"Honey Come Back" is a song written by Jimmy Webb, and recorded by the American country music artist Glen Campbell. It would become a major hit for him.
Glen Campbell version
It was released in January 1970 as the second single from his album Try a Little Kindness. The song peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also reached number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.
A video was produced for the song, featuring Campbell sitting by a fireplace composing a letter – presumably of his thoughts and feelings for his girlfriend, who has left him. The video has aired on Great American Country.
Chart performance
Weekly charts Chart (1970)PeakpositionAustralian Go-Set 6Australia (Kent Music Report)7Canadian RPM Country Tracks1Canadian RPM Top Singles6Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary3Euro Hit 5013Irish Singles Chart2South African Singles Chart16UK Singles Chart4US Billboard Easy Listening4US Cash Box Top 10011
Year-end charts Chart (1970)RankUK Singles Chart15Australia (KMR)64U.S. Cashbox Top 10083
The Peddlers version
In 1970 The Peddlers version became a hit in New Zealand.
Background Following on from their success in New Zealand with Backed with "Girlie", The Peddlers released their take on "Honey Come Back".Audioculture, 4 Jun 2020 - Roy Phillips ny Murray Cammick, The Peddlers Give Birth Backed with "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", it was released on a single, CBS BA 461288 in New Zealand in 1970.Popsike - The Peddlers Honey Come Back BA 461288 CBSThe Peddlers Website - How Cool Is Cool The song appears on the New Zealand issued compilation, The Very Best of the Peddlers, released on CBS SBP 473951.Popsike - THE PEDDLERS - VERY BEST OF - CBS LP USA PRESSING EXGripsweat - THE PEDDLERS Very Best Of CBS SBP 473951 New Zealand Import Blues R&B Jazz LP EX
Chart The song spent four weeks in the New Zealand chart in July, peaking at no. 8 on week two.cHARTS.ORG.NZ - july 10, 1970 - july 31, 1970 Chart (1970)PeakpositionNew Zealand (Listener)Flavour of New Zealand, 20 July 19708
Later years The song was not included on the How Cool Is Cool ... The Complete CBS Recordings CD compilation. However the compilation did include two previously unreleased songs, "Say No More" and "Some of This Some of That".The Peddlers Website - How Cool Is Cool
Versions by other artists
The song was first recorded in 1965 by singer Dorsey Burnette during his stint at Motown's country subsidiary Mel-o-dy. It was not issued at the time and only resurfaced in 2006, when it appeared on the compilation The Complete Motown Recordings 1964–1965. The first released version was by the Motown singer Chuck Jackson, whose single reached number 43 on the R&B charts in 1969. In December 1969, Don Ho also released it as a single.
References