Honey – A Sweet Classic

August 16, 1975 – Ohio Players: Honey is released

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Honey is the seventh studio album by the Ohio Players, released on August 16, 1975. It reached #2 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart and topped the Billboard Top Soul/Black Albums chart for two weeks. The album features the smash hit “Love Rollercoaster”, which topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts.

The follow-up to Fire (1974), Honey kept the band’s golden streak alive with a mix of smooth soul ballads, churning funk, and outrageous attitude—fueled by Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner’s cartoonish lead vocals. Tracks like the lush opener “Honey,” the carpe diem anthem “Let’s Love,” and the heartfelt “Alone” showcase the group’s softer side. On the funk front, “Fopp” and “Ain’t Givin’ Up No Ground” rank among the Players’ most energetic workouts.

Of course, the irrepressible “Love Rollercoaster” stands as the highlight, with its instantly recognizable riff and hook—sampled endlessly in the decades since.

The album’s cover—depicting a nude model covered in honey—sparked controversy and even urban legends, but the attention only fueled sales, making Honey one of the Ohio Players’ most iconic releases.

TRACKS

(All songs by Williams, Satchell, Bonner, Jones, Middlebrooks, Pierce, Beck)

Side one

1. Honey – 4:15

2. Fopp – 3:45

3. Let’s Love – 5:15

4. Ain’t Givin’ Up No Ground – 1:45

Side two

1. Sweet Sticky Thing – 6:13

2. Love Rollercoaster – 4:52

3. Alone – 4:40