AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Hondells

Artist:The Hondells

Song:Little Honda

Album:Go Little Honda/The Hondells

The 1964 single Little Honda was a top ten hit. It was the only big hit for The Hondells. A couple of their other songs charted so technically they are not a one hit wonder. But Little Honda is the only song most will remember. They also weren't really a band. Brian Wilson wrote Little Honda and it appeared on The Beach Boys 1964 album All Summer Long. But it was not released as a single. Gary Usher worked frequently with Wilson and he thought Little Honda could be a hit. He sent Little Honda to The Castells lead singer Chuck Girard and asked him to learn the song. Usher then assembled studio musicians and recorded Go Little Honda for Mercury Records. Little Honda reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. My guess is most listeners thought it was a Beach Boys record. Usher produced the album with Beach Boys producer Nick Venet and wrote most of the songs with longtime songwriting partner Roger Christian. Among the musicians who played on the album were Glen Campbell, Al DeLory, Tommy Tedesco, Richard Podolor, Wayne Edwards and Richard Burns. The liner notes claimed that Burns was the leader of The Hondells. And when Little Honda became a hit, a group was invented so The Hondells could perform on American Bandstand and Shindig. They are lip syncing on both clips. There was a second Hondells album. Both are on this twofer CD. The Hondells appeared in the films Beach Blanket Bingo, Ski Party and Beach Ball. Usher went on to produce several fictional bands. But The Hondells was the only successful band. Mike Curb took over The Hondells and released several unsuccessful singles. Chuck Girard was a pioneering CCM artist. Here's The Hondells performing Little Honda on American Bandstand Oct. 17, 1964.