The Honeydrippers: Volume One
The Honeydrippers: Volume One is an EP released on 24 September 1984, by a band led by rock singer Robert Plant. The project originated when Atlantic Records president Ahmet Ertegun wanted to record an album of his favourite songs from the 1950s. Plant was chosen because Ertegun had seen his pick-up band the Honeydrippers performing 1950s standards. Included in the band were Chic front man Nile Rodgers, Late Night with David Letterman bandleader Paul Shaffer, and former Yardbirds guitarists Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page—the latter was also Plant's former bandmate in Led Zeppelin.[2]
The Honeydrippers: Volume One | |
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EP by | |
Released | 24 September 1984 |
Recorded | March 1984 |
Studio | Atlantic Studios, New York, NY; overdubs at Marcus Studios, London |
Genre | Rock & roll, jump blues, rhythm & blues |
Length | 18:07 |
Label | Es Paranza/Atlantic Records 90265 |
Producer | Nugetre & The Fabulous Brill Brothers (Robert Plant & Phil Carson) |
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
To Plant's horror,[2] "Sea of Love" became his biggest-selling single. According to Plant, the original single was to be "Rockin' at Midnight," with "Sea of Love" as the "B" side. The single was eventually "flipped over" because radio stations were playing "Sea of Love" far more than "Rockin' at Midnight". Plant feared his career would be ruined by this, and that people would now think of him as a "crooner", instead of the rock and roll singer he'd always been.[2] As a result, whenever he was asked about The Honeydrippers in years to come, Plant would refer to The Honeydrippers as having been "put to sleep."[2] "Rockin at Midnight" is a cover of the 1949 recording by Roy Brown, the song's author, who wrote it as an answer record to his 1947 composition and recording, "Good Rockin' Tonight".
The album was re-released in a remastered edition in 2007 as part of a Robert Plant remaster series, with the live version of "Rockin' at Midnight" (previously released on the 12-inch single version of the studio recording) included as a bonus track. Plant and Ertegun discussed the possibility of doing another Honeydrippers album, but with the latter's death in December 2006, the plan was shelved permanently.[2]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Get a Thrill" | Rudy Toombs | 2:39 |
2. | "Sea of Love" | George Khoury, Phil Phillips | 3:03 |
3. | "I Got a Woman" | Ray Charles, Renald Richard | 2:58 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Young Boy Blues" | Doc Pomus, Phil Spector | 3:30 |
2. | "Rockin' at Midnight" | Roy Brown | 5:57 |
2007 remaster bonus tracks
- "Rockin' at Midnight" (live in Birmingham NEC, September 8, 1985) – 4:14
1984 Compact disc edition
Same track listing and order as the vinyl release.
Personnel
- Robert Plant – vocals
- Jeff Beck – guitars ("I Got a Woman," and "Rockin' at Midnight")
- Jimmy Page – guitars ("Sea of Love" and "I Get a Thrill")
- Nile Rodgers – rhythm guitar
- Paul Shaffer – piano
- Dave Weckl – drums
- Wayne Pedzwater – bass
- Keith Evans – saxophone ("Rockin' at Midnight")
Bonus track personnel
- Robert Plant – vocals
- Robbie Blunt – guitar
- Paul Martinez – bass
- Jezz Woodroffe – keyboards
- Richie Hayward – drums
The King Bees (a.k.a. The Uptown Horns) – horns
- Crispin Cioe: alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
- Bob Funk: trombone
- Arno Hecht: tenor saxophone
- Paul Litteral: trumpet
The Queen Bees – backing vocals
- Ula Hedwig
- Chrissie Faith
- Millie Whiteside
Production
- Producers: Nugetre (Ahmet Ertegun) and the Fabulous Brill Brothers (Robert Plant & Phil Carson)
Charts
Album
Chart (1984) | Peak Position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200[3] | 4 |
Swedish Albums Chart[4] | 44 |
UK Albums Chart[5] | 56 |
Canadian RPM Top 100 Chart[6] | 1 |
US Billboard Top R&B Albums[7] | 67 |
German Albums Chart[8] | 40 |
Australian Albums Chart[9] | 13 |
Singles
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | "Rockin' at Midnight" | US Billboard Top Rock Tracks[10] | 8 |
1985 | US Billboard Hot 100[11] | 25 | |
1985 | US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[12] | 28 | |
1985 | Canadian RPM Top 100 Chart[13] | 18 | |
1985 | US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs[14] | 24 | |
1984 | "Sea of Love" | US Billboard Top Rock Tracks Chart[15] | 11 |
1984 | US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[16] | 1 | |
1984 | Canadian RPM Top 100 Chart[17] | 1 | |
1985 | US Billboard Hot 100[18] | 3 | |
1985 | Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Chart[19] | 1 | |
1985 | US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[20] | 3 | |
1985 | Dutch Singles Chart[21] | 25 | |
1985 | Irish Singles Chart[22] | 29 | |
1985 | German Singles Chart[23] | 48 | |
1985 | UK Singles Chart[24] | 56 | |
1985 | Swiss Singles Chart[25] | 25 | |
1985 | Australia[26] | 5 | |
Certifications
Country | Sales | Certification |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) | 1,000,000+ | Platinum[27] |
Canada (CRIA) | 300,000+ | 3x Platinum[28] |
References
- "The Honeydrippers, Vol. 1". Allmusic. Archived from the original on 2011-02-08. Retrieved 2018-09-29.
- Huey, Steve (2011). "The Honeydrippers: biography". Allmusic. Archived from the original on 2011-01-14. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
- "The Billboard 200 – 31 November 1984". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
- "Top 60 Albums – 7 December 1984". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
- "Top 100 Albums – 8 December 1984". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
- "RPM Albums Chart – 22 December 1984". RPM. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
- "Top R&B Albums – 5 January 1985". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
- "Top 100 Albums – 4 February 1985". charts-surfer.de. Archived from the original on 2009-01-08. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 141. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Music Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 19 June 1988.
- "Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks – 27 October 1984". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "Hot 100 Chart – 23 February 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 27, 2014. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "Top 100 Singles – 2 March 1985". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 13 March 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
- "RPM Singles Chart – 2 March 1985". RPM. Archived from the original on 2012-10-07. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "Hot Dance Club Play – 2 May 1985". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks – 24 November 1984". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks – 15 December 1984". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 1, 2014. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "RPM Singles Chart – 22 December 1984". RPM. Archived from the original on 2012-10-07. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "Hot 100 Chart – 5 January 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 28, 2013. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "RPM Adult Contemporary Chart – 5 January 1985". RPM. Archived from the original on 2012-10-07. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "Top 100 Singles – 12 January 1985". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 13 March 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
- "Top 100 Singles – 26 January 1985". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "Top 50 Singles – 3 February 1985". irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "Top 100 Singles – 4 February 1985". charts-surfer.de. Archived from the original on 2009-01-08. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "Top 100 Singles – 9 February 1985". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "Top 100 Singles – 17 February 1985". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 114. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- "RIAA.org Volume I – 13 December 1984". RIAA. Archived from the original on 20 August 2010. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- "CRIA THE HONEYDRIPPERS VOL. 1–1 April 1985". CRIA. Archived from the original on 2010-05-01. Retrieved 2009-01-19.