Honkin' Down the Highway
"Honkin' Down the Highway" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1977 album The Beach Boys Love You. It was written by Brian Wilson and sung by Al Jardine. The lyrics describe a man driving to a woman, at her father's behest, for an engagement that the narrator states will conclude with himself "Takin' one little inch at a time, now / 'Til we're feelin' fine, now".[2]
| "Honkin' Down the Highway" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by the Beach Boys | ||||
| from the album The Beach Boys Love You | ||||
| B-side | "Solar System" | |||
| Released | May 30, 1977 | |||
| Recorded | 1976–1977 | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll[1] | |||
| Length | 2:48 | |||
| Label | Brother | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Brian Wilson | |||
| Producer(s) | Brian Wilson | |||
| The Beach Boys singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background and recording
Asked if the song was influenced by country music, Wilson responded, "It was to a certain degree - but just to a certain degree though. I remember when I wrote that I was thinkin' 'truckin' down the highway' - just some kind of a country western kind of an idea. The actual song itself wasn't that country though."[3]
The song was originally going to be sung by touring musician Billy Hinsche. Hinsche later said that Eugene Landy had convinced Wilson to discard the lead vocal that Hinsche had recorded.[4]
Engineer Earle Mankey recalled that Wizzard frontman Roy Wood contributed to the recording.[5]
Single mix
A slightly edited version was released on a single, in which the drum intro is cut off. The single version appeared on the 1991 cassette and CD reissue of The Beach Boys Love You on the Caribou label. Cash Box said that "the vocals and darkly colored instruments are blended into one thick soup, but the warm summer feelings come through."[6]
Cover versions
- In the mid-1980s, Alex Chilton played "Honkin' Down the Highway" in concert with revised lyrics.
- A remake of this song was included on Jardine's 2010 album A Postcard from California, with Wilson making a guest appearance.
References
- Dillon 2012, p. 232.
- Carlin 2006, p. 214.
- "Brian Wilson - Caroline Now! Interview". Marina Records. April 20, 2000. Archived from the original on November 19, 2008.
- Dillon 2012, p. 230.
- Beard, David (Spring 2007). "Ding Dang". Endless Summer Quarterly.
- "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 18, 1977. p. 20. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
Bibliography
- Carlin, Peter Ames (2006). Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. Rodale. ISBN 978-1-59486-320-2.
- Dillon, Mark (2012). Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs That Tell Their Story. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-77090-198-8.
