How many singer/songwriters can say that Elvis Presley recorde… Read Full Bio ↴Biography
How many singer/songwriters can say that Elvis Presley recorded one of their songs and has a co-write with Bob Dylan?
In 1972, the legendary Ahmet Ertegun signed Danny O'Keefe to Atlantic Records, then teamed him with the incomparable producer Arif Mardin, resulting in his top-five Billboard hit "Goodtime Charlie's Got the Blues." This was followed by the classic album Breezy Stories in 1973. Besides Elvis, many other artists including Jerry Lee Lewis; Willie Nelson; Chet Atkins; Waylon Jennings; Leon Russell; Charlie Rich; and Mel Torme went on to record this classic composition.
This tandem combined for three other D O'K classics during that decade: "Angel Spread Your Wings" also recorded by Judy Collins; "The Road" also recorded by Jackson Browne; and "Magdalena" also recorded by Donny Hathaway and Leo Sayer. These songs garnered heavy AM and FM airplay for Danny and were the building blocks for his distinguished performing and songwriting career.
Now, regarding the co-write with Bob Dylan: besides Danny's version, "Well, Well, Well" has been recorded by Mavis Staples; David Lindley; Maria Muldaur; The Blind Boys of Alabama with Ben Harper and by Bonnie Raitt on her VH1 special.
Other notable co-writes and covers of Danny's compositions include: "Quits," sung originally as a duet with Linda Ronstadt (Andy Williams; Chris Hillman and Gary Stewart); "Along for the Ride" (John Denver); "Souvenirs" (Jimmy Buffet); "Next To You" (Sheena Easton); "Never Got Off the Ground" (co-written with David Mallett and recorded by Alison Krauss and Molly O'Brien); "Into the West" (Tim O'Brien); "When You Come Back Down" (Nickel Creek and Tim O'Brien); and most recently, "Anywhere On Earth You Are" (Allan Jackson on his 2006 CD "Like Red On A Rose.")
Danny believes that music is a powerful means for sharing concern and motivating change on critical issues such as the preservation of "song" in the world. After becoming increasingly concerned with the decimation of songbirds and their habitat, Danny started The Songbird Foundation (www.songbird.org) which works with musical artists to publicize the issue of songbird species decline due to devastation of their habitat. Using his music to publicize and popularize the issue, Danny successfully encouraged other musicians to do the same. Bonnie Raitt, John Mayer, Jimmy Buffet, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nickel Creek, Jackson Browne and many others have responded by contributing public service announcements, perform benefit concerts and do their part to make audiences aware that to create a truly sustainable world requires changed patterns of consumption, especially with concern to aggressive sun-grown coffee in the rain forests of Latin America.
Danny's voice is a superb mixture blues and Americana; his songwriting speaks for itself.
Discography
1971 - Danny O'Keefe Cotillion Records
Produced by Ahmet Ertegun
1972 - O'Keefe Signpost/Atlantic
Produced by Arif Mardin
Contains the top-ten hit "Goodtime Charlie's Got the Blues"
1973 - Breezy Stories Atlantic Records
Produced by Arif Mardin
Contains the single "Angel Spread Your Wings"
1975 - So Long Harry Truman Atlantic Records
Produced by John Boylan
Contained the single "Quits"
1977 - American Roulette Warner Bros. Records
Produced by John Court and Kenny Vance
1979 - The Global Blues Warner Bros. Records
Produced by Jay Lewis and Danny O'Keefe
1984 - The Day To Day Coldwater Records
Produced by Mathew McCauley and Tony Peluso
Contained the singles "Along for the Ride" and "Someday"
Both singles charted in the "20's" in AC charts
1989 - Redux Beachwood/Chameleon Records
(this is a re-release of The Day To Day with a new title and two new songs)
Contained the singles "Along for the Ride" and "Someday"
Both singles charted on AOR charts in the 20's
VH1 played the video of "Along for the Ride"
2000 - Runnin' From the Devil Miramar
January 25th, 2000
2003 - "Don't Ask" w/Bill Braun
Produced by Bill Braun
All songs written and performed by Danny O'Keefe and Bill Braun
Honky Tonkin'
Danny O'Keefe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Call me up, sweet baby, and bring along some dough
And we’ll go honky tonkin’, honky tonkin’
Honky tonkin’, honey baby
We’ll go honky tonkin’ ’round this town.
When you and your baby have a fallin’ out
Just call me up sweet mama and we’ll go steppin’ out
Honky tonkin’, honey baby
We’ll go honky tonkin’ ’round this town.
We’re goin’ to the city - to the city fair
If you go to the city then you will find me there
> and we’ll go honky tonkin’, honky tonkin’
Honky tonkin’, honey baby
We’ll go honky tonkin’ ’round this town.
When you are sad and lonely and have no place to go
Call me up, sweet baby, and bring along some dough
And we’ll go honky tonkin’, honky tonkin’
Honky tonkin’, honey baby
We’ll go honky tonkin’ ’round this town.
The lyrics of Danny O'Keefe's song 'Honky Tonkin'' tell a story about a person who offers their companionship to someone who is feeling sad and lonely. The singer tells their listener to call them up and bring some money so that they can go honky tonkin' around town. The phrase 'honky tonkin'' refers to going to cheap bars to drink, dance and listen to live music, often with the aim of forgetting one's troubles. The song suggests that the singer is someone who can provide company and support to whoever needs it, even if it means going out and having a wild night on the town.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase 'honky tonkin'' like a mantra, creating a hypnotic effect. The melody is upbeat and catchy, with a honky tonk piano rhythm and a bluesy guitar solo. It's a classic example of country rock, blending elements of traditional country music with rock and roll instrumentation. The lyrics are simple and direct, but they suggest a deeper emotional connection between the singer and the listener. Despite the fact that the singer seems to be offering a temporary fix for their companion's problems, there is a sense that their friendship is genuine and loyal.
Line by Line Meaning
When you are sad and lonely and have no place to go
In case you're feeling low and desolate with nowhere to head
Call me up, sweet baby, and bring along some dough
Just give me a ring, honey, and get some cash to tag along
And we’ll go honky tonkin’, honky tonkin’
Then we can venture out and go to honky-tonks all over the place
Honky tonkin’, honey baby
Darling, we'll enjoy this exciting outing
We’ll go honky tonkin’ ’round this town.
We'll be honky-tonking all over this area of town
When you and your baby have a fallin’ out
When things with your significant other go south
Just call me up sweet mama and we’ll go steppin’ out
Just holler at me, dear, and we'll go out for a night on the town
We’re goin’ to the city - to the city fair
We're heading to the city, to the big event it's hosting
If you go to the city then you will find me there
So if you head to the city, sweetie, you'll locate me without much effort
And we’ll go honky tonkin’, honky tonkin’
And once again we'll be hitting up honky-tonks
Honky tonkin’, honey baby
We are in for an incredible time, my dear
We’ll go honky tonkin’ ’round this town.
We'll move all around this town, enjoying the honky-tonk life
When you are sad and lonely and have no place to go
Once again, when you're feeling blue and have nowhere else to turn
Call me up, sweet baby, and bring along some dough
Just give me a call and bring some money
And we’ll go honky tonkin’, honky tonkin’
And then we'll be off to hit up more honky-tonks
Honky tonkin’, honey baby
Darling, we'll love every minute of it
We’ll go honky tonkin’ ’round this town.
And we'll travel all around this place, reveling in the honky-tonk atmosphere
Contributed by Grace W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Southern Style
on Shooting Star
Southern Style
I appreciate your posting the lyrics to this song, however I don't think the lyrics shown in the second verse were the lyrics penned by O'Keefe. I know every Lyric site shows it as presented here but as this is a song about unrequited love I feel it necessary to try to define the word "Electra"/"Elektra" which, at one point in time, referred to "pre-dawn"; Think sun rays coming over the horizon prior to sunrise. So what you have, in effect, is "morning waiting for Elektra but Elektra is mourning for the NIGHT". There is your unrequited love; Morning loves Elektra but Elektra loves Night.