"The Honeythief"
Single by Hipsway
from the album Hipsway
B-side"Wild Sorrow"
Released1986
GenreNew wave[1]
Length3:10
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Gary Langan
Hipsway singles chronology
"Ask the Lord"
(1985)		 "The Honeythief"
(1986)		 "Long White Car"
(1986)

"The Honeythief" is a 1986 song performed by the Scottish band Hipsway.[2]

Background

The song's title was inspired by a 16th-century painting, "Venus and Cupid, the Honey Thief", found in the Burrell Collection art museum in Glasgow.[3]

The lyrics are based on Vladimir Nabokov's book Lolita.[4] In 1987, singer Grahame Skinner said, "It's just written from the point of view of a lecherous man who has an attraction for an innocent young girl — 'She's the honey and I'm the thief'."[4]

Chart performance

It was included on their 1986 self-titled debut album and released as a single, which reached number 17 on the UK Singles Chart,[5] and number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.[6] Its remix reached number 9 on the US Dance Club Play Singles chart.[6]

"The Honeythief" was the band's only top 40 hit in the US.[7] It has since appeared on over a dozen '80s music compilations.[8]

Chart (1986–1987) Peak
position
Australian (Kent Music Report)[9] 91
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 49
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 20
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 33
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 26
UK Singles (OCC)[5] 17
US Billboard Hot 100[6] 19
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[6] 9
US Cash Box[14] 28

References

  1. ↑ Kellman, Andy. "A Kick Up the Eighties, Vol. 9: Steppin' Out – Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  2. ↑ Cooper, William. "Hipsway – Hipsway". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  3. ↑ Ross, Peter (11 November 2016). "Time to hop back on board Hipsway's Candybar Express?". The Herald. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  4. 1 2 Heath, Chris (May 1987). "Gimme Some Skin". Star Hits. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Hipsway – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  7. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). Billboard Books. p. 287. ISBN 0-8230-7499-4.
  8. ↑ "The Honeythief – Appearances". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  9. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 139. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7822." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  11. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Honeythief". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  12. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Hipsway" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  13. ↑ "Hipsway – The Honeythief". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  14. ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending APRIL 11, 1987". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012.
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