Let's Talk About...SISTER HONEY

[Dodfather]

Here's a random one for you all!

Does anyone have the slightest clue what this song is about?? The reason I started this thread is that I've always been a bit clueless about it and was hoping others could maybe give me some idea?

Has anyone even heard Stevie discussing this track? I remember she gave a brief story about it to one of the questions asked by fans on nicksfix but I can't find that question now.

Obviously my first thought was that this was about coke, since it's on Rock A Little, but I'm just not sure. "Can we still be friends...the answer's always yes..." Of course it is if she's addicted...

I really think this is one of the best songs on the album, I love it! I was in 2 minds about starting this thread because I quite like the idea of not having a clue about the song, itkes it fun!

Thoughts anyone?

[daniellaaarisen]

What songs on RAL are for sure about blow? I've speculated about that for a while but until now, I've never heard anyone mention a potential common trend on the album.

First off, I love "Sister Honey." It is one of my favorite songs to jam to by myself in the car, soonafter recieving weird looks from people at stoplights. Now that I think about it.... I think that there could definitely be ties to coke, although some of my conclusions are stretched. I'm going to dissect the lyrics as if "Sister Honey" is blow... She's definitely personifying something here.

I think you will like Sister Honey
She will help you
Make up your mind
even if you don't need her
Tell her you need her
She needs you brother

She could be initially commenting on how the drug kind of eradicates indecisiveness in a user. I think that its interesting that Stevie says, "even if you don't need her, tell her you need her." It's almost like she realizes that addiction is totally a state of mind and cocaine doesn't have to be a "neccessity" if that state of mind can be changed. Instead, the coke world literally needs people like her to sustain the business.

Strange fascination
Some kind of temptation
To know Sister
Never having allowed yourself
Do you understand the word, pleasure
Well, you say it's just never crossed your mind
And she believes you

An explanation of the tempting aspects of the drug-- to "know" Sister is to meet a totally different type of pleasure.

Can we still be friends
the answer's always yes
Even best intentions turn around one day

She realizes that keeping the "relationship" may be a "best intention" but it could be harmful.

Nobody's right, baby
All the time
And a fool never knows what he's leaving behind
So take some time to know the real story
Cause a soul that's true is your ride to glory
Don't let that golden hair get in your way , baby

This verse justifies the potential harm of coke-- she doesn't want to be the "fool" who "leaves behind" an experience that may or may not be a good one. She has to take the ride regardless of what the odds may be.

Come back solemn stranger
It's your last chance
She's almost gone, now
And she'll go fast like a jet plane
And then fast like a star stream
She'll hit you with a fury
Whispering the words one more time, baby
One more time
And she says don't let that golden hair
Get in your way now

"One more time, baby".... yeah, I'm voting coke as a potential metaphor on this one.

[Dodfather]

Phew! Well done!

I didn't mean that every song on Rock A Little is specifically about coke. Apparently The Nightmare is about her brief marriage but who knows? Of course there's also the story of Has Anyone Eever Written Anything For You. I just meant that it's her most coked out album because of the time it was made etc.

There was that thread a while back about her most coke-y song and most of the ones from this time were up there!

[daniellaaarisen]

Originally Posted by Dodfather

Phew! Well done!

I didn't mean that every song on Rock A Little is specifically about coke. Apparently The Nightmare is about her brief marriage but who knows? Of course there's also the story of Has Anyone Eever Written Anything For You. I just meant that it's her most coked out album because of the time it was made etc.

There was that thread a while back about her most coke-y song and most of the ones from this time were up there!

Yeah, I know what you mean. I knew that every song wasn't about it but it makes sense, given the time period, that there would be ties...

Wait, I wanna find that thread! That sounds really interesting.

[LukeA]

"Sister Honey" was co-written with Stevie's old slovenly coke/F-buddy Les Dudek. Its about coke. Since Stevie desperately wants to forget her addiction to coke and her "relationship" with Dudek, she will forever ignore this song.

[daniellaaarisen]

Originally Posted by LukeA

"Sister Honey" was co-written with Stevie's old slovenly coke/F-buddy Les Dudek. Its about coke. Since Stevie desperately wants to forget her addiction to coke and her "relationship" with Dudek, she will forever ignore this song.

And yet, coke comes up in about every interview from the past 20 years.... The Les part makes sense, though-- RAL is a very ignored album in her solo shows

[Dodfather]

Originally Posted by daniellaaarisen

And yet, coke comes up in about every interview from the past 20 years.... The Les part makes sense, though-- RAL is a very ignored album in her solo shows

I've heard that she refuses to play anything from Rock A Little through to Street Angel because she wants to forget it all, apart from Has Anyone Ever Wriitten Anything For You. I get that we all have times we just want to blank out but at the same time the decision doesn't sit easy with me. On the one hand she'd obviously want to put on the best show she can for audience response etc and those albums don't have her biggest hits on them (apart from I Can't Wait and Rooms on Fire) but at the same time don't the fans deserve to hear maybe just those two? After all, they made them hits.

Of course she can do what she wants though, but it would be nice to see those albums acknowldged, we did buy them after all. Of course, even if she did add a couple of tunes from this period to the set there'd still be no way we'd get Sister Honey!

[daniellaaarisen]

Originally Posted by Dodfather

I've heard that she refuses to play anything from Rock A Little through to Street Angel because she wants to forget it all, apart from Has Anyone Ever Wriitten Anything For You. I get that we all have times we just want to blank out but at the same time the decision doesn't sit easy with me. On the one hand she'd obviously want to put on the best show she can for audience response etc and those albums don't have her biggest hits on them (apart from I Can't Wait and Rooms on Fire) but at the same time don't the fans deserve to hear maybe just those two? After all, they made them hits.

Of course she can do what she wants though, but it would be nice to see those albums acknowldged, we did buy them after all. Of course, even if she did add a couple of tunes from this period to the set there'd still be no way we'd get Sister Honey!

Yeah, I'm sure that those were far from good days in her mind.... but it also might be a vocal issue to a level. I would LOVE to hear "I Can't Wait" live but it wouldn't be the same rearranged to better fit her current voice, nor does she want to meddle with it. I generally prefer her first two solo albums and then TISL to anything in between, but I get what you're saying-- a LITTLE variety could go a long way, especially for those fans who prefer those albums.

[Black_Moon]

I love "Rock A Little", I'd consider it my second favourite of Stevie's solo albums. Songs like "If I Were You" could easily work with the way her voice is as the moment. I mean, she performed "Talk To Me" until 1994.

[petep9000]

I've always thought that 'Sister Honey' is about partying and drugs, rock and roll, staying up all night, screaming guitars, thundering Harley's and jetplanes and waking up on the kitchen floor the next day (after riding the star-stream) and not remembering much. A heady song, for a heady time.

[Dodfather]

Originally Posted by petep9000

I've always thought that 'Sister Honey' is about partying and drugs, rock and roll, staying up all night, screaming guitars, thundering Harley's and jetplanes and waking up on the kitchen floor the next day (after riding the star-stream) and not remembering much. A heady song, for a heady time.

Brilliantly summarised! I think that's what it's about too.

Dani - I'm agree with you if I had to put the albums in order, but both Rock A Little and Other Side Of The Mirror have their individual tracks that I'd LOVE to hear live! It's a shame she won't do them.

[David]

I can remember only one instance of Stevie's discussing anything about this song: her 1986 Innerview with Jim Ladd.

[michelej1]

Maybe it's Sister Carrie I'm actualling thinking of, but I lean towards the (admittedly) surface reading and say that Sister Honey is a prostitute. I think the song chronicles a power play in relationships, where it's unclear who holds the strength and control. You think it's A initially and you find that it's B who can't walk away.

Who's putting on the facade and pretending to love (need)? Is one doing it only for the money and one doing it only for the sexual gratification. Well, maybe neither are still there for the disinterested reasons that brought them.

My favorite line is "don't let that golden hair, get in the way." I know this can be interpreted as not letting the hair get in the way of a cocaine snort, but I see the hair as innocence and/or a cover. Sometimes I'm not sure whether the golden hair is soft and pure or hard and brassy. Sometimes, I think it means, don't let your inhibitions or conscience get in the way. Sometimes, I think it means don't judge a book by its cover. A hard shell conceals a soft core.

At any rate, I think the words fast like a jet plane, fast like a star stream, hit you with a fury, whispering the words one more time are very seductive. I mean, even if I don't think it's about cocaine, I do think it's about addiction.

Michele

[Fannymac]

I would LOVE to see her put "Whole Lotta Trouble" back into her set....that song ws GREAT live!!!

[michelej1]

I wanted to add that the nicest part of the star stream/jet plane lines is with all that force, rush and fury, she is still whispering the words "one more time."

Sister Honey unbridles with the most delicate touch. Viva the contrast.

Michele