Honey Don't Leave L.A.

"Honey Don't Leave L.A."
Single by Attitudes
from the album Attitudes
Released1976
Recorded1975
GenreSoft rock
Length3:12
LabelDark Horse
Songwriter(s)Danny Kortchmar
Producer(s)Attitudes, Lee Kiefer
Attitudes singles chronology
"Ain't Love Enough"
(1975) 		"Honey Don't Leave L.A."
(1976) 		"Sweet Summer Music"
(1976)
"Honey Don't Leave L.A."
Dutch cover
Single by James Taylor
from the album JT
B-side"Another Grey Morning"
ReleasedFebruary 1978
GenreRock
Length3:03
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Danny Kortchmar
Producer(s)Peter Asher
James Taylor singles chronology
"Your Smiling Face"
(1977) 		"Honey Don't Leave L.A."
(1978) 		"Up on the Roof"
(1979)

"Honey Don't Leave L.A." is a song written by Danny Kortchmar. It was first recorded by Attitudes, a band consisting of Kortchmar, Paul Stallworth, Jim Keltner and David Foster, who met while backing George Harrison on his album Extra Texture (Read All About It).[1] It was released on Attitudes' self-titled debut album in 1976.[1] It was also released as a promotional single on Harrison's Dark Horse Records label.

The lyrics of "Honey Don't Leave L.A." are a plea to an "errant paramour."[2] Following a live solo performance in 2013, Kortchmar noted that he "was trying to be sensitive. We were all trying to be sensitive back then."[3]

"Honey Don't Leave L.A." was later covered by James Taylor, for whom it became a minor hit. Taylor included his version of "Honey Don't Leave L.A." on his 1977 album JT.[4] David Sanborn played saxophone on the track.[2][5] It was also released as the third single from the album, following "Handy Man" and "Your Smiling Face," which both reached the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. Released more than six months after "Your Smiling Face" in February 1978, the "Honey Don't Leave L.A." single peaked at number 61 in the US.[2][5][6] It also reached number 63 in Canada.[7]

  1. ^ a b "Attitudes". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference long was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Browne, D. (April 11, 2013). "The Section: Knights of Soft Rock". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2014-06-22.[dead link]
  4. ^ Ruhlmann, W. "JT". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
  5. ^ a b Rees, D.; Crampton, L. (1999). Rock Stars Encyclopedia (2nd ed.). DK. p. 986. ISBN 9780789446138.
  6. ^ "JT Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
  7. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles". Library and Archives Canada. April 1, 1978. Retrieved 2014-06-24.