Honkin' on Bobo cover art

  Studio Album · No. 14

Honkin' on Bobo Songwriting Credits by Aerosmith

2004 Columbia Records 12 tracks 44 min

Produced by Jack Douglas, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Marti Frederiksen  ·  Engineered by Paul Caruso, Jay Messina

Columbia Records Blues RockElectric BluesHard Rock
8%
Authorship
Singer / Performer

Holds writing credit on 1 of 12 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 1 / 12 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Aerosmith carries a lyricist or composer credit.

8%
1 trackwritten by Aerosmith 11 tracksoutside writers
Aerosmith's roles on this album

Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist8%
Composer8%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

12
Tracks
16
Lyricists
4
Producers
2004
Released
Data Insight

Honkin' on Bobo is an album of blues covers, not original Aerosmith material. Eleven of its twelve tracks are reworkings of songs first recorded by blues artists such as Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Sonny Boy Williamson and Muddy Waters, with the band paying tribute to the music that shaped its early sound. The only original composition is 'The Grind,' a Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Marti Frederiksen co-write. Producer Jack Douglas, who worked on the band's 1970s classics, returned to capture a rawer, live-in-the-room feel.

Aerosmith's fourteenth studio album, released March 30, 2004. A return to their blues roots, the album consists almost entirely of classic blues covers with only one original track: 'The Grind' (Tyler-Perry-Frederiksen). The covers span foundational blues artists, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Little Walter, and others. 'Stop Messin' Around' is a Fleetwood Mac cover (written by Peter Green and Clifford Adams). Jack Douglas, who produced their classic 1970s albums, returns to produce. The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200.

Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Road Runner
Ellas McDaniel Ellas McDaniel Jack DouglasSteven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
2
Shame, Shame, Shame
Ruby FisherKenyon Hopkins Ruby FisherKenyon Hopkins Jack DouglasSteven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
3
Eyesight to the Blind
Sonny Boy Williamson II Sonny Boy Williamson II Jack DouglasSteven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
4
Baby, Please Don't Go #7
Joe Williams Joe Williams Jack DouglasSteven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
5
Never Loved a Girl
Ronny Shannon Ronny Shannon Jack DouglasSteven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
6
Back Back Train
Fred McDowell Fred McDowell Jack DouglasSteven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
7
You Gotta Move
Rev. Gary DavisFred McDowell Rev. Gary DavisFred McDowell Jack DouglasSteven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
8
The Grind
Steven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Jack DouglasSteven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
9
I'm Ready
Willie Dixon Willie Dixon Jack DouglasSteven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
10
Temperature
Joel Michael CohenWalter Jacobs Joel Michael CohenWalter Jacobs Jack DouglasSteven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
11
Stop Messin' Around
Clifford AdamsPeter Green Clifford AdamsPeter Green Jack DouglasSteven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer
12
Jesus Is on the Main Line
Fred McDowell Fred McDowell Jack DouglasSteven TylerJoe PerryMarti Frederiksen Steven TylerJoe PerryBrad WhitfordTom HamiltonJoey Kramer

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 20 contributors

FM
Fred McDowell
Writer
On this album3 written
JP
Joe Perry
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
MF
Marti Frederiksen
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
ST
Steven Tyler
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
CA
Clifford Adams
Writer
On this album1 written
EM
Ellas McDaniel
Writer
On this album1 written
JW
Joe Williams
Writer
On this album1 written
JM
Joel Michael Cohen
Writer
On this album1 written
KH
Kenyon Hopkins
Writer
On this album1 written
PG
Peter Green
Writer
On this album1 written
RG
Rev. Gary Davis
Writer
On this album1 written
RS
Ronny Shannon
Writer
On this album1 written

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Frequently Asked Questions Honkin' on Bobo

Is Honkin' on Bobo an album of original Aerosmith songs?
No. Honkin' on Bobo is a blues covers album. Eleven of its twelve tracks are covers of older blues songs, and only one track, 'The Grind,' is an Aerosmith original.
Whose songs does Aerosmith cover on Honkin' on Bobo?
The album covers blues and R&B artists including Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters and Little Walter. Aerosmith framed the record as a tribute to the blues music that influenced the band. Songs were chosen from across the classic blues catalog.
What is the only original song on Honkin' on Bobo?
'The Grind' is the album's sole original composition. It was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Marti Frederiksen. Every other track on the record is a cover.
Who produced Honkin' on Bobo?
The album was produced by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Jack Douglas and Marti Frederiksen. Jack Douglas had produced several of Aerosmith's 1970s albums, and his return helped give the covers a raw, vintage feel. Marti Frederiksen also handled the mixing.
What was the single from Honkin' on Bobo?
'Baby, Please Don't Go' was the album's single, released in 2004. It reached number 7 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. The song is a cover of the blues standard most associated with Big Joe Williams.
How did Honkin' on Bobo perform commercially?
The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200, selling over 160,000 copies in its first week. It was certified Gold by the RIAA in the United States and also reached Gold status in Japan. It was a solid showing for a covers project.
Why did Aerosmith make a blues covers album?
Aerosmith grew out of blues-based hard rock, and Honkin' on Bobo let the band revisit the roots of its sound. The members had long cited blues artists as core influences. The record was a deliberate return to that material rather than a set of new songs.

Sources

Wikipedia: Honkin' on Bobo Wikipedia: Baby, Please Don't Go Wikipedia: Aerosmith discography MusicBrainz release group Cover Art Archive front cover Cover Art Archive: Honkin' on Bobo by Aerosmith