"Country Honk" is a country version of "Honky Tonk Women", released five mo… Read Full Bio ↴"Country Honk" is a country version of "Honky Tonk Women", released five months after on the album Let it Bleed. The country arrangement was the original concept of "Honky Tonk Women".
According to some sources "Country Honk" was recorded at the Elektra recording studio in Los Angeles. Byron Berline played the fiddle on the track, and has said that Gram Parsons was responsible for him being chosen for the job (Berline had previously recorded with Parson's band). Producer Glyn Johns suggested that Berline should record his part on the sidewalk outside the studio to add ambience to the number. Sam Cutler, the Rolling Stones' tour manager, performed the car horn at the beginning of the track. Nanette Workman performs backing vocals on this version (although the album sleeve credits actress Nanette Newman). Other sources state that "Country Honk" was recorded at Olympic Studios right after "Honky Tonk Women," with only Berline's fiddle part overdubbed at Elektra Studios; this might be supported by the existence of a bootleg recording that does not contain either the fiddle or Mick Taylor's slide guitar.

Country Honk
The Rolling Stones Lyrics

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I'm sittin' in a bar tippling a jar in Jackson
And on the street the summer sun it shines
There's many a bar room queen I've had in Jackson
But I just can't seen to drink you off my mind

It's those honky tonk women
Gimme, gimme, gimme those honky tonk blues

I played a divorcee in New York City
I had to put up some kind of a fight
The lady then all dressed me up in roses
She blew my nose and then she blew my mind

It's those honky tonk women
Gimme, gimme, gimme those honky tonk blues

It's those honky tonk women
Gimme, gimme, gimme those honky tonk blues

It's those honky tonk women
Gimme, gimme, gimme those honky tonk blues

Overall Meaning

The Rolling Stones's song Country Honk is a classic, upbeat country song that talks about the singer's experiences in different cities. The opening verse suggests that the singer is sitting in a bar in Jackson, possibly drowning his sorrows after another failed romance. He reminisces about many "bar room queen[s]" he's had in Jackson, yet he still can't seem to forget about the woman who broke his heart. This verse highlights the song's underlying theme of love, relationships, and the struggles that accompany them.

The following verses talk about the singer's experiences in New York City, where he played a divorcee and had to "put up some kind of a fight." However, this experience was made worthwhile by the lady who "dressed [him] up in roses" and "blew [his] nose." These lines indicate a sense of freedom and indulgence that the singer seems to have experienced with this woman. The chorus, "It's those honky tonk women, Gimme, gimme, gimme those honky tonk blues" is repeated three times, reinforcing the song's central message about the singer's affinity for specific types of women and being haunted by the memories and emotions attached to them.

In summary, The Rolling Stones's Country Honk is an upbeat country ballad that talks about the singer's experiences with women across different cities. It deals with themes of love, relationships, and memories that tend to linger in the mind after a romantic encounter.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm sittin' in a bar tippling a jar in Jackson
I'm sitting in a bar in Jackson drinking alcohol

And on the street the summer sun it shines
It's a sunny day in the middle of summer

There's many a bar room queen I've had in Jackson
I've had my fair share of women in this town

But I just can't seen to drink you off my mind
I'm trying to forget about someone but failing to do so

It's those honky tonk women
These type of women from the bar scene

Gimme, gimme, gimme those honky tonk blues
I want to feel the sadness or melancholy that comes from listening to honky tonk music

I played a divorcee in New York City
I acted as a divorced person in a performance in NYC

I had to put up some kind of a fight
I had to work hard and overcome obstacles in my role

The lady then all dressed me up in roses
My co-star or someone else dressed me up in a flowery outfit

She blew my nose and then she blew my mind
She did something unexpected that impressed me a lot

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind