Honey Don't

Album: Dance Album (1956)
Play Video
  • Well, how can you say you will, when you won't
    You tell me you do, baby, when you don't?
    Let me know, honey, how you feel
    Tell the truth now is love real

    Ah-hah, oh honey don't, well honey don't
    Honey don't, no honey don't, hey honey don't
    Say you will when you won't, ah-hah honey don't

    Well, I love you, baby, and you ought to know
    I like the way that you wear your clothes
    Everything about you is so doggone sweet
    You got that sand all over your feet

    So ah-hah, hey honey don't, honey don't
    Well honey don't, ah-hah honey don't, honey don't
    Say you will when you won't, ah-hah honey don't

    (Oh honey don't)

    Well, sometimes I love you on a Saturday night
    Sunday morning you don't look right
    You've been out painting the town
    Uh huh baby, been stepping around

    So ah-hah, hey honey don't, well honey don't
    Honey don't, honey don't, well honey don't
    Say you will when you won't, ah-hah honey don't

    Well well, honey don't, oh honey don't
    Yeah honey don't, honey don't
    Say you will when you won't, ah-hah honey don't Writer/s: CARL PERKINS
    Publisher: WRENSONG PUBLISHING CORP.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 10

  • Jennifur SunGeorge LOVED Carl and they became friends there are two other song the Beatles covered that are not on the list, Everybodys Trying To Be My Baby and Matchbox. Also Dizzy Miss Lizzy, Boys, and Slow Down
  • Nick from London, United KingdomMost white rock'n'rollers were snapped up by the major labels; Sun Records was the only independent company that was able to compete due to the glut of talent in Memphis. Carl Perkins was born in Tennessee and his main musical influences came from listening to Grand Old Opry guitarists such as Ernest Tubb and Arthur Smith on the radio. But he claims to have been inspired to take up music from an early age by his association with a black sharecropper called (Uncle) John Westbrook. Carl, 'It was his inspiration that made me know what it was I wanted to do for the rest of my life'. This close connection between poor whites and blacks in the southern states is a constant theme running through blues and country music in the early part of the century. Perkins devised a unique mixture of blues and honky-tonk country boogie, playing guitar fills around his vocals like a blues singer, 'I just speeded up some of the slow blues licks...a country man's song with a black man's rhythm'. His third record, Blue Suede Shoes/Honey Don't was initially a big hit on the country charts, but a Billboard review of the time points to greater success, 'A lively reading on a gay rhythm ditty with a strong R&B backing...(with) a large measure of appeal for pop and R&B customers'. Perkins became the first country artist to crack the R&B chart and in March 1956, the record entered the pop charts.
    The Beatles version of Honey Don't has more symmetrical measures than Perkins' original. Paul: 'For this album (Beatles For Sale) we rehearsed only the new ones. Songs like Honey Don't and Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby, we'd played live so often that we only had to get a sound on them and do them'. Ringo: 'We all knew Honey Don't, it was one of those songs that every band in Liverpool played. I used to love country music and country rock. I'd had my own show with Rory Storm, when I would do five or six numbers. So singing and performing wasn't new to me'
    Nick Duckett
    http://www.rhythmandbluesrecords.co.uk/

  • Bianca Sanchez from Alburquerque, NmRingo sings this on Beatles 65, John sings it good but Ringo sings it best! Live at The BBC is cool because of the little speeches my faveorite is Crinsk Di night because it goes like this'

    first they're chatting about who was worst in A hard day's night the movie then, they say how good Ringo was and then

    Ringo; Can you hear me?
    John: Can you hear im?
    other guy: not really
    John: we brought you the flowers Ring,
    Ringo:.....
    John (in wierd voice): they brought you the flowers
    Ringo: Oh good
    John:and the grapes
    Ringo (louder this time almost yelling); John I like Grapes!
    *laghing*
    john: He likes grapes
    I crack up every time
  • Maggie from LondonYeah, you're right, John sings the one on Live at the BBC. He always used to sing it live, but then they gave it to Ringo for Beatles for Sale.
  • Ian from Lethbridge, CanadaI love the Beatles version, and I love Ringo's voice! He has such a soothing voice!
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI've never heard the Beatles version of this. The Carl Perkikns one is really cool though!
  • Dennis from Anchorage, AkRingo sang it on the album. Every Beatles album includes one number sung by Ringo. Eventually he even wrote a couple of songs himself, but for a long time he would sing covers. That was the only way to explain the baffling choice to record the country hit "Act Naturally" - they needed something for him to sing. And he had always wanted to be a cowboy, so...
  • Linus from Hamilton, On, CanadaApparenlty not very popular..
  • Colleen from Port Colborne, CanadaIt kinda sounds like Ringo but then he says to George "Rock on one time for Ringo"
  • Amanda from New York City, NyFor the Beatles version: doesn't Ringo sing the studio version and JOHN sings the version on 'Live at the BBC'?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About Transgenderism

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About TransgenderismSong Writing

A history of songs dealing with transgender issues, featuring Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Morrissey and Green Day.

Melanie

MelanieSongwriter Interviews

The singer-songwriter Melanie talks about her spiritual awakening at Woodstock, "Brand New Key," and why songwriting is an art, not a craft.

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TV

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple PilotsSongwriter Interviews

Stone Temple Pilots bass player Robert DeLeo names the songs that have most connected with fans and tells the stories behind tracks from their Tiny Music album.

Matthew Wilder - "Break My Stride"

Matthew Wilder - "Break My Stride"They're Playing My Song

Wilder's hit "Break My Stride" had an unlikely inspiration: a famous record mogul who rejected it.

David Sancious

David SanciousSongwriter Interviews

Keyboard great David Sancious talks about his work with Sting, Seal, Springsteen, Clapton and Aretha, and explains what quantum physics has to do with making music.