"Rockin' at Midnight" by The Honeydrippers

Song#:  2176
Date:  01/05/1985
Debut:  80
Peak:  25
Weeks:  11
Genre:  Jump Blues, R&B, Rock



Pop Bits:  This Robert Plant-led side project ended up with a left-field hit via their remake of the 1959 tune "Sea of Love." It was taken from their debut EP The Honeydrippers, Vol. One as was this second single, which was originally the a-side to the "Sea of Love" single until stations started to play that b-side. For it's second go-around, the new single then featured "Young Boy Blues" for the b-side. The song did well at Rock where it got to #8 and Pop responded fine sending it into the Top 30. Although the success of the singles and EP prompted Plant to announce that a full follow-up album would be recorded, it never was. The EP remains the only recording done by the band.

ReduxReview:  This early R&B tune gets a nice update by the band. Every now and then a revival of a song like this will pique the interest of a younger generation. It's great because some of them will look back at the original artists or more songs in the same style. Singles like this help keep alive the sounds of yesteryear. This is just a fun song and it's hard to not start dancing while this is on. It's not the most inspired cover, but it sounds like they were having fun and Plant brings the song across the finish line quite well.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  This is a remake of a song written by bluesman Roy Brown in 1949. It was essentially a sequel to Brown's 1947 song "Good Rocking Tonight." That song was Brown's first single and it got to #13 at R&B. Brown originally offered the song to blues/R&B star Wynonie Harris, who initially turned it down. While Brown's version was shaping up to be a hit, Harris then decided to record the tune. His version reached #1 in '48. Brown got a bit of revenge later when his sequel song "Rockin' at Midnight" made it to #2 the following year. The Honeydrippers would revive the tune nearly 35 years later. Also to note, Elvis Presley covered "Good Rocking Tonight" in 1954. It would be issued as his second single following "That's All Right." It would not chart, but the single would eventually be a gold seller.

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