
1971 - Jing Jing A-Ling / Auld Lang Syne [North Bay NB-303]
1971 - We Got To Stay Together / Help Me (Get Over My Used To Be Lover) [Josie 45-1028]
1971 - It's Gonna Take A Miracle (Medley) / What About Me [Josie 45-1030]
1972 - That's What Boys Are Made For / Has Somebody Taken My Place [Bell 45,217]
1972 - Song For Jim / Leave Me Alone [Bell 45,299]
Albums
They released a solitary album in 1970 on Josie with most of the tracks (except 3) being released on 45. Two compilations were released in 1999 and 2000. The first included much of their Arctic material including 5 previously unreleased tracks and the second was their complete Josie recordings.
1970 - Love [Josie JOS 4013]
We Got To Stay Together [Josie 45-1028]
(I Want You To) Make Love To Me [Josie 45-1017 & 1023]
Please Have Mercy Baby [Josie 45-1017 & 1020]
Help Me (Get Over My Used To Be Lover) [Josie 45-1020 & 1028]
It's Gonna Take A Miracle (Medley) [Josie 45-1030]
What About Me [Josie 45-1030]
Compilations
1999 - Dynamite! [Jamie 4009]
Their complete Arctic 45 releases except the flip to I'm Confessin', One Time Is Forever, and 5 previously unreleased tracks.
I'm Confessin' [Arctic 118]
I'm Confessin' [Arctic 118]
(You Better) Go Now [Arctic 141]
Why Do You Hurt The One Who Loves You [Arctic 141]
Love Addict [Arctic 149]
I'll Be There [Arctic 149]
Together Forever [Arctic 152]
Dynamite Exploded [Arctic 152]
Boys *
Baby, Do That Thing [Arctic 158]
Sunday Kind Of Love [Arctic 158]
* Previously unreleased.
2000 - Come Get It - The Complete Josie Recordings 1970-1971 [Westside WESM 614]
As the album title states, their complete Josie output, all of which is already linked to above.
We Got To Stay Together
(I Want You To) Make Love To Me
Please Have Mercy Baby
Help Me (Get Over My Used To Be Lover)
It's Gonna Take A Miracle (Medley)
Do You Understand
Now That I Know
What About Me
I'll Spend My Life Loving You
Love Is The Key
People Need Each Other
Love Can Turn To Hate
Come Get It
Tracks 1-10: Josie LP 4013 ;Love'.
Track 11: Previously unissued unedited version. Edited version issued as Josie 1023.
Tracks 12,13: Josie Single 1025.
Selected 45s
Honey & The Bees [1970] - Please Have Mercy Baby [Josie 1017 & 1020]
What a tremendous double-sider this is both sides penned and produced by Jimmy Bishop the founder of Arctic records and arranged by legendary Bobby Martin. The official top side is great skip-a-long Philly Northern Soul and the B side is superb sweet soul group harmony/lowrider.
Soul Group Harmony
Soul Group Harmony
Honey & The Bees [1970] - (I Want You To) Make Love To Me [Josie 1017]
Northern Soul
Northern Soul
Honey & The Bees [1970] - Help Me (Get Over My Used To Be Lover) [Josie 1020 & 1028]
Northern Soul
Honey & The Bees [1970] - Come Get It [Josie 45-1025]
Crossover/Sweet Soul Group Harmony
Honey & The Bees [1969] - Sunday Kind Of Love [Arctic 158]
Rare footage performing Sunday Kind Of Love a song recorded by many including Etta James and Lenny Welch in 1972.
The lead singer Nadine Felder White is not too dissimilar to Diana Ross looks-wise but is a much better singer and watching all 3 live clips and listening to all of their material it still astonishes me that they didn't have a hit. Reading some comments on YT it would appear that Nadine ended up working at Philco-Ford plant in C & Tioga in Philadelphia. What a travesty when real soul lovers are still appreciating their music 50 years on!
The lead singer Nadine Felder White is not too dissimilar to Diana Ross looks-wise but is a much better singer and watching all 3 live clips and listening to all of their material it still astonishes me that they didn't have a hit. Reading some comments on YT it would appear that Nadine ended up working at Philco-Ford plant in C & Tioga in Philadelphia. What a travesty when real soul lovers are still appreciating their music 50 years on!
Honey & The Bees [1971] - We Got To Stay Together [Josie 1027]
Live footage performing We Got To Stay Together in 1970
Honey & The Bees [1970] - Never Can Say Goodbye [Unreleased]
Live footage performing Micheal Jackson's Never Can Say Goodbye on The Mike Douglas Show in 1970. Looks like the same show as above?
Honey & The Bees [196?] - Make You Mine [Arctic Unreleased]
A previously unreleased track from Dynamite!
Superb Soul Group Harmony
Honey & The Bees [196?] - You Pulled A Fast One [Arctic Unreleased]
A previously unreleased track from Dynamite!
Northern Soul
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