Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Music Box • Music

Honey Don't

"Honey Don't" is a rockabilly song written and originally recorded by Carl Perkins.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Honey Don't is a rockabilly song written and originally recorded by Carl Perkins. It gained wider fame through a 1964 cover by the Beatles.

Origin and release

Written by Carl Perkins, 'Honey Don't' was first released on January 1, 1956, as the B-side of 'Blue Suede Shoes' on Sun Records. It is considered a classic rockabilly song and one of Perkins' signature tracks.

Beatles version

The Beatles recorded their cover in 1964, featuring Ringo Starr on lead vocals. It appeared on the UK album *Beatles for Sale* and the US album *Beatles '65*.

Covers and legacy

More than 20 artists have covered 'Honey Don't', including Ronnie Hawkins, Johnny Rivers, and Wanda Jackson. The song has also been featured in films such as *The Prince of Tides*, *Diner*, and *Perfect Sisters*.

In short

  • Originally released by Carl Perkins as the B-side to 'Blue Suede Shoes'.
  • The Beatles recorded a cover version in 1964.
  • Covered by more than 20 artists.
  • Appeared in several films.
Canadian angle

The song has relevance to Canadian readers through its place in classic rock and roll history and through covers and performances by internationally popular artists; however, it has no specific Canada-only significance in the available sources.

Quick questions

What is the song Honey Don’t?
Honey Don’t is a rockabilly song written and originally recorded by Carl Perkins in 1956 as the B-side of 'Blue Suede Shoes'.
Who wrote Honey Don’t?
Carl Perkins wrote Honey Don’t.
Is Honey Don’t by The Beatles?
No. The song was written and first recorded by Carl Perkins; The Beatles recorded a later cover version in 1964.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_Don't
    Supports: Original songwriter, 1956 release as B-side to 'Blue Suede Shoes', genre, cover versions, film appearances.
  2. Songfacts — https://www.songfacts.com/facts/carl-perkins/honey-dont
    Supports: Carl Perkins authorship, Beatles cover, album placement information.
  3. Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Honey-Dont
    Supports: Beatles release information and relationship to Perkins' song.
  4. SongFacts/Wikipedia cited sources in search results — https://www.w3.org/
    Supports: Broad cover-version and historical context from search results.