Little Honda
Encyclopedia
"Little Honda" is a song written by Brian Wilson
and Mike Love
for the American
rock
band
The Beach Boys
. It was released on their 1964 album All Summer Long
, and it was also featured on their EP, Four by The Beach Boys
. It was covered by The Hondells
, whose recording peaked at #9 on the U.S. pop singles chart
, and later by Jan & Dean, and Yo La Tengo
. The song pays tribute to the small Honda
motorcycle
and its ease of operation, specifically the Honda Super Cub.
"Little Honda" peaked at #65 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the Beach Boys but became an international favorite, rising to #1 in Sweden and #8 in Norway in early 1965 as cited by a contemporary issue of Billboard, #15 on Canada's national RPM chart, and concurrently #44 in Germany.
In regional North American charts the Beach Boys' recording was particularly popular in Los Angeles, Washington DC and Minneapolis (all #2), Vancouver (#3), Richmond (#4), Montreal (#6), San Jose (#8), and came close to top ten in Miami, Cincinnati, Winnipeg and in Springfield and Manchester in New England.
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
and Mike Love
Mike Love
Michael Edward "Mike" Love is an American singer/songwriter and musician with The Beach Boys. He was a founding member of the band along with his cousins Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, and their friend Al Jardine, and continues to perform with the band to the present day...
for the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
. It was released on their 1964 album All Summer Long
All Summer Long
All Summer Long is the sixth studio album by The Beach Boys and their second in 1964. Recorded in the aftermath of the British Invasion, spearheaded by The Beatles, the album marked a major turning point in The Beach Boys' career, and in leader/prime songwriter Brian Wilson as an artist.All Summer...
, and it was also featured on their EP, Four by The Beach Boys
Four By The Beach Boys
Four By The Beach Boys EP by The Beach Boys was the band's first and only EP . It contained only songs from the album All Summer Long. It charted at #44 in the US.-Side one:...
. It was covered by The Hondells
The Hondells
The Hondells were an American surf rock band who hit the Top 10 with the 1964 single "Little Honda"."Little Honda", written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love of The Beach Boys, was inspired by the popularity of Honda motor bikes in Southern California during the early 1960s. The band recorded the song...
, whose recording peaked at #9 on the U.S. pop singles chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, and later by Jan & Dean, and Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
. The song pays tribute to the small Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
and its ease of operation, specifically the Honda Super Cub.
"Little Honda" peaked at #65 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the Beach Boys but became an international favorite, rising to #1 in Sweden and #8 in Norway in early 1965 as cited by a contemporary issue of Billboard, #15 on Canada's national RPM chart, and concurrently #44 in Germany.
In regional North American charts the Beach Boys' recording was particularly popular in Los Angeles, Washington DC and Minneapolis (all #2), Vancouver (#3), Richmond (#4), Montreal (#6), San Jose (#8), and came close to top ten in Miami, Cincinnati, Winnipeg and in Springfield and Manchester in New England.
Details
- Written by: Brian WilsonBrian WilsonBrian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
/Mike LoveMike LoveMichael Edward "Mike" Love is an American singer/songwriter and musician with The Beach Boys. He was a founding member of the band along with his cousins Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, and their friend Al Jardine, and continues to perform with the band to the present day... - Album: All Summer LongAll Summer LongAll Summer Long is the sixth studio album by The Beach Boys and their second in 1964. Recorded in the aftermath of the British Invasion, spearheaded by The Beatles, the album marked a major turning point in The Beach Boys' career, and in leader/prime songwriter Brian Wilson as an artist.All Summer...
- Time: 1 minMinuteA minute is a unit of measurement of time or of angle. The minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour or 60 seconds. In the UTC time scale, a minute on rare occasions has 59 or 61 seconds; see leap second. The minute is not an SI unit; however, it is accepted for use with SI units...
52 secSecondThe second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock.... - Produced by: Brian WilsonBrian WilsonBrian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
Covered By
- Yo La TengoYo La TengoYo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
, I Can Hear the Heart Beating as OneI Can Hear the Heart Beating as OneI Can Hear the Heart Beating as One is an album by Yo La Tengo. It was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee and mixed in New York City. The album was released on Matador in 1997, and "Busy with My Thoughts" appeared on the Japanese version, the song also available as the b-side to the "Sugarcube"...
(1997) - The QueersThe QueersThe Queers are a punk band formed in 1981 by Portsmouth, New Hampshire native Joe King . The band originally broke up in 1984, but reformed with Joe Queer and a new line-up in 1986. In 1990, the band signed with Shakin' Street Records and released their first album Grow Up...
, Bubblegum DreamsBubblegum DreamsBubblegum Dreams is an EP by pop punk band The Queers.-Track listing:# "Punk Rock Girls" # "Never Ever Ever"# "Little Honda"# "End It All"-Personnel:*Joe King - Guitar, Vocals*B-Face - Bass*Hugh O'Neill - Drums...
7" (1996), Lookout! - Expulsados, Altoparlantes (2003)
- Travoltas, Party! (2003)
- The Demonics , Demons on Wheels (2003)
See also
- The Beach BoysThe Beach BoysThe Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
- All Summer LongAll Summer LongAll Summer Long is the sixth studio album by The Beach Boys and their second in 1964. Recorded in the aftermath of the British Invasion, spearheaded by The Beatles, the album marked a major turning point in The Beach Boys' career, and in leader/prime songwriter Brian Wilson as an artist.All Summer...
- List of songs by The Beach Boys