They are well known for being a very versatile group; their style on a single album can range from jazz to blues to country to pop. Fans know and love them for their wacky quirkiness and unpredictability in concert.
NRBQ's 1994-2004 incarnation comprised of members Terry Adams (vocals, keyboards), Joey Spampinato (Bass), Tom Ardolino (drums), and Johnny Spampinato (Guitar). Past members include Al Anderson (1972-1994; Guitar), Tom Staley (1967-1974; drums), Steve Ferguson (1967-1971; Guitar), and Frank Gadler (1967-1972; Vocals, Cowbell). The band's most stable incarnation lasted from 1974 to 1994 and consisted of Terry Adams, Joey Spampinato, Tom Ardolino and Al Anderson.
The band has kept a small, but extremely devoted cult following in its 40 year career. Many well known celebrities are fans of the group, such as George A. Romero, Mike Scully, Matt Groening, Elvis Costello, John Sebastian, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Penn and Teller and various staff members of the review website Allmusic.
The band's only chart hit was 1977's "Get that Gasoline Blues" (which only hit #70 on the American pop charts) and the band would only briefly flirt with success throughout their career (such as the band's several guest performances on the extremely popular Animated sitcom The Simpsons during the show's 10th, 11th and 12th seasons, and the inclusion of their song "Wacky Tobacky" on the soundtrack of the the TV show Weeds). The band is also known for persuading their record label Rounder to reissue the record Philosophy of the World by outsider music artists The Shaggs.
The band formed in Miami, Florida in 1967, and moved to New Jersey, and then New York City in hopes of a record deal, where in 1968, they cut their first Album, the self-titled "NRBQ" on Columbia, released in 1969. This was followed by "Boppin' the Blues" which featured rockabilly legend Carl Perkins. Columbia, disappointed with the band's lack of Album sales, dropped the band after these two records. NRBQ moved on to Kama Sutra records, where they recorded 2 more albums, before moving on to Rounder Records, where they have been until forming their own label, Edisun in 2002. The band has been on hiatus since 2004.
In 2011, founding keyboardist Terry Adams announced he was reforming the band and that they would release a new album, "Keep This Love Goin'", the band's eighteenth studio album, later in the year. Adams is the only previous member of NRBQ that is a member of this new incarnation.
Honey Hush
NRBQ Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come in this house, stop all that yakety-yak
'Cause your sugar daddy don't want no talkin' back
You keep on a-tellin', talking 'bout this and that
You keep on a-talkin', talking 'bout this and that
I got news for you, you ain't nothing but an alleycat
Turn off the waterworks baby, they don't move me no-more
When I leave this time, I ain't com' back no-more
Honey hush! Oow!
I said come in this house, stop all that yakety-yak
Come on in this house woman, stop all that yakety-yak
Don't make me nervous, I'm holdin' a baseball bat
Well it's a hi-ho, hi-ho silver
A hi-ho, a hi-ho silver, hi-ho, a hi-ho silver
Hi-ho, hi-ho silver
Hi-ho, hi-ho silver away
The lyrics of NRBQ's song "Honey Hush" seem to be addressing a female partner who talks too much and doesn't listen to her partner's desires. The opening lines instruct the partner to stop talking so much because her "sugar daddy" doesn't want any talking back. The partner continues to talk, leading the singer to call her an "alleycat" and express frustration with her ongoing chatter. The singer then tells the partner to stop trying to make him feel guilty with her tears and says that he won't be coming back. The song ends on a somewhat lighter note, with the repeated refrain of "Hi-ho, hi-ho, silver away."
Overall, the lyrics of "Honey Hush" seem to be expressing frustration with a partner who is talkative and not respectful of the singer's desires. The baseball bat reference adds a slightly threatening tone, but the repeated refrain at the end adds a bit of humor to the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, come in this house, stop all that yakety-yak
Come into this house and stop all the pointless talking
Cause your sugar daddy don't want no talkin' back
Your sugar daddy doesn't want any backtalk or arguing
You keep on a-tellin', talking 'bout this and that
You keep on talking about irrelevant things
I got news for you, you ain't nothing but an alleycat
I have some news for you, you're nothing more than a sneaky, promiscuous woman
Turn off the waterworks baby, they don't move me no-more
Stop crying, it doesn't affect me anymore
When I leave this time, I ain't com' back no-more
I won't come back when I leave this time
I said come in this house, stop all that yakety-yak
I'm telling you again to come into the house and stop talking
Don't make me nervous, I'm holdin' a baseball bat
Don't make me uneasy, I'm holding a baseball bat
Well it's a hi-ho, hi-ho silver
This is a reference to the Lone Ranger theme song
A hi-ho, a hi-ho silver, hi-ho, a hi-ho silver
This is just a repetition of the previous line
Hi-ho, hi-ho silver
Yet another repetition of the Lone Ranger reference
Hi-ho, hi-ho silver away
This is the end of the song with yet another reference to the Lone Ranger
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LOU WILLIE TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind