Honky Cat

Album: Honky Chateau (1972)
Charted: 31 8
Play Video
  • When I look back, boy, I must have been green
    Bopping in the country, fishing in a stream
    Looking for an answer, trying to find a sign
    Until I saw your city lights, honey, I was blind

    They said, get back, honky cat
    Better get back to the woods
    Well, I quit those days and my redneck ways
    And, mmhm-hm-hm, oh, change is gonna do me good

    You better get back, honky cat
    Living in the city ain't where it's at
    It's like trying to find gold in a silver mine
    It's like trying to drink whiskey, oh, from a bottle of wine

    Well, I read some books, and I read some magazines
    About those high-class ladies down in New Orleans
    And all the folks back home, well, said I was a fool
    They said, oh, "Believe in the Lord" is the golden rule

    They said, get back, honky cat
    Better get back to the woods
    But I quit those days and my redneck ways
    And, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh, change is gonna do me good

    They said, get back, honky cat
    Better get back to the woods
    Well, I quit those days and my redneck ways
    And, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, change is gonna do me good

    They said, stay at home, boy, you gotta tend the farm
    Living in the city, boy, is, is going to break your heart
    But how can you stay when your heart says no?
    How can you stop when your feet say go?

    You better get back, honky cat
    Better get back to the woods
    Well, I quit those days and my redneck ways
    And, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh, the change is gonna do me good

    You better get back, honky cat
    Living in the city ain't where it's at
    It's like trying to find gold in a silver mine
    It's like trying to drink whiskey, oh, from a bottle of wine

    Oh, yeah

    Get back, honky cat
    Get back, honky cat
    Get back, woo

    Get back, honky cat
    Get back, honky cat
    Get back, woo

    Oh, get back, honky cat
    Get back, get back, honky cat, woo
    (Oh yeah, redneck ways and, woo) Writer/s: Bernie Taupin, Elton John
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 2

  • Eli Elias from El SalvadorWhen I live in los angeles I would look at this video from tiny dancer I say it was so cool. Honky cat was so different to his others, just like all his music was so special.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn October 30th 1972, Elton John performed a Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth and other royalty of Britain; it was only the second time a rock star did so, the first were the Beatles in November of 1963...
    At the time his fifth studio album, 'Honky Chateau', was at #14 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart, earlier in 1972 on July 9th the album had peaked at #1* for five weeks...
    Two tracks from the album made Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, and also made the Top 10; "Rocket Man" peaked at #6 for 1 week on July 9th and "Honky Cat" for 1 week on September 17th...
    * 'Honky Chateau' was the first of six straight albums by Elton John to peak at #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Edie Brickell

Edie BrickellSongwriter Interviews

Edie Brickell on her collaborations with Paul Simon, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson, and her 2021 album with the New Bohemians.

Hawksley Workman

Hawksley WorkmanSongwriter Interviews

One of Canada's most popular and eclectic performers, Hawksley tells stories about his oldest songs, his plentiful side projects, and the ways that he keeps his songwriting fresh.

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up Musicians

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up MusiciansSong Writing

Eddie (played by Johnny Depp in the video) found fame fleeting, but Chuck Berry's made-up musician fared better.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Charlie Daniels

Charlie DanielsSongwriter Interviews

Charlie discusses the songs that made him a Southern Rock icon, and settles the Devil vs. Johnny argument once and for all.

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."