"It’s not a parody, it’s a nod to the vaudeville tradition that I was raised on."
- 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. To establish an appropriate, old-timey sound, the band added the third line, "Now she's hit the big time!", along with "crackles" taken from a 78 rpm record. The song begins with a slower intro, and becomes fast after that.
Recording
Before recording sessions for the album began, the Beatles recorded a demo of Honey Pie at George Harrison's Esher home studios. This version contained slightly different lyrics and lacked the introduction of the final version. The demo was later released in 1996 on Anthology 3 and the 2018 Super Deluxe edition of The Beatles album.
Recording began 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. The song's woodwind arrangement by George Martin was recorded two days later on 4 October. McCartney added a final vocal overdub at the end of the session.
Honey Pie
Beatles Lyrics
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North of England way
Now she's hit the big time
In the U.S.A.
And if she could only hear me
This is what I'd say.
Honey pie, you are making me crazy
So won't you please come home.
Oh honey pie, my position is tragic
Come and show me the magic
Of your Hollywood song.
You became a legend of the silver screen
And now the thought of meeting you
Makes me weak in the knee.
Oh honey pie, you are driving me frantic
Sail across the Atlantic
To be where you belong.
Will the wind that blew her boat
Across the sea
Kindly send her sailing back to me.
Honey pie, you are making me crazy
I'm in love but I'm lazy
So won't you please come home.
The Beatles' song "Honey Pie" from their White Album is a tribute to a working-class girl from the north of England who has achieved fame and fortune in Hollywood. The singer of the song is presumably a former lover of the girl and is longing for her return. He first mentions how she used to work hard in the north of England, suggesting that she was probably a waitress or a factory worker, and how she has now become a Hollywood icon. He expresses his love for her but admits to being "lazy," saying that he needs her to come back to him. Clearly, the singer is overwhelmed by the idea of his former lover being so famous and successful, which is why he keeps repeating the chorus of the song: "Honey pie, you are making me crazy."
The singer is quite desperate in his desire to see her again. He even goes as far as saying that the mere thought of meeting her again makes him weak in the knees. He misses her and wishes that she could come back and sing him one of her "Hollywood songs." As he sings, he appeals to the wind to bring her back to him, which is, of course, just a romantic notion. The final plea is a repetition of the chorus, as the singer wonders whether he will ever see his "Honey Pie" again.
Line by Line Meaning
She was a working girl
She used to work for a living
North of England way
In the northern part of England
Now she's hit the big time
She has become successful
In the U.S.A.
In the United States
And if she could only hear me
If only she could listen to me
This is what I'd say.
I would tell her this:
Honey pie, you are making me crazy
My dear, you are driving me insane
I'm in love but I'm lazy
I have feelings for you but I am not putting in effort
So won't you please come home.
Can't you come back to me?
Oh honey pie, my position is tragic
My situation is terrible, my dear
Come and show me the magic
Please come and share with me the wonders
Of your Hollywood song.
Of the songs you sing in Hollywood
You became a legend of the silver screen
You have become a famous movie star
And now the thought of meeting you
And now just the idea of seeing you
Makes me weak in the knee.
Makes me feel weak and nervous
Oh honey pie, you are driving me frantic
My dear, you are making me extremely anxious
Sail across the Atlantic
Come across the ocean
To be where you belong.
To come back to where you are meant to be
Will the wind that blew her boat
Can the wind that brought her across the sea
Across the sea
Over to the United States
Kindly send her sailing back to me.
Be so kind as to bring her back to me
Honey pie, you are making me crazy
My dear, you are driving me insane
I'm in love but I'm lazy
I have feelings for you but I am not putting in effort
So won't you please come home.
Can't you come back to me?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON, JOHN WINSTON LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY, PAUL JAMES MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind