Posted on 03/11/2015 12:45:07 PM PDT by lee martell
If you are old enough to have been listening to the radio during the late 1960's, you would have heard Bobby Goldsboro's biggest hit, 'Honey'. In fact, you would have heard it over and over again without even trying to. Honey was quite popular for a few months and still seems poignant today because of the many ways to hear it. 'Honey' aka "Honey, I miss you", is a song written by Bobby Russell. He first produced it with former Kingston Trio member Bob Shane. Russell later offered it to Bobby Goldsboro who recorded it for his 1968 album.
The song's narrator mourns his dead lover, beginning with him looking at a tree in their garden, remembering how 'it was just a twig' on the day she planted it (with his disapproval). This single about the loss of a loved one hit No.1 the week after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis.
Early in the year of 1968, Bob Shane recorded and released his version of this song, but it did not climb the charts or make any lasting impression. At that point, Bobby Russell gave it to Goldsboro, who was the first one to produce it accompanied by a full orchestra. Bobby Russell wrote other hits of that day, such as O.C. Smith's "Little Green Apples", and Vicki Lawrences's "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia". Bobby Russell and Vicki Lawrence (of Carol Burnnete Show) were married from 1972 to 74. Russell dies if a heart attack in 1992 at the age of 52. This song frequently appears on 'worst song' list due to its' sentimental and melancholy subject matter. This song is also loved by many for the very same reasons because many listeners identify with being 'the spouse left behind'.
It made this list:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Barry%27s_Book_of_Bad_Songs
ditto!
Splatter Platters! That’s a new description of an old phenomenon. Sort of like that classic “Leader Of The Pack!”
with the grieving girls all singing together about Johnny and that Motorcycle.
For me there is no contest. It's the latter.
This song mirrors my personal experience so much, it rips me apart emotionally. I turn the station whenever I hear the opening piano chords
I remember I cried when my father died
Never wishing to hide the tears
And at sixty five years old
My mother, God rest her soul
Couldn't understand, why the only man
She had ever loved had been taken
Leaving her to start with a heart
So badly broken
Despite encouragement from me
No words were ever spoken
And when she passed away
I cried and cried all day
Alone again, naturally
Aw man...dang monitor is on the fritz again. I can't see anything clearly at all.
I remember I was maybe 8 and there was a Kodak commercial which used the song ‘Sunrise Sunset’ from ‘Fiddle on the Roof’ on the TV my dad turned to my mom nodded me and said that reminds me of him. I didn’t understand it then, but better than 50 years and 4 children and 7 grandchildren later bitter-sweetly I do.
But just over two years ago I lost the love of my life to cancer (I had met her three years earlier). We met online and hit it off instantly in our chats and email exchanges.
Then, just before our first face-to-face meeting, she told me that she had recently undergone surgery after having been diagnosed with breast cancer a few months earlier, and that she was only halfway through her course of chemo treatments.
She said that she would understand if I wanted to back out of meeting her.
Something told me that if I didn't meet her, it would be the biggest mistake of my life. So I met her and fell hopelessly in love in a very short time.
She was my true soul mate -- temperamentally and intellectually. Our physical chemistry was amazing. But best of all we shared a deep love and technical understanding of music. She was an internationally renowned classical musician with a long list of recordings and professional accomplishments, as well as being head of the music department at a well known local university.
I am a jazz guitar player with a cum laude degree from Berklee College of Music. Our musical connection was like nothing I have ever experienced with anybody.
We had thought she was cured of her illness, but after 18 months together, the cancer metastasized. She began exhibiting various debilitating symptoms and underwent more surgery and a new round of brain radiation and oral chemo. I took care of her at my place for the next none months before she finally went into the hospital, and then the hospice where she died five weeks later.
I admit that I think of that sentimental Bobby Goldsboro song sometimes. Just the other day, in fact. And it still makes me sad.
But not as sad as this one.
Thanks for listening.
Has the refrain "...strange things happen in this world..."
And they certainly do!
Bobby Goldsboro’s parents lived about a half a block from me. Both passed away fairly recently. As I drove up the street and stopped at the intersection where their home was, the local radio station was playing “Honey”. It was so poignant since Mrs. Goldsboro has passed away that same day.
Their home is still up for sale now.
I was in Basic Training at Fort Knox in Nov/Dec '69...not long after this was released.On a Saturday night this song,along with "Someday,We'll Be Together" (Supremes) was constantly playing on the PX jukebox while lonely,frightened kids were swilling 3.2 beer.To this day I'm taken back to those very moments whenever I hear this song.
At that point, Bobby Russell gave it to Goldsboro, who was the first one to produce it accompanied by a full orchestra.
...
As usual, the production made the difference. And the full sound was popular then.
Good for you that you followed your instinct, you took a chance and fell in love. You would be surprised at how many people never, ever do meet someone upper tier special, someone they could truly called their ‘soul mate’. As you no doubt discovered, part of the joy of being in a loving relationship is allowing yourself to put your emotional guard down for a little while, then trust your loved one with your heart and soul.
Waylon did that atrocity best I think
I didn’t realize they were still living. They must have had a very long marriage together. This song has been on my mind for some reason for the last few days. Maybe l’m being prepared for something to change.
They actually used term way back when these songs were coming out.
... yeah or muskrat love. there are a bunch of awful songs that somehow got air play.
I’m with you hoss
You really love a woman and you get the meaning of syrupy songs about pain
I’m sorry
Life without my rib would just kill me
She wrecked the car and she was sad,
so afraid that I'd be mad,
But what the heck ...
Like the song says: "I could have missed the pain, but I'd a had to miss the dance."
Sounds like you're talking from experience about knowing what it is to find a soul mate and being in a loving relationship. You are blessed.
Don’t forget “Teen Angel”, “Tell Laura I Love Her”, & “Last Kiss”.
For comedy Death Rock, there’s “I Want My Baby Back”, & a National Lampoon ballad sung by a girl who can no longer eat pizza after her biker boyfriend tried to cut between two oncoming headlights at night:
“He tried to cut between them, he never knew it was a truck,
“I ran onto the highway, but I couldn’t find my guy,
“Between the diesel headlights, something looked like pizza pie......”
Muskrat fun! Muskrat fun for everyone! Paw dipping! Flattail stuff!
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