"Honey Don't" is a song written by

Carl Perkins Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)#nytimesobit, Pareles. was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, Tennes ...

, originally released on January 1, 1956 as the

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

of the "

Blue Suede Shoes "Blue Suede Shoes" is a rock and roll standard (music), standard written and first recorded by American singer, songwriter and guitarist Carl Perkins in 1955. It is considered one of the first rockabilly records, incorporating elements of blues ...

" single, Sun 234. Both songs became

rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and b ...

classics. Bill Dahl of

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

praised the song saying, "'Honey Don't' actually outclasses its more celebrated platter-mate in some ways." It has been covered by more than 20 other artists, including

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

Ronnie Hawkins Ronald Cornett Hawkins (January 10, 1935 – May 29, 2022) was an American singer-songwriter, long based in Canada, whose career spanned more than half a century. His career began in Arkansas, United States, where he was born and raised. He ...

and

Johnny Rivers Johnny Rivers (born John Henry Ramistella; November 7, 1942) is an American musician. His repertoire includes pop, folk, blues, and old-time rock 'n' roll. Rivers charted during the 1960s and 1970s but remains best known for a string of hit sing ...

. The song has appeared in the films '' Prince of Tides'', ''

Diner A diner is a small, inexpensive restaurant found across the United States, as well as in Canada and parts of Western Europe. Diners offer a wide range of foods, mostly American cuisine, a casual atmosphere, and, characteristically, a co ...

'', and ''

Perfect Sisters ''Perfect Sisters'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''Deadly Sisters'') is a 2014 Canadian crime drama film directed by Stanley M. Brooks. It stars Abigail Breslin and Georgie Henley. The film was released on April 11, 2014, and was based on ...

''.

Background

According to David McGee, author of ''Go, Cat, Go! The Life and Times of Carl Perkins, the King of Rockabilly'', Carl Perkins first brought the song to a rehearsal with his band which at the time comprised the Perkins brothers and

W.S. Holland W. S. "Fluke" Holland (April 22, 1935 – September 23, 2020) was an American drummer who played with Carl Perkins, and later for Johnny Cash in the bands The Tennessee Three, The Great Eighties Eight, and The Johnny Cash Show Band. Holland wa ...

: *Carl Perkins – lead guitar and vocals *Jay Perkins – acoustic guitar and backing vocals *Clayton Perkins – standup bass * W. S. Holland – drums When Carl first played the song to Jay Perkins, Jay protested what sounded to him like an odd chord choice, going to a C7 chord after the E instead of the natural blues progression choice of A. At first, Jay refused to go along, but Carl convinced him it was something different, and today the chord choice is one of the most interesting aspects of the song. Perkins and his band performed the song, along with "Blue Suede Shoes", during their television debut on ABC-TV's ''

Ozark Jubilee ''Ozark Jubilee'' is a 1950s United States network television program that featured country music's top stars of the day. It was produced in Springfield, Missouri. The weekly live stage show premiered on ABC-TV on January 22, 1955, was renamed ...

'' on March 17, 1956.

The Beatles version

The Beatles recorded their version on 26 October 1964 one of the last songs recorded for ''

Beatles for Sale ''Beatles for Sale'' is the fourth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released on 4 December 1964 in the United Kingdom on EMI's Parlophone label. The album marked a departure from the upbeat tone that had characterised ...

'', which was released in the United Kingdom on 4 December 1964. The North American release was on 15 December on '' Beatles '65''. Although

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

had previously sung the song live,

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...

performed it for the album, his usual one lead vocal per album. During the song, he makes self-referential remarks leading into

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...

's guitar riffs, saying, "Rock on George, one time for me!" and then "Rock on, George, for Ringo one time!"

The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...

referenced the latter remark leading into the instrumental break of their song "No Time" from their 1967 album ''

Headquarters Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the to ...

''. The Beatles performed the song twice for the BBC for the ''From Us To You'' and ''Top Gear'' programs. A version sung by Lennon is available on ''

Live at the BBC {{Unreferenced, date=May 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot) Live at the BBC or BBC Recordings are recordings originally made for or by BBC Radio 1. Many recordings were released under several name variants. Live at the BBC *Live at the BBC (The Beatles ...

''. and a version sung by Starr was released on '' On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2''. As part of the 1985 televised concert '' Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session'', Ringo Starr joined Carl Perkins to perform vocals and play drums for the song. Starr performed a live version of the song, as a tribute to Harrison for their fondness of Perkins, at the

Concert for George The Concert for George was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 29 November 2002 as a memorial to George Harrison on the first anniversary of his death. The event was organised by Harrison's widow, Olivia, and his son, Dhani, and arrang ...

at London's

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

in 2002. Along with "

Matchbox Phillumeny (also known as phillumenism) is the hobby of collecting different match-related items: matchboxes, matchbox labels, matchbooks, matchcovers, matchsafes, etc. Matchbox A matchbox is a box made of cardboard or thin wood and designe ...

", "Honey Don't" is one of the rare songs that all four Beatles have separately recorded or performed on stage (see section below).

Personnel

– lead vocal, drums, percussion *

– acoustic rhythm guitar *

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

– bass guitar *

– lead guitar :Personnel per

Ian MacDonald Ian MacCormick (known by the pseudonym Ian MacDonald; 3 October 1948 – 20 August 2003) was a British music critic and author, best known for both '' Revolution in the Head'', his critical history of the Beatles which borrowed techniques from ...

Other covers

* Johnzo West recorded the song for the 2014 ''

'' movie soundtrack. *

on ''Mr. Dynamo'' album, 1960. *

Billy "Crash" Craddock Billy Wayne "Crash" Craddock (born June 16, 1939) is an American country and rockabilly singer. He first gained popularity in Australia in the 1950s with a string of rockabilly hits, including the Australian number one hits " Boom Boom Baby" an ...

covered the song on his 1986 album '' Crash Craddock''. *

Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band is a live rock supergroup founded in 1989 with shifting personnel, led by former Beatles drummer and vocalist Ringo Starr. History and description Since 1989, Starr has toured with fourteen variations of the b ...

, 1989, '' Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band'' 1990 live album, 1995, 2003, 2006, 2010-2011 tours, '' Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session'', 1985, and '' The Concert For George'', 2003. *

covered the song on his album ''Memphis Sun Recordings'', released in 1991. *

Gene Summers David Eugene Summers (January 3, 1939 – February 17, 2021) was an American rockabilly singer, songwriter and guitarist. His most famous recordings include the late 50s "School of Rock 'n Roll", "Straight Skirt", " Nervous", "Gotta Lotta That ...

performed "Honey Don't", during a live concert, that was filmed and broadcast by Warner Amex Television in 1983. *

Ben Folds Five Ben Folds Five is an American alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group comprises Ben Folds (lead vocals, piano), Robert Sledge (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Darren Jessee (drums, backing vocals). The gro ...

on the collection ''Vault Volume II (1998-2003)''. *

Raul Seixas Raul Santos Seixas (; 28 June 1945 – 21 August 1989)allmusic Biography/ref> was a Brazilian rock composer, singer, songwriter and producer. He is sometimes called the "Father of Brazilian Rock" and "Maluco Beleza", the last one roughly transla ...

covered the song on his 1975 album ''

Novo Aeon ''Novo Aeon'' ( Portuguese: ''New Aeon'') is the third solo studio album by the Brazilian musician Raul Seixas. Released in 1975, most of the album was heavily influenced by the work of Aleister Crowley and other occultists, with the major exampl ...

''. * T. Rex featuring

Marc Bolan Marc Bolan ( ; born Mark Feld; 30 September 1947 – 16 September 1977) was an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a pioneer of the glam rock movement in the early 1970s with his band T. Rex. Bolan was posthumously inducted in ...

recorded the song in 1971; ''Electric Warrior Sessions'' album, 1997. *

Wanda Jackson Wanda LaVonne Jackson (born October 20, 1937) is an American singer and songwriter. Since the 1950s, she has recorded and released music in the genres of rock, country and gospel. She was among the first women to have a career in rock and roll, ...

covered the song on her 1964 album ''Two Sides of Wanda Jackson''. *

recorded the song in the 1970s, released on the 2010 remasters collection, ''

John Lennon Signature Box The ''John Lennon Signature Box'' is an 11-disc boxed set of remastered John Lennon albums and new collections, released on CD and digital format, as part of the "Gimme Some Truth" collection. The albums released in the boxed set are digital re ...

''. *

Lee Rocker Lee Rocker (born Leon Drucker, August 3, 1961) is an American musician. He is a member of the rockabilly revival band Stray Cats. He is the son of the classical clarinetists Stanley Drucker, the late former principal clarinetist of the New Yo ...

on the 2012 album ''Night Train to Memphis''. * Shakin' Stevens and The Sunsets, CBS single, ''I'm No J.D.'' album, 1971 * Glen Glenn and The Maddox Brothers live on the Squeakin' Deacon Show in 1957. *

Vince Taylor Vince Taylor (14 July 1939 – 28 August 1991), born Brian Maurice Holden, was an English rock and roll singer. As the lead singer of Vince Taylor and His Playboys, sometimes Vince Taylor and The Playboys, he was successful primarily in France ...

recorded the song in 1965. *

performed the song live on stage in 1987 with the Silver Wilburys at the Palomino Club in Hollywood and with Carl Perkins in 1988. *

has performed the song in soundchecks during the On the Run Tour in 2011 and the One on One Tour in 2016. *

Eugene Chadbourne Eugene Chadbourne (born January 4, 1954) is an American banjoist, guitarist and music critic. Life and career Chadbourne was born in Mount Vernon, New York, but grew up in Boulder, Colorado. He started playing guitar when he was eleven or twel ...

, ''There'll Be No Tears Tonight'' album, 1980. * Skitzo, ''Terminal Damage'', 1988 * Johnny Devlin on the Prestige album ''How Would Ya Be''. *

Mac Curtis Wesley Erwin "Mac" Curtis, Jr. (January 16, 1939 – September 16, 2013) was an American rockabilly musician. Biography Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Curtis began playing guitar at the age of 12, entering local talent competitions. In 1954, h ...

in 1970 as a 45 single on Epic Records, 5-10574. *

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in 2020, and has twice been nom ...

performed it with

Ricky Skaggs Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, ...

Brian Setzer Brian Robert Setzer (born April 10, 1959) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He found widespread success in the early 1980s with the 1950s-style rockabilly group Stray Cats, and returned to the music scene in the early 1990s with ...

, and

Marty Stuart John Marty Stuart (born September 30, 1958) is an American country and bluegrass music singer, songwriter, and musician. Active since 1968, Stuart initially toured with Lester Flatt, and then in Johnny Cash's road band before beginning work as ...

at a 1997-02-05 taping for Ricky Skaggs' TV show on TNN. *

Joe Walsh Joseph Fidler Walsh (born November 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In a career spanning over five decades, he has been a member of three successful rock bands: the James Gang, Eagles, and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr ...

with

Steve Earle Stephen Fain Earle (; born January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, author, and actor. Earle began his career as a songwriter in Nashville and released his first EP in 1982. Initially working in the country music ...

for the motion picture ''

The Beverly Hillbillies ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from 1962 to 1971. It had an ensemble cast featuring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer Jr. as the Clampetts, a poor, backwoods family f ...

'', 1993 * A version appears on the 2021 50th anniversary box set ''

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band ''John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band'' is the debut solo album by English musician John Lennon. Backed by the Plastic Ono Band, it was released by Apple Records on 11 December 1970 in tandem with the similarly titled album by his wife, Yoko Ono. At ...

''.

Notes

{{authority control 1956 songs Rockabilly songs The Beatles songs Carl Perkins songs Music published by MPL Music Publishing Song recordings produced by George Martin Billy "Crash" Craddock songs Gene Summers songs Songs written by Carl Perkins Song recordings produced by Sam Phillips