Bill Doggett - Honky Tonk

First performance: 16/07/1978

Coverinfo

Bruce reportedly covered the song back in 1965 with his early band The Castiles but as far as it's known for sure, Bruce covered the song only once and once as a snippet:
 
 
An attendee recalls that "the show started about forty minutes late because the stage motor burned out and they couldn't move the stage back so some people didn't have seats. They were offered their money back but wanted to stay. Bruce came out and apologized for the delay and said he and the band would try to make up for it with the show. " Show includes a tour one-off, instrumental version of the song "Honky Tonk" which was originally a #2 record for Bill Doggett in 1956. According to historian Priore, this was the first rock 'n' roll instrumental hit, and the Beach Boys were the first, and one of the only, surf bands to cover it. "
 
 
 
  • Snippet
2021-03-01 Stone Hill Farm, Colts Neck, NJ
 
Former President Barack Obama talks again with his friend Bruce Springsteen on an eight-episode podcast series, Renegades: Born In The U.S.A., exclusively for Spotify. On this date, the third episode is made available: "Amazing Grace: American Music". They talk about popular music, the most American of art forms. The episode opens with a brief joint performance of "Farther Up The Road"; later, Bruce plays brief snippets of "Honky Tonk" and "Twist And Shout" and President Obama tells the story behind one of his most famous speeches.
 
 

Songinfo

"Honky Tonk" is a rhythm and blues instrumental written by Billy Butler, Bill Doggett, Clifford Scott, and Shep Shepherd. Doggett recorded it as a two-part single in 1956 It peaked at number two for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, and was the biggest R&B hit of the year, spending thirteen non-consecutive weeks at the top of the charts."Honky Tonk" became Doggett's signature piece and an R&B standard recorded by many other performers. According to historian Priore, this was the first rock 'n' roll instrumental hit. 
 
 
 

Bruce on the artist

Lyrics

INSTRUMENTAL