View source for Honkin' on Bobo

{{About|the album by Aerosmith|the subsequent tour|Honkin' on Bobo Tour}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Honkin' on Bobo
| type       = studio
| artist     = [[Aerosmith]]
| cover      = Aerosmith - Honkin' On Bobo.JPG
| alt        =
| released   = {{Start date|2004|03|30}}{{sfn|Furniss|2012|loc=eBook}}
| recorded   = 2003
| studio     = 
*The Boneyard
*The Bryer Patch 
*Pandora's Box
| genre      = 
*[[Hard rock]]
*[[blues]]
*[[blues rock]]
*[[electric blues]]
*[[chicago blues]]
| length     = 43:57
| label      = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
| producer   = 
*[[Steven Tyler]]
*[[Joe Perry (musician)|Joe Perry]]
*[[Jack Douglas (record producer)|Jack Douglas]]
*[[Marti Frederiksen]]
| prev_title = [[Just Push Play]]
| prev_year  = 2001
| next_title = [[Music from Another Dimension!]]
| next_year  = 2012
| misc       = {{Singles
 | name        = Honkin' on Bobo
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = [[Baby, Please Don't Go#Aerosmith version|Baby, Please Don't Go]]
 | single1date = 2004
}}
}}

'''''Honkin' on Bobo''''' is the fourteenth studio album by American [[rock music|rock]] band [[Aerosmith]], released on March 30, 2004, by [[Columbia Records]].{{sfn|Furniss|2012|loc=eBook}} The album includes 11 [[Cover version|covers]] of [[blues]] and [[blues rock]] songs from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, with one new song, "The Grind". The album pays tribute to Aerosmith's earliest influences and showcases a rawer sound when compared to their more recent commercial efforts. ''Honkin' on Bobo'' was produced by [[Jack Douglas (record producer)|Jack Douglas]], who was Aerosmith's producer on a vast majority of their 1970s output.

The album sold over 160,000 copies in its first week, reaching number five on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://m.rollingstone.com/music/news/aerosmith-bask-in-the-blues-20040429|title=Aerosmith Bask in the Blues|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=May 24, 2014}}</ref> ''Honkin' on Bobo'' was certified gold by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] on May 11, 2004.<ref name="RIAA"/>

==Background==
After their departure from [[Geffen Records]] in 1994, the band wanted their next record to be a blues album. "Then," said singer [[Steven Tyler]], "we caught wind that [[From the Cradle|Clapton]] was doing it, and we went, 'Fuck!'… We did such incredible research for this album, too… We also thought about our roots, about paying homage to the stuff we loved: early [[The Yardbirds|Yardbirds]] and all. Some of [[Little Walter]]'s early stuff. Really obscure names… I did some digging around myself in [[Chicago blues|Chicago]]. We had some great songs to work with – and then Clapton came along and did it."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=David|last=[[David Fricke|Fricke]]|title=Talk this way – the Rolling Stone interview with Aerosmith's Steven Tyler|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=3 November 1994|page=60}}</ref>

''Honkin' on Bobo'' was recorded in [[Joe Perry (musician)|Joe Perry]]'s ranch near Boston, with the band committing to playing only when they were in a good mood. "We wanted to do something we haven't done before and that excites us," Perry said. "That's what makes us want to do another record. Otherwise, we'd say, 'OK, we've done everything we can do, so why bother even going in again?’"

The album title was suggested by Tyler, who had heard the phrase before, possibly the song by Canadian country/bluegrass band [[The Good Brothers]], and amused the band with it.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20171206074553/http://www.mtv.com/news/1480399/aerosmith-blues-album-inspired-by-bike-crashes-and-funny-phrases/ AEROSMITH BLUES ALBUM INSPIRED BY BIKE CRASHES AND FUNNY PHRASES]</ref> Perry stated during a radio interview, "We just know that it's a phrase that sounds{{nbsp}}... jazzish, nastyish, so it works for us."<ref>{{YouTube|jmTbdfLamDk|Aerosmith - Making of Honkin' On Bobo Pt. 1}}</ref>

Many tracks feature harmonica by Tyler, including Little Walter's "Temperature". This was played on an episode of the ''House of Blues Radio Hour'' that was about the harmonica.<ref>[http://www.thebluesmobile.com/includes/news_items/3/news_items_more.php?id=276&section_id=3] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001083144/http://www.thebluesmobile.com/includes/news_items/3/news_items_more.php?id=276&section_id=3|date=October 1, 2011}}</ref> A harmonica keychain was included with the limited edition version.<ref Name=AM1/> Provisional artwork featured the cover's harmonica stuffed into a model's denim cutoffs. This was vetoed, said its proponent Tyler, "because I'm in a band with four other guys."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Adam|last=Higginbotham|title=Dear Superstar – Steven Tyler|magazine=[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]|date=May 2004|page=58}}</ref>

"[[Stop Messin' Round|Stop Messin' Around]]" – a [[Fleetwood Mac]] cover, sung by Perry – had never before appeared on an Aerosmith album, despite being a staple of the band's concerts for more than ten years.

==Reception==
{{Music ratings
| MC = 69/100<ref name="Metacritic">{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/honkin-on-bobo |title=Honkin' On Bobo Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=May 15, 2012 }}</ref>
| rev1      = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}} <ref Name=AM1>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000334649 |label=Review |first=Stephen Thomas |last=Erlewine|access-date=7 April 2020 }}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]''
| rev2Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="Blender">{{cite web |url=http://www.blender.com/guide/new/52154/honkin146-on-bobo.html |title=Review : ''Honkin' on Bobo'' |first=Jon |last=Pareles |author-link=Jon Pareles |work=[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]].com |publisher=Alpha Media Group |location=[[United States]] |access-date=November 30, 2010 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2012}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev3Score = B−<ref name="EW">{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/2004/04/02/honkin-bobo/ |title=Review : ''Honkin' on Bobo'' |first=Chris |last=Willman |date=April 2, 2004 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]].com |access-date=December 1, 2010 |archive-date=October 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020062223/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,604996,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev4Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="RS">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/honkin-on-bobo-20040415 |title=Review : ''Honkin' on Bobo'' |first=David |last=Fricke |author-link=David Fricke |date=April 15, 2004 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] }}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[USA Today]]''
| rev5Score = {{Rating|3|4}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2004-03-29-listen-up_x.htm |title=Clapton, Aerosmith dabble in the blues |author=Edna Gundersen
|author-link=Edna Gundersen |date=March 29, 2004 |work=[[USA Today]] |publisher=[[Gannett Company]] }}</ref>
}}
[[Metacritic]] gave the album a score of 69 out of 100 based on 12 generally favorable reviews.<ref name="Metacritic" /> [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] of [[AllMusic]] said that the album is the best the band has done since ''[[Pump (album)|Pump]]'' in 1989, and that it cannot be called a "blues" album because it is a rock album. He called the album a "surprise" in that, even though the album's artwork and title are bad, it marks a return to Aerosmith.<ref name="AM1" /> In his ''[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]'' magazine review of the album, [[Jon Pareles]] said that the band did their blues album different from most others because, instead of making "respectable" cover versions, they make quite unrespectable cover versions like "You Gotta Move". The album, to him, proves that Aerosmith can still rock.<ref name="Blender" /> Chris Willman of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' felt that the album didn't live up to what it should be because it is too loud, but some songs on the album are good.<ref name="EW" />

[[David Fricke]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine wrote an article for the magazine comparing and contrasting Aerosmith's ''Honkin' on Bobo'' and [[Eric Clapton]]'s ''[[Me and Mr. Johnson]]'' which also explored blues influences. He said that Clapton's album was mostly about pain, while Aerosmith's album was about sex and running away from lovers. He also considers ''Bobo'' to be a double-tribute album – one tribute to the original musicians and one tribute for 1960s [[blues-rock]] bands – and considers the album to be overdone, which is what Aerosmith is good at.<ref name="RS" />

==Track listing==
{{track listing
| headline = ''Honkin' on Bobo'' track listing
| title1 = [[Road Runner (Bo Diddley song)|Road Runner]]
| note1 = [[Bo Diddley]] cover
| writer1 = Ellas McDaniel {{a.k.a.}} [[Bo Diddley]]
| length1 = 3:46
| title2 = Shame, Shame, Shame
| note2 = [[Billy Williams (singer)|Billy Williams]] cover
| writer2 = Ruby Fisher, [[Kenyon Hopkins]]
| length2 = 2:15
| title3 = [[Eyesight to the Blind]]
| note3 = [[Sonny Boy Williamson II]] cover
| writer3 = [[Sonny Boy Williamson II]]
| length3 = 3:09
| title4 = [[Baby, Please Don't Go]]
| note4 = [[Big Joe Williams|Joe Williams]] cover
| writer4 = [[Big Joe Williams|Joe Williams]]
| length4 = 3:24
| title5 = [[I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)|Never Loved a Girl]]
| note5 = [[Aretha Franklin]] cover
| writer5 = Ronny Shannon
| length5 = 3:12
| title6 = Back Back Train
| note6 = [[Mississippi Fred McDowell]] cover
| writer6 = [[Mississippi Fred McDowell|Fred McDowell]]
| length6 = 4:23
| title7 = [[You Gotta Move (song)|You Gotta Move]]
| note7 = [[Mississippi Fred McDowell]] cover
| writer7 = [[Reverend Gary Davis|Rev. Gary Davis]], Fred McDowell
| length7 = 5:30
| title8 = The Grind
| writer8 = [[Steven Tyler]], [[Joe Perry (musician)|Joe Perry]], [[Marti Frederiksen]]
| length8 = 3:46
| title9 = [[I'm Ready (Muddy Waters song)|I'm Ready]]
| note9 = [[Muddy Waters]] cover
| writer9 = [[Willie Dixon]]
| length9 = 4:13
| title10 = Temperature
| note10 = [[Little Walter]] cover
| writer10 = Joel Michael Cohen, [[Little Walter|Walter Jacobs]]
| length10 = 2:52
| title11 = [[Stop Messin' Round|Stop Messin' Around]]
| note11 = [[Fleetwood Mac]] cover
| writer11 = [[Clifford Davis (music manager)|Clifford Adams]], [[Peter Green (musician)|Peter Green]]
| length11 = 4:29
| title12 = Jesus Is on the Main Line
| writer12 = (Traditional, {{arr.}} by F. McDowell)
| length12 = 2:51
| note12 = [[Mississippi Fred McDowell]] cover
}}

{{Track listing
| headline = Japanese edition
| title13 = [[Jaded (Aerosmith song)|Jaded]]
| writer13 = Tyler, [[Marti Frederiksen]]
| length13 = 3:34
}}

==Personnel==
*[[Steven Tyler]] – lead vocals, harmonica, piano on "Never Loved a Girl", backing vocals on "[[Stop Messin' Around]]", percussion, [[Record producer|production]]
*[[Joe Perry (musician)|Joe Perry]] – lead guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Back Back Train" and "Stop Messin' Around", production
*[[Brad Whitford]] – rhythm and lead guitar
*[[Tom Hamilton (musician)|Tom Hamilton]] – bass guitar
*[[Joey Kramer]] – drums, percussion
'''Additional musicians'''
*[[Tracy Bonham]] – vocals on "Back Back Train" and "Jesus Is on the Main Line"
*[[Johnnie Johnson (musician)|Johnnie Johnson]] – piano on "Shame, Shame, Shame" and "Temperature"
*[[The Memphis Horns]] – [[Brass section|brass]] on "Never Loved a Girl"
*Paul Santo – piano, electric piano, organ, [[Audio engineering|engineering]]
'''Production'''
*[[Jack Douglas (record producer)|Jack Douglas]] – production
*[[Paul Caruso (drummer)|Paul Caruso]] – engineering
*Jay Messina – engineering
*[[Bob Ludwig]] – [[Audio mastering|mastering]]
*[[Marti Frederiksen]] – production, [[Mix engineer|mixing]], engineering

==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for ''Honkin' on Bobo''
! scope="col"| Chart (2004)
! scope="col"| Peak<br /> position
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums ([[ARIA]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aria.com.au/ISSUE737.pdf |archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20040406140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20040407-0000/ISSUE737.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2004-04-06 |title=The ARIA Report (Issue 737) |work=[[Australian Recording Industry Association]] |publisher=[[Australian Web Archive]] |page=5 |access-date=August 8, 2011}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
| 59
|-
{{album chart|Austria|22|artist=Aerosmith|album=Honkin' on Bobo|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|Wallonia|44|artist=Aerosmith|album=Honkin' on Bobo|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|BillboardCanada|5|artist=Aerosmith|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|Netherlands|64|artist=Aerosmith|album=Honkin' on Bobo|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|Finland|35|artist=Aerosmith|album=Honkin' on Bobo|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|France|52|artist=Aerosmith|album=Honkin' on Bobo|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|Germany4|32|id=4916|artist=Aerosmith|album=Honkin' on Bobo|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|Ireland2|60|artist=Aerosmith|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|Italy|21|artist=Aerosmith|album=Honkin' on Bobo|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
! scope="row"| Japanese Albums ([[Oricon]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/search/result.php?kbn=ja&types=rnk&year=2004&month=4&week=2&submit5.x=23&submit5.y=18 |script-title=ja:2004年04月第2週の邦楽アルバムランキング情報 |work=[[Oricon|Oricon Style]] |language=ja |format=PHP |access-date=August 8, 2011}}</ref>
| 6
|-
{{album chart|Scotland|21|date=20040404|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
! scope="row"| Spanish Albums ([[Productores de Música de España|AFYVE]])<ref>{{cite book|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002|last=Salaverri|first=Fernando|date=September 2005|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE|isbn=84-8048-639-2|edition=1st|location=Spain}}<!--|access-date=January 26, 2011--></ref>
| 48
|-
{{album chart|Sweden|38|artist=Aerosmith|album=Honkin' on Bobo|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|Switzerland|17|artist=Aerosmith|album=Honkin' on Bobo|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|UK2|28|date=20040404|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|UKRock|3|date=20040404|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|5|artist=Aerosmith|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|BillboardBlues|1|artist=Aerosmith|rowheader=true|access-date=September 13, 2021}}
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+2004 year-end chart performance for ''Honkin' on Bobo''
! scope="col"| Chart (2004)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
! scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' 200<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2004/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2004|magazine=Billboard|access-date=September 13, 2021}}</ref>
| 151
|}
{{col-end}}

==Sales and certifications==
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for ''Honkin' on Bobo''}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Japan|type=album|title=ホンキン・オン・ボーボゥ|artist=エアロスミス|award=Gold|relyear=2004|certyear=2004|certmonth=3}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=South Korea|nocert=true|certref=<ref name="KOREA">{{cite news|url=http://fanofmusic.free.fr/Site-Charts-KoreaDatabaseUK.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927163946/http://fanofmusic.free.fr/Site-Charts-KoreaDatabaseUK.htm|archive-date=September 27, 2013|url-status=dead|title=Best Selling Foreign Album in Korea (1999-Now)|access-date=December 29, 2024}}</ref>|salesamount=2,162|salesref=<ref name="KOREA"/>}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|title=Honkin' on Bobo|artist=Aerosmith|award=Gold|relyear=2004|certyear=2004|access-date=May 12, 2023|refname=RIAA}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book
| last = Furniss
| first = Matters
| year = 2012
| title = Aerosmith: Uncensored on the Record
| location = Warwickshire, UK
| publisher = Coda Books
| isbn =  978-1781580141
}}

{{Aerosmith}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Aerosmith albums]]
[[Category:2000s covers albums]]
[[Category:2004 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Jack Douglas (record producer)]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Marti Frederiksen]]
[[Category:Columbia Records albums]]