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'.
“For a little While”
Gator
He shouldn't let grief bog him down so...
Seasons in the Sun ping (and assorted other terrors)
She was always young at heart....Kind of dumb and kind of smart.
I vaguely remember Bobby Goldsboro having a deal with Post Cereals where they’d press one of his records into the back of the cereal box. You’d cut it out, plunk it on your turntable, and hear his latest song.
Actually, there's an interesting story about the two different Gary Lewis versions of this song that have appeared on-record. (Look it up, if interested!)
In either case, both versions featured the stellar flamenco guitar work of legendary session guitarist and character, Tommy Tedesco.
“there are a bunch of awful songs that somehow got air play.”
It was known as “Payola”, lol. You can Google it.
lol thanks for that. :-)
Love,
The spelling police
I hope he got out before the NVA took over.
My 13 year old self remembers all of those songs. Sadly, I thought most of them were earlier than 1968, though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HepkOOM3aok
I tried to resist...honest, I did. :P
Compared to what passes as music today these type songs are wonderful. Even country music has gone to the dogs.
“I Think I’m Going To Kill Myself”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PMfodBAHQM
I remember that one! It was about the Star Trek engineer who became gigantic after an encounter with a weird radiation source. Or something like that.
Cheers,
Jim
Not my favorite song.
Yes, they did. I was amazed at Mr. Goldsboro. Well up into his nineties, he was always doing something in his yard which he kept immaculate. I stopped one day to comment on his yard. In the conversation, he told me he had cancer yet it obviously didn’t slow him down that I could tell. He went to Mass every morning. I only saw Mrs. Goldsboro one time and that was as they were turning into their driveway. He went first and she not long afterward.
I saw Bobby twice when he came home for visits although I knew of many other times when he came to visit his folks. I wanted to speak with him but left him to his privacy.
The real estate agent who has the listing is now keeping the yard well manicured.
I always have a good feeling when I drive by that house mostly because I know there was a lot of love in it (told to me by others who knew the Goldsboros for many years).
I hope you are not being prepared for the kind of change the lyrics would suggest, but, if so, may God bless and sustain you and yours.
And the Perfect Country Western song,
Well, I was drunk the day my Mom got out of prison,
And I went to pick her up in the rain.
But before I could get to the station in my pickup truck, She got runned over by a damned old train
That song is disturbing because it has an easy bouncy beat and great guitar solo, sort of like Maxwell Silverhammer by Paul McCartney, another extraordinarily grim song, done in a light style, the subject matter all cushioned with choral harmonies.
This song is written in the Doo Wop style of the late 50’s. At first listen, it sounds like a song the late Ricky Nelson would have performed. However, while listening to the song, the YouTube video is showing me some very morbid stuff indeed. Before the song has ended, I decide, I’ve seen enough. Interesting take, but whoo! Reminds me why I always thought the show Dexter was not a good idea for the general public.
Mac Arthur Park is either a song you love or a song you hate. I love it. There must have been quite a few of us that loved it because it was the #2 song for the year and the album was nominated for a Grammy. When Richard Harris passed away it was as though a member of my family had died. Love him or hate him he had a heck of a career.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.