Honey Pie
| "Honey Pie" | |
|---|---|
| Song by the Beatles | |
| from the album The Beatles | |
| Released | 22 November 1968 |
| Recorded | 1 October 1968 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 2:41 |
| Label | Apple Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Lennon–McCartney |
| Producer(s) | George Martin |
"Honey Pie" is a song by the Beatles, from their 1968 eponymous album The Beatles, also known as "the White Album". The song was written entirely by Paul McCartney, but, per the band's convention, is credited to Lennon–McCartney.
Interpretation
The song is a direct homage to the British music hall style. It concerns a famed actress, called only by the term of endearment "Honey Pie", who becomes famous in the United States, and her old lover, who wishes for her to rejoin him in England. The premise – a humble admirer yearning for the return of his lover – is not unlike a typical music hall plot. In order to establish an appropriate, old-timey sound, 'crackles' were added to the third line, "Now she's hit the big time!", from a 78 rpm record.[1]
Recording
Recording began for "Honey Pie" on 1 October 1968, at Trident Studios in London's Wardour Street. Only one take was recorded on the first day, although it is likely that a number of rehearsal attempts had previously been recorded and wiped. The next day, McCartney taped his lead vocals, and a lead guitar part was added. According to George Harrison, John Lennon played the guitar solo.[2]
Cover versions
The song has been covered by Alan Klein (1969), Barbra Streisand, the King's Singers, Don Partridge,[3] the Golden Gate Quartet, Tuck & Patti, The Pixies, and John Pizzarelli, among others. In the 1978 film Sextette, Dom DeLuise performed the song. Phish covered the song, with many other "White Album" songs, on the album Live Phish Volume 13.[4]
In 2016 Wesley Shultz sang it in Beat Bugs episode 12b.
Personnel
The Beatles
- Paul McCartney – vocal, piano, saxophone and clarinet arrangement
- John Lennon – rhythm guitar, lead guitar
- George Harrison – six-stringed bass
- Ringo Starr – drums
Additional musicians
- George Martin – saxophone and clarinet arrangement
- Harry Klein – saxophone
- Dennis Walton – saxophone
- Ronald Chamberlain – saxophone
- Jim Chester – saxophone
- Rex Morris – saxophone
- Raymond Newman – clarinet
- David Smith – clarinet
Notes
- ↑ E. Whitley (2000). "The Postmodern White Album". In Ian Inglis. The Beatles, popular music and society: a thousand voices.
- ↑ "Honey Pie". The Beatles Bible. 2009-11-01. Retrieved 2011-08-21.
- ↑ Album: Don Partridge & Friends, Sonogram Records EFG 7344 (1973)
- ↑ "Live Phish, Vol. 13: 10/31/94, Glens Falls Civic Center, Glens Falls, NY - Phish". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 September 2017.