Hailing from New Mexico, this largely instrumental early rock and roll grou… Read Full Bio ↴Hailing from New Mexico, this largely instrumental early rock and roll group contributed a decent amount to the history of the genre during their rather inconsistent span of success. Everything from their handful of surf-like hits to their handling of some Buddy Holly demos that resulted in less popularity.

Christening themselves after their standing ovation performance of the Jerry Lee Lewis classic “Great Balls Of Fire” at a New Mexico talent show, the Fireballs caught the ear of Buddy Holly producer Norman Petty, who would let the group record in his history-rich studio. Led by the clean guitar lines of George Tomsco, the band would string together a few Top 40 hits from 1959 to 1961, including “Torquay” (#39 in 1959), “Bulldog” (#24 in 1960) and “Quite A Party” (#27 in 1961), likely inspiring troves of to-be surf guitarists along the way.

In 1963, instead of capitalizing on the surf music craze that saw Fireball-esque bands such as the Chantays, Surfaris, and Pyramids all receive serious airtime for their reverb-drenched, wild guitar-oriented arrangements, the group teamed up with Petty Studio regular Jimmy Gilmer on vox and, billed as Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs, released the pop single “Sugar Shack”, which dominated the Hot 100, staying at #1 for five weeks while also going to the top of the R&B chart as well.

Likely coasting off of the success of “Sugar Shack”, another Jimmy Gilmer collab, “Daisy Petal Picking” also peeked at #15 in early 1964. During the singles’ lifespan in the Top 40, Liverpool-based pop group the Beatles entered the lower trenches of the Hot 100 with “I Want To Hold Your Hand”, a song that, upon its eventual claim of the top spot, would usher in the British Invasion of US radio, a phenomenon that would become the demise of many American bands like the Fireballs that once consistently entered the Top 40.

While English groups quickly reshaped the rock scene and American outfits slowly faded from the charts for a short period of time, the Fireballs continued to contribute to R&R history, albeit in a much less glorious fashion. The band spent much of the ‘60s overdubbing numerous demos recorded by the late Buddy Holly. While a few of these efforts breached the Hot 100, the overdubbings are largely panned by diehard Holly fans for their alleged bastardization of the singer’s work.

As the decade waged on the Fireballs picky guitar instrumentation progressively became blasé. The band had a somewhat random return to the Top 10 when, billed simply as “The Fireballs” despite Gilmer still being present in the group, the Sugar Shack-like “Bottle of Wine” peeked at #9 in 1967. Several follow up singles failed to recapture the lightning in the bottle however, and once their song “Long Green” exited the Hot 100 after a brief appearance, the band would never again re-enter the chart.

Honey
The Fireballs Lyrics

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Scene is a June night, flooded with moonlight
Fragrant roses in bloom

Garden bench with just room for two
You are the she-ro, I am the he-ro
Love is prompting the play
Here's the cue where I say to you

I'm in love with you, honey
Say you love me too, honey
No one else will do, honey,
Seems funny but it's true
Loved you from the start, honey
Bless your little heart, honey
Ev-ry day would be so sunny,
Honey with you.

One thing is certain, second at curtain
Shows a wedding in June,
And a sweet honeymoon for two
With your permission, no intermission
There's so much in my heart
And so much to impart to you.

I'm in love with you, honey
Say you love me too, honey
No one else will do, honey,
Seems funny but it's true
Loved you from the start, honey
Bless your little heart, honey

Ev-ry day would be so sunny,
Honey with you.

Overall Meaning

The Fireballs’ Honey is a love song that tells the story of a couple in love. The scene is set on a beautiful June night, the moonlight pouring into a garden filled with fragrant roses in full bloom. The couple are on a garden bench, just enough room for the two of them. The man sees the woman as the ‘she-ro’ and himself as the ‘he-ro,’ and they are prompted to say “I love you” by the feeling of love that is surging within them.

The man expresses his love, telling her that he has loved her from the very beginning, and that she is the only one for him. He goes on to say that every day he spends with her would be sunny and happy. The song ends with a promise of a future together and a wedding in June followed by a sweet honeymoon. The chorus, with the words “I’m in love with you, honey, say you love me too, honey" is the declaration of love reiterated throughout the song.

Overall, the song encompasses the feeling and sentiments of falling for someone deeply and being enraptured in their love. The romantic setting of the garden, the moonlight, and the roses all add to the beauty of this love story.

Line by Line Meaning

Scene is a June night, flooded with moonlight
It's a beautiful night in June with the moon shining brightly

Fragrant roses in bloom
The roses are blooming and it smells wonderful

Garden bench with just room for two
There's a bench in the garden that's perfect for two people

You are the she-ro, I am the he-ro
You're the heroine and I'm the hero of this romantic story

Love is prompting the play
Love is the inspiration for this story

Here's the cue where I say to you
Now is the part where I tell you how I feel

I'm in love with you, honey
I love you so much

Say you love me too, honey
Tell me you love me too

No one else will do, honey,
I only want to be with you

Seems funny but it's true
It's kind of funny, but it's really true

Loved you from the start, honey
I've loved you since the beginning