Honky Cat

A fast, spirited number (171 bpm) played without any guitar, with Davey Johnstone playing banjo. The song's lyrics tell the story of man who has forsaken his "redneck ways" for city life, presumably in New Orleans.^[2] He also imagines remonstrance from those who want him to stay, "And the Folks back home said I was a fool." The song is dominated by John's New Orleans-style piano, but features the most extensive horn section on any Elton John song of the time to provide additional rhythm elements.^[3]

"Honky Cat" reached the Billboard top 10 when released as a single, but only reached #31 in Britain and did not chart in Australia - though it is still a staple of "classic rock" radio. The song hit #8 on the U.S. charts, just as Elton John launched an American tour, in September 1972. The album title "Honky Chateau" is a reference to where it was recorded, the Château d'Hérouville, about 30 miles outside of Paris.^[4]

The song has gone on to become one of the centerpiece numbers of John's live stage show, played in all sorts of arrangements, including solo piano. A live version with Elton's 1974 band (including Dee Murray, Johnstone, Nigel Olsson and Ray Cooper) was released on the Here side of the Here and There live set in 1976 (and its expanded CD version in 1995), and a solo piano version appeared on the EltonJohn.com "Live in Madison Square Garden" Vol. 1 limited edition CD, recorded in October 1999.

References

↑ "Honky Cat by Elton John". music.yahoo.com. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
↑ "Honky Cat - Elton Joh (with lyrics)". Youtube. April 11, 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
↑ http://www.allmusic.com/song/honky-cat-mt0036872951
↑ Rock Movers & Shakers by Dafydd Rees & Luke Crampton, 1991 Billboard Books.

External links

Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

v t e Elton John songs

1960s and 1970s	"Skyline Pigeon" (1968) "I've Been Loving You" (1968) "Lady Samantha" (1969) "It's Me That You Need" (1969) "Border Song" (1970) "Rock n' Roll Madonna" (1970) "From Denver to L.A." (1970) "Take Me to the Pilot" (1970) "Your Song" (1970) "Levon" (1971) "Tiny Dancer" (1972) "Rocket Man" (1972) "Honky Cat" (1972) "Crocodile Rock" (1972) "Daniel" (1972) "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" (1973) "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973) "Step into Christmas" (1973) "Candle in the Wind" (1974) "Bennie and the Jets" (1974) "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1974) "The Bitch Is Back" (1974) "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (1974) "Philadelphia Freedom" (1975) "I Saw Her Standing There" (1975) "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" (1975) "Island Girl" (1975) "Grow Some Funk of Your Own" (1976) "I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)" (1976) "Pinball Wizard" (1976) "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (1976) "Cage the Songbird" (1976) "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (1976) "Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)" (1977) "Crazy Water" (1977) "The Goaldiggers Song" (1977) "Ego" (1978) "Part-Time Love" (1978) "Song for Guy" (1978) "Are You Ready for Love" (1979) "Mama Can't Buy You Love" (1979) "Johnny B. Goode" (1979)

1980s	"Little Jeannie" (1980) "Sartorial Eloquence (Don't Ya Wanna Play This Game No More?)" (1980) "Dear God" (1980) "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" (1981) "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" (with Kiki Dee, 1981) "Blue Eyes" (1982) "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" (1982) "Ball and Chain" (1982) "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1982) "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" (1983) "I'm Still Standing" (1983) "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (1984) "Nikita" (1985) "That's What Friends Are For" (1985) "Wrap Her Up" (1985) "Take Me to the Pilot" (1988) "I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That" (1988) "Town of Plenty" (1988) "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two)" (1988) "Healing Hands" (1989) "Sacrifice" (1989)

1990s	"Club at the End of the Street" (1990) "You Gotta Love Someone" (1990) "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1991) "The One" (1992) "The Last Song" (1992) "Simple Life" (1993) "True Love" (1993) "Shakey Ground" (1994) "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (1994) "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (1994) "Circle of Life" (1994) "Believe" (1994) "Made in England" (1995) "When the Money's Gone" (1995) "You Can Make History (Young Again)" (1996) "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (1997) "Candle in the Wind 1997" (1997) "Written in the Stars" (1999)

2000s	"This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" (2002) "Original Sin" (2002) "Are You Ready for Love" (2003) "Ghetto Gospel" (2005) "Electricity" (2005) "The Bridge" (2006) "Joseph, Better You than Me" (2008) "Tiny Dancer (Hold Me Closer)" (2009)

Related articles	Discography

Book:Elton John Category:Elton John

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