"Wild Honey" is a song recorded by the American rock band the Beach Boys. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, it was released as the lead single from their 1967 album Wild Honey, with the B-side of the single being "Wind Chimes". The single peaked at number 31 in the U.S. and number 29 in the U.K.

Composition In a 1992 issue of Goldmine, Mike Love explained the idea for the lyrics of the song:

Recording Recording for the song began on September 26, 1967 at Brian Wilson's home studio in Bel Air, California with Jim Lockert engineering the session. The song would be almost completely recorded in three days. The band started with piano, guitar, bass and drums, followed by a simple organ part and percussion. The band then added an Electro-Theremin and re-did the drums, in which Dennis Wilson's bass drum was recorded in a hallway. The session then concluded with the band doing all vocal overdubs and Bruce Johnston performing the organ solo.

Reception Billboard described the single as an "easy rocker with a steady and solid dance beat." Cash Box said that it's a "thumping, pulsing ditty."

Variations The song was first released as a single on October 23, 1967, with "Wind Chimes" as its B-side (except in Greece, where 1965's "The Girl from New York City" was the B-side). It was then released as the first track on Wild Honey in December of the same year. The following year, the song's backing track was released on the Stack-O-Tracks album. The song has appeared on several of the groups greatest hits compilations including the 1999 compilation album The Greatest Hits - Volume 2: 20 More Good Vibrations; the 2003 compilation Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys as well as the 1993 box set Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys.

Personnel Credits per John Brode, Will Crerar, Joshilyn Hoisington, and Craig Slowinski.

The Beach Boys Bruce Johnston - backing vocals, Farfisa organ (solo), bass guitar Mike Love - backing vocals Brian Wilson - co-lead and backing vocals, grand piano, Farfisa organ, tambourine, congas Carl Wilson - lead and backing vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar Dennis Wilson - backing vocals, drums, bongos

Additional musician Paul Tanner - Electro-Theremin

Charts

Chart (1968)PeakpositionAustralian Singles Chart10New Zealand Singles Chart11UK Singles Chart29U.S. Billboard Hot 10031U.S. Cashbox Top 10022

References