Almost Hits: The Honeydrippers - Rockin' At Midnight (1984)

The Honeydrippers, Volume One sounds nothing like Led Zeppelin, but Robert Plant said he loved working on this five-song EP more than any other music he ever recorded.

The Honeydrippers were organized after the demise of Zeppelin to fulfill Plant's desire to work in a band with a heavy rhythm and blues foundation, so he became involved with an already existing R&B covers band. Then he brought in some famous friends to help out, including Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and Nile Rodgers of Chic to play guitar. Paul Shaffer from David Letterman's band added piano. Rodgers also served as co-producer.

Volume One reached #5 on the American Billboard 200 albums chart. A cover of "Sea Of Love" from the EP went to #3 on the Hot 100, but the highlight of the sessions was a #25 hit, "Rockin' At Midnight," a remake of "Good Rocking Tonight," an old song originally released by composer Roy Brown in 1947. Some music historians considered this to be the very first rock and roll record even though a superior version with a heavier beat was released by blues singer Wynonie Harris the following year. Elvis Presley also recorded it for Sam Phillips and Sun Records in 1954.

"Rockin' At Midnight," is a rollicking good time. It features Beck on guitar with a big band that will blow you away. Both the 45 RPM single and The EP's version clock in at 5:57 but the official video is only 4:45. I don't know why it's shorter - that's very unusual - but I don't think you'll be disappointed. It's exuberant and features a lot of young people in vintage film footage - some of it in black and white - dancing in the aisles while the silhouetted Plant is showing off his best 50s era Elvis gyrations.

There was supposed to be a full length album by the band to follow up Volume One, but it never happened. "Rockin' At Midnight" makes me believe we really missed out on something truly wonderful. C'mon Robert, you still have time.
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Almost Hits is an occasional exploration into songs that failed to reach the top 20 on the American Billboard Hot 100. Many have become classics despite what their chart position would indicate.

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