"Want Ads" is a song that was a million-selling #1 pop and R&B hit recorded by female group,

Honey Cone Honey Cone was an American R&B and soul girl group formed by lead singer Edna Wright (sister of Darlene Love) with Carolyn Willis and Shelly Clark in 1968. They are best remembered for their number-one ''Billboard'' Hot 100 single, "Want Ads" ...

for their second album '' Sweet Replies'' and also appears on their third album ''

Soulful Tapestry ''Soulful Tapestry'' is the third studio album by girl group Honey Cone. It was released by Hot Wax/Invictus Records in 1971 (see 1971 in music). Album information The name of the album was based on and inspired by Carole King's Pop/ Rock br ...

''. The song on the Detroit-based Hot Wax label was written by Greg Perry,

General Norman Johnson General Norman Johnson (May 23, 1941 – October 13, 2010) was an American R&B singer, frontman of the Chairmen of the Board, songwriter, and record producer. Biography Johnson made an early start in music when he began singing in his church ...

and Barney Perkins. It was produced by staff producer, Greg Perry, and features a young

Ray Parker Jr. Ray Erskine Parker Jr. (born May 1, 1954) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. As a solo performer, he wrote and performed the theme song to the 1984 film '' Ghostbusters''. Previously, Parker achieved a US top-10 h ...

Ghostbusters ''Ghostbusters'' is a 1984 American Supernatural fiction, supernatural comedy film directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. It stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and ...

") on rhythm guitar. "Want Ads" was released as the first single from ''

'' in the United States in the spring of 1971 (see

1971 in music List of notable events in music that took place in the year 1971. Specific locations *1971 in British music * 1971 in Norwegian music Specific genres * 1971 in country music * 1971 in heavy metal music *1971 in jazz Events *February 1 – Af ...

). It reached the top of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for one week and topped the

R&B singles chart The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...

for three weeks in the United States, becoming the group's most successful single and their only #1 placement on the pop charts.

Song information

Initially, Perry and Johnson had written a song for a female singer called " Stick-Up", but the two decided that the song was not substantial enough so they re-wrote it with a change in chord progressions and new lyrics.Bronson, Fred
"Want Ads"
''Super Seventies''. 1988. Retrieved December 28, 2006. With the catchy opening line of "Wanted, young man, single and free," "Want Ads" was born. The idea for the song started when studio engineer Barney Perkins, while looking through the classified section of a newspaper, suggested that someone write a song about want ads. Perry, as producer and songwriter for the project, felt that the idea might work. The duo brought in Johnson, leader of

Chairmen of the Board Chairmen of the Board is an American-Canadian, Detroit, Michigan-based soul music musical ensemble, group, who saw their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. Recording career General Johnson (musician), General Johnson (1941–2010) had a ...

, to contribute to the writing, after co-writing "Somebody's Been Sleeping (In My Bed)" (a #8 hit) with Perry for the Hot Wax group, 100 Proof (Aged in Soul). The song was first recorded by another Hot Wax/Invictus act, Glass House (the group responsible for the top 10 R&B single "Crumbs Off the Table") led by

Freda Payne Freda Charcilia Payne (born September 19, 1942Some sources give a birth year of 1945, but this appears to be an error as all sources agree that she is older than her sister Scherrie, born 1944.) is an American singer and actress. Payne is best ...

's younger sister, Scherrie Payne. Payne did not like the song and with Perry being equally unsatisfied with that version, she and Freda recorded the song themselves. Still unsatisfied, Payne later suggested that Honey Cone lead singer Edna Wright record it after she had passed through the studio.Hogan, Ed. "Want Ads" ''

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

''. Retrieved December 28, 2006. The initial version of the song, titled "Stick Up," eventually was recorded and released as the group's follow up to "Want Ads." It peaked at #11 on the pop charts in August and #1 on the R&B charts in September. This song was covered by

Ullanda McCullough Ullanda McCullough is an American pop music singer most noted as a backing vocalist. Career McCullough began her singing career at age 13 in Detroit, Michigan. In early 1970s she sang numerous advertising jingles including the 1971 Coca-Cola com ...

and made into a disco song for her 1979 album "Love Zone" and by

Taylor Dayne Taylor Dayne (born Leslie Wunderman; March 7, 1962) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She rose to fame in 1987 after her debut single " Tell It to My Heart". Dayne achieved six additional U.S. top-10 singles, including "Love Will ...

in 1988 for her hugely successful debut album '' Tell It to My Heart''. The song later was used as a sample in "Heaven,"

Mary Mary Mary Mary is a female American urban contemporary gospel duo composed of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell (born April 29, 1972) and Trecina Atkins-Campbell (born May 1, 1974). Formed in 1998, Mary Mary was launched into mainstream recognition fo ...

's 2005 lead-off single from their

self-titled An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

third studio album. The single made history breaking and setting records when it remained at #1 for nine consecutive weeks on the Billboard Gospel Radio chart back in 2005. Edna Wright also makes a brief cameo appearance at the end of the music video singing along to the chorus and lip-synching to her own sampled vocals. The song is featured in the 2007 film '' Because I Said So.'' 2016 saw ''Want Ads'' sampled on

The Avalanches The Avalanches are an Australian electronic music group formed in Melbourne in 1997. They are known for their studio albums '' Since I Left You'' (2000), ''Wildflower'' (2016), and '' We Will Always Love You'' (2020), as well as their live and ...

' track ''Because I'm Me'' from the album

Wildflower A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows in the wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. The term implies that the plant probably is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is in any way different from the w ...

Chart performance

"Want Ads" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #79 on April 10, 1971. Within nine weeks on the chart, "Want Ads" was at the #1 position for the week starting June 12. The song also remained #1 on the

for three non-consecutive weeks for the week starting May 29, 1971 and after being bumped for one week by

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...

's rendition of

Simon and Garfunkel Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of the singer-songwriter Paul Simon and the singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music groups of the 1960s, and their biggest hits—including the electric remix of " ...

's " Bridge over Troubled Water", the song re-positioned at #1 for two more weeks starting June 12 through June 19. ''Billboard'' ranked it as the No. 13 song for 1971. The song received gold certification selling more than 1 million units in the U.S. The song's popularity had DJs playing the long version that was available on ''

''. This was rare at the time. The song is said to have been a major contributor to the structure, sound, and grit of the pre-disco movement.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Credits and personnel

*Lead vocals: Edna Wright *Background vocals: Shellie Clark, Carolyn Willis *Engineer: Barney Perkins

Notes

External links

Sound clip on EdnaWright-HoneyCone.com
{{Honey Cone 1971 singles Honey Cone songs Robin Lee Bruce songs Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Cashbox number-one singles 1971 songs Songs written by General Johnson (musician) Songs written by Greg Perry (singer)